Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-12106

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what statistical evidence it used to construct the definition of Scottish values to be used by the Expert Working Group on Welfare.

Question reference: S4F-01118

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2013

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S4W-11544

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government for each of the projects referred to in its news release of 9 March 2012, Shovel ready projects, which have (a) started, and what the source of the funding was, (b) been delayed because of a lack of suitable planning permissions, (c) been included in its news release of 25 November 2012, Swinney outlines further shovel-ready projects, and under what heading and (d) been removed from the list and for what reason.

The Scottish Government published a list of Shovel Ready projects requiring £302 million in March 2012 in advance of the 2012 UK Budget. The Shovel Ready list was then updated in November 2012 in advance of the UK Autumn Statement with projects requiring £820 million of capital funding.

Despite capital allocations made available through the recent UK Autumn Statement (of £394.1m in total over three years), the Scottish Government’s real terms capital DEL budget will still decrease by 25.9% over the four years of the UK Spending Review from 2010-11 to 2014-15.

The information relating to the list of Shovel Ready projects published on 9 March 2012 that you request is contained in the following table. Some of these projects received funding via the £105 million stimulus announcement that the Scottish Government made in June 2012 to boost jobs and the economic recovery. By accelerating the programme of capital investment we were taking action where the UK Government was failing to

Project Name	a)Project started and source of funding	b)Project delayed because of a lack of suitable planning permission	c)Project included in news release 25 November 2012 and sector heading	d)Project removed from the list and reason
Ullapool Pier- Passenger access system, traffic management, new berthing dolphin and replacement linkspan £4m	Yes Project has proceeded to design & development stage with 75% funding from Transport Scotland.	No	No	Yes A limited option has been identified with Ullapool Harbour Trust. Transport Scotland has re-prioritised this and this will now be funded through their current spending review budgets.
Gourock-Dunoon shore side infrastructure £2m	No	No	Yes Transport: Ferry port infrastructure	Not applicable
Kennacraig Phase 2, £4m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
A96 Threapland, £6m	No	No	Yes Transport	Not applicable
A68 Pathhead to Tynehead Junction, £6m	No	No	Yes Transport	Not applicable
A95 Lackgie, £4m	No	No	Yes Transport	Not applicable
A702 Candymill Bend and Edmonstone Brae, £4m	No	No	Yes Transport	Not applicable
A737 Head Street Roundabout, £1.5m	No	No	No	Yes Transport Scotland are re-visiting the benefits of this scheme.
A876 Kincardine Bridge Refurbishment, £14m	No	No	No	Yes This has been put on hold until after the completion of the new Forth Replacement Crossing.
A75 Hardgrove to Kinmount, £10m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements: Advance Public Utilities, £37.8m	Yes Funded from repayment of Business Stream loan.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Health Maintenance to ensure assets are safe, effective and person centred, £50m	No Only £15m could be funded by way of the £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	Not applicable	Yes Health	Not applicable
Accelerating Schools for the Future – worth £30.8m	Yes Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme will deliver 12 more schools than the 55 initially envisaged. £80 million was brought forward from future years in the Draft Budget 2013-14 to accelerate delivery of secondary schools in the third and final phase of the programme.	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
University projects worth £35m including: University of Glasgow - Centre for Virology Research; University of Dundee - Phases 2 and 3 - refurbishment of Duncan of Jordanstone; University of Abertay / Dundee College - Dundee Academy of Sport; University of Edinburgh - Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences.	No Only £1.5m could be funded for West Highland College by way of the £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	College projects: targeted investment in priority estates included Further and Higher Education	Not applicable

Dundee Central Waterfront, £4.5m	Yes Scottish Enterprise funded from other budgets.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Fife Energy Park - Site Development, £3.5m	Yes Scottish Enterprise funded from other budgets.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
ITREZ Technology Innovation Centre, £4m	No	No	Yes Enterprise: Scottish Enterprise – Economic Development Projects.	Not applicable
ATOS - Forres Enterprise Park, £3m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Inverness Campus, £6m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Forres Enterprise Park - Extension of Roads, £2m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.
European Marine Science Park - Ground works, £3.5m	Yes Highlands and Islands Enterprise funded from other budgets.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Creative Clyde, £1.7m	No	No	Yes Enterprise: Scottish Enterprise – Economic Development Projects	Not applicable
National Renewable Infrastructure Plan - Hunterston Quay Upgrade, £2m	Yes Scottish Enterprise funded from other budgets.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Priority investments within Local Authority Strategic Housing Investment Plans, £15m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Clyde Gateway developments at Bridgeton Cross, Dalmarnock Cross, Rutherglen and Shawfield, £37m	No Only £5.6m could be funded for Rutherglen and Bridgeton by way of the £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Yes Regeneration: Clyde Gateway Office and Industrial Developments for Economic Growth.	Not applicable

Ayr Gaiety Theatre regeneration, £1m	Yes Funded from Creative Scotland.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
National Records of Scotland - Thomas Thomson House - urgent roof repairs, £1.5m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Historic Scotland - Abbotsford House - restoration to bring into public use, £0.7m	Yes Funded from Scottish Government	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Historic Scotland - Lews Castle development, £1m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Forestry Commission Scotland - upgrade of visitor facilities at David Marshall Lodge,	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Aberfoyle and Queen's View, Perthshire, £1m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
National Parks - visitor facility improvements within the National Parks, £1m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh - commence replacement of the Garden's ageing glasshouses, £1.5m	Yes The £105m capital funded package of economic stimulus for 2012-13 as announced 27 June 2012.	No	Not applicable	Not applicable

Question reference: S4W-11545

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of what schemes will be included in the (a) cycling infrastructure, (b) ferry port infrastructure, (c) canal infrastructure, (d) Highlands and Islands Enterprise economic development, (e) Scottish Enterprise economic development, (f) VisitScotland, investment in visitor infrastructure, (g) forestry, access, road infrastructure and buildings refurbishment, (h) national parks, developing the rural economy, (i) Scottish Court Service, estate improvement, essential maintenance and statutory compliance, (j) work to Historic Scotland’s estate, (k) National Museums of Scotland, maintenance, (l) Creative Scotland, grants programme, (m) college, targeted investment in priority estates, (n) national sporting facility and (o) community hub investment projects referred to in its news release of 25 November 2012, Swinney outlines further shovel-ready projects.

Further details relating to these schemes are as follows:

(a) Cycling infrastructure:

Investment in infrastructure that will extend safe cycling routes in different regions of Scotland and encourage active travel, tourism and commuting to school by bike.

(b) Ferry port infrastructure:

Essential port infrastructure improvements required to ensure the safe operation of the ferry services.

(c) Canal infrastructure

Investment in a range of projects that will stimulate regeneration and improve tourism and the visitor experience across our canal network.

(d) Highlands and Islands Enterprise economic development:

Various projects to provide infrastructure, services, access and support to business and communities that will provide economic development opportunities across the Highlands and Islands.

(e) Scottish Enterprise economic development:

Various projects to provide infrastructure, services, access and support to business that will provide economic development opportunities across the country.

(f) VisitScotland, investment in visitor infrastructure:

Investment in VisitScotland’s Glasgow Visitor Information Centre and the network of Visitor Information Centres across the country, which provide information to visitors and act as development hubs for the visitor economy in rural areas, towns and cities.

(g) Forestry, access, road infrastructure and buildings refurbishment:

A range of projects promoting access, through paths and road infrastructure, and refurbishment of key buildings.

(h) National parks, developing the rural economy:

A range of projects in the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond National Parks aimed at facilitating improvements to visitor infrastructure and buildings, and developing community projects.

(i) Scottish Court Service, estate improvement, essential maintenance and statutory compliance:

Projects focusing on essential estate maintenance and compliance, and estate improvements at Airdrie and Aberdeen, as well as civil court reform and carbon reduction.

(j) Work to Historic Scotland’s estate:

Various conservation and repair works to Historic Scotland’s estate including investment in new visitor facilities.

(k) National Museums of Scotland, maintenance:

Backlog maintenance and energy improvement projects across the National Museums of Scotland estate.

(l) Creative Scotland, grants programme:

Grants programmes for improvements to local and regional culture and arts infrastructure across Scotland.

(m) College, targeted investment in priority estates:

Projects to develop those college estates currently in the poorest condition.

(n) National sporting facility:

This commitment aims to support the delivery of facilities that play an important role in the player pathway and allow our top athletes to prepare for competing successfully on the international stage. These facilities build on existing provision and contribute to creating a lasting legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

(o) Community hub investment projects:

Projects to promote community access to sports and physical activities across Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-11689

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide additional guidance to community planning partnerships on the process required to reach single outcome agreements.

<>Guidance to community planning partnerships on the scope and content of their new Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs), including the timetable for their submission and agreement with the Scottish Government, was published on 4 December 2012 and is available on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/CP/SOA2012/SOA2012.

There are no plans for the issue of further formal written guidance to CPPs on preparation of their new SOAs. Instead, as stated in the guidance published on 4 December, the Scottish Government has offered to provide practical advice and support to CPPs to help them prepare their new SOAs.

Question reference: S4W-11680

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by John Swinney on 27 November 2012 (Official Report, c. 13912), when it will inform (a) local authorities and (b) the Parliament of how much additional revenue support each council will receive in 2013-14 from the (i) £70 million available to freeze the council tax, (ii) £39 million for teacher commitments and (iii) funding floor system to keep all councils above 85% of the per capita average.

The distributions of the £70 million for the council tax freeze and the £25 million to deliver the Scottish Government’s commitment for the 85% per capita floor, which was implemented as part of the 2012-15 settlement following Spending Review 2011, are both separately identifiable within the 2013-14 provisional revenue allocations published in Local Government Finance Circular 5/2012*. The £39 million for the teacher commitments is included within the 2013-14 general revenue funding allocations in column nine of Annex B of the Local Government Finance Circular 5/2012.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/17999/11203/LGFC-5-2012

As part of the established practice agreed with COSLA, three year settlements, including the floors, are not reopened during the period of the Spending Review except for agreed additions or reductions in funding.

Question reference: S4W-11720

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11504 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 December 2012, to what organisations that provide advice services on welfare and benefits it provides funding; how much funding it is providing in 2012-13, and from which budget line.

The Scottish Government is doing what it can within our current powers to tackle poverty and inequality and have sought to maximise household incomes and put plans in place to mitigate the impact of welfare reform. Within my portfolio there are a range of interventions which both directly and indirectly provide advice on financial issues such as welfare and benefits. For example we are providing up to £450,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2012-13 for their benefits advice service and up to £375,000 to the Child Poverty Action Group in 2012-13 to provide training to front line agencies to allow them to provide advice to low income households on a variety of financial and benefits related issues.

The Access to Justice project in the Making Justice Work programme is directed at better co-ordination and prioritisation of advice funding, seeking to develop a more efficient and cost effective approach to public sector funding of advice services. The project is currently mapping the range of information and advice services that receive public sector funding and why, covering advice on areas of law such as housing, welfare benefits, debt and consumer issues. I would be happy to provide details to the member once this review has been completed.

Question reference: S4F-01079

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2012

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S4W-11688

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its definition is of the phrase "the post-Christie agenda", used in its document, Single Outcome Agreements, Guide to Community Planning Partnerships.

The “post-Christie agenda” means planning and delivering public services in line with the approach set out in the Scottish Government’s response to the Report of the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services that was led by the late Dr Campbell Christie. That response was published on 21 September 2011 and can be found at

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/09/21104740/0. In that context, and as agreed by the National Community Planning Group, the Guidance on Single Outcome Agreements asks community planning partnerships to show how their approach to the delivery of improved outcomes aligns with the four pillars of public service reform: prevention, local integration and partnership, investment in people and performance improvement.

Question reference: S4W-11681

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by John Swinney on 27 November 2012 (Official Report, c. 13912), whether it will publish a table of the average per capita provisional funding allocations for each local authority and what percentage this represents of the average per capita for Scotland (a) using the latest population figures and (b) amended to assume that no council receives more than 115% in line with Mr Swinney's statement of 8 December 2011 (Official Report, c. 4537)

Additional funding of £25 million to deliver on the Scottish Government’s commitment to introduce a 85% per capita funding floor was included in the local authority allocations in each year covering the 2012-15 settlement period following Spending Review 2011. That funding remains in the provisional settlement allocations which I confirmed to Parliament on 27 November 2012 and is separately identifiable in Annex B of Local Government Finance Circular 5/2012.

In line with established practice agreed with COSLA, three year settlements, including the floors, are not reopened during the period of the Spending Review except for additions or reductions in funding.

Following the transfer of police and fire funding from 2013-14 it is not possible to provide a comparable table of the per capita funding allocations for the implementation of the 85% funding floor.

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