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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-20500

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20327 by John Swinney on 1 April 2014, what estimate it has of the contribution to the £700 million from increases in receipts from (a) income tax, (b) national insurance, (c) VAT, (d) fuel duty, (e) excise duties and (f) other taxes.

The Scottish Government estimates that the revenues from the specific taxes identified in the question would increase if Scotland’s female participation rate was to match Sweden’s. The total increase in all revenues would be expected to amount to £700 million in the long-term. Further detail is provided in the Childcare and Labour Market Participation – Economic Analysis paper which can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0044/00441783.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-20507

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20327 by John Swinney on 1 April 2014, whether the Council of Economic Advisers has been asked to consider the component revenue streams of the £700 million to ensure that the basis for the calculations is robust.

The Council of Economic Advisers considered the economic and social importance of improving childcare provision in Scotland at their meeting on 30 August 2013. The council’s discussion was informed by a presentation by the late Professor Ailsa McKay on the economic and social importance of access to childcare. The minutes of this discussion are available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/Council-Economic-Advisers/Meetings/30-08-2013

The council also received an update on childcare at their meeting on 7 March 2014. Minutes of this meeting will be published online in due course.

The analysis informing the council’s deliberations will be reflected in the Annual Chair’s Report of the Council of Economic Advisers. It is anticipated that the chair’s report will be published in spring 2014.

Question reference: S4W-20499

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20327 by John Swinney on 1 April 2014, for what reasons the component revenue streams of the £700 million from different taxes were not identified in the answer.

<>The answer to S4W-20327 refers to a previously answered question S4W-20084 on 20 March 2014, which provided information on how different tax revenue streams could be affected by an increase in female participation rate in Scotland to match Sweden’s. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-20577

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20237 by John Swinney on 27 March 2014, for what reason the extract from the document cited does not provide advice on the duration of a currency union.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20237 on 27 March 2014, which detailed that paragraph 2.7, page 19, of the first report of the Fiscal Commission Working Group included the following recommendation:

“Recommendation: the Scottish Government should refine the detail of the proposition set out for a macroeconomic framework which can operate from day one of independence and through any period of transition and indefinitely if required. The framework should ensure monetary and price stability, financial stability and fiscal sustainability.”

The full published report and technical annex can be found via:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/02/3017.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-20578

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-20326 and S4W-19732 by John Swinney on 28 March 2014 and 28 February 2014 respectively, for what reason the document referred to does not identify five alternative currency options, and whether a document setting out these options exists.

I refer the member to the answers to questions S4W-20326 on 28 March 2014 and S4W-19732 on 28 February 2014, which detailed the Fiscal Commission Working Groups assessment of the key currency options for an independent Scotland.

The full published report and technical annex can be found via:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/02/3017.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-20414

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 7 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20229 by Michael Russell on 25 March 2014, for what reason the updated project pipeline was not published alongside the updated programme pipeline and progress report documents.

The Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011: Progress Report for 2013, updated Programme Pipeline and updated Project Pipeline, were published simultaneously on the Scottish Government website on 17 March 2014, the first two via the publication page, and the third on the infrastructure investment page. All three publications can be found by way of the following link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/18232/IIP

Question reference: S4W-20361

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) statutory guidance, (b) regulations or (c) memoranda of understanding determine what (i) representative organisations and (ii) regulatory bodies of the medical and healthcare professions it must negotiate with over fees and regulations.

The regulation of healthcare professionals is carried out by UK wide regulatory bodies which are independent of government. These bodies include the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Each regulator’s governing body determines the level of annual fees they charge for registration, but any proposed change in fees will be subject to public consultation.

Ministers in all four countries have committed to working together to ensure a consistent approach to professional healthcare regulation across national boundaries. The legislation governing the majority of healthcare professional groups is reserved to the UK Parliament; however, responsibility for all new groups and new professional regulatory bodies regulated since the Scotland Act 1998 is devolved and also subject to the scrutiny of the Scottish Parliament.

Therefore any change to healthcare regulation is subject to public consultation and scrutiny prior to consideration by the UK Parliament and also in the case of devolved legislation, the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-20327

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20084 by John Swinney on 20 March 2014, whether it will provide a breakdown by type of tax of the amounts adding up to the £700 million.

Question reference: S4F-02009

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2014

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

Question reference: S4W-20326

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister’s comment on The Andrew Marr Show on 16 March 2014 that “the Fiscal Commission Working Group set out not just a plan B as you put it, but B, C, D, E and F”, whether it will identify each of the five alternative currency options.