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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-09336

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) inspectors and (b) other staff have been employed by HM Inspectorate of Education in each calendar year since 2006.

The following table provides the calendar year information, broken down as requested up until HM Inspectorate if Education ceased to exist and merged with Learning and Teaching Scotland to create Education Scotland in July 2011.

	Inspectors	All other staff	Total
2006	87	125	212
2007	79	128	207
2008	81	117	198
2009	83	131	214
2010	87	131	218
2011	87	121	208

Question reference: S5W-08672

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether its ChargePlace Scotland scheme will now charge £1 for every occasion on which a free at the point of use car charging point is used and, if so, what discussions it has had with Charge Your Car Ltd on this and what business case was presented for it.

Question reference: S5W-08416

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to reports of delays in the media, when the Queensferry Crossing will be open to the public.

Question reference: S5O-00781

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-07515

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 8 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), how much each NHS board will pay in increased business rates; what compensation it will offer to mitigate this, and what discussions it has had or plans with each board to discuss whether the increase will lead to a reduction in services.

The following table shows the expected change in total gross rates bills for each NHS Board from 1 April 2017. Reliefs awarded, which may include disabled person relief, charity relief and small business bonus scheme will reduce these gross bills.

The NHS has worked closely with Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) to understand the impact of the Rating Revaluation 2017 and this has been factored into the financial plans of all NHS Boards. NHS funding will increase by almost
£2 billion by the end of this Parliament and the impact of these changes will be managed from within that increase. £6.4million equates to around 0.05% of the total 2017-18 health budget in Scotland.

NHS Board	Number of properties	Current gross bills total* (£000)	2017 gross bills total** (£000)	Change in gross bills (£000)
Ayrshire and Arran	172	5,489	5,873	384
Borders	39	1,594	1,610	16
Dumfries & Galloway	115	2,290	2,487	197
Fife	164	5,954	5,377	- 577
Forth Valley	118	4,953	6,108	1,155
Grampian	242	10,449	11,378	930
Greater Glasgow & Clyde	386	28,278	33,153	4,875
Highland	150	2,090	2,117	27
Lanarkshire	187	8,176	8,104	- 72
Lothian	316	9,507	8,993	- 514
Orkney	20	273	268	- 5
Shetland	23	411	449	38
Tayside	133	8,428	8,336	- 91
Western Isles	14	69	66	- 3
All Scotland	2,079	87,960	94,319	6,359
*as at 1st October 2016

**based on provisional values as at 4th Oct 2016

Question reference: S5W-07520

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), for what reason it has not offered providers of childcare and early years services similar support to that offered to the hospitality sector, and whether it will consider doing so.

Question reference: S5W-07518

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), what support it can give to businesses that deliver childcare and early years services that are concerned about a rise in business rates.

Business that deliver childcare and early years services may benefit from a range of Scottish Government policies including the decision to match the English poundage rate and cut the current rate by 3.7%; increasing the threshold at which the large business supplement becomes payable; expanding the small business bonus scheme threshold for 100% relief from £10,000 to £15,000.

In addition, Local Councils can, under the Community Empowerment Act, create their own local reliefs to assist any business, area or sector.

Question reference: S5W-07516

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), how many businesses in the West Scotland region, excluding in the hospitality sector, will the cap on rises to business rates apply to.

Business in the West of Scotland region will benefit from a range of Scottish Government policies including the decision to match the English poundage rate and cut the current rate by 3.7%; increasing the threshold at which the large business supplement becomes payable; expanding the small business bonus scheme threshold for 100% relief from £10,000 to £15,000.

In addition, Local Councils can, under the Community Empowerment Act, create their own local reliefs to assist any business, area or sector.

Question reference: S5W-07519

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), what impact increased business rates will have on childcare and early years services; what the cost of this will be to (a) local authorities and (b) parents, and whether it considers that the service providers should meet the increase in rates through increased charges or reducing their cost base.

Question reference: S5W-07517

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), what representations the cabinet secretary has received from businesses in the Renfrewshire North and West constituency that are concerned about a rise in business rates.

Business in Renfrewshire will benefit from a range of Scottish Government policies including the decision to match the English poundage rate and cut the current rate by 3.7%; increasing the threshold at which the large business supplement becomes payable; expanding the small business bonus scheme threshold for 100% relief from £10,000 to £15,000 and a 12.5% cap on bill rises for pubs, hotels, cafes and restaurants.

Correspondence received by the Scottish Government is not held on a constituency level basis.