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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: S4O-01415

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to raise energy productivity in order to ease the energy cost burdens on individual households and create a more competitive marketplace for small businesses.

Question reference: S4O-01316

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what recent progress has been made on achieving the HEAT target for accident and emergency treatment times.

Question reference: S4W-08483

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 18 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of S4 school leavers in 2011 entered (a) further education, (b) higher education and (c) apprenticeship schemes.

In September 2011, 42.1 per cent of S4 school leavers from the 2010-11 academic year were in further education, 0.5 per cent in higher education, 16 per cent in training and 19.1 per cent in employment.

We do not collect information on school leavers who enter apprenticeship schemes separately as part of the school leaver destination surveys. Leavers who enter apprenticeship schemes will be included within the ‘employment’ category.

Question reference: S4W-08497

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 18 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the S4 school leavers in 2011 who did not enter apprenticeship schemes or further or higher education found employment within six months.

The initial and follow-up school leaver destination surveys do not separately identify school leavers who enter apprenticeship schemes. However, leavers on apprenticeship schemes will be included within the employment category.

Of the 8,164 S4 school leavers from the 2010-11 academic year included in the follow-up survey, 24.7 per cent were in employment and 11.1 per cent were in training in March 2012.

Question reference: S4W-08484

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 18 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Student Awards Agency for Scotland reduces the maximum loan entitlement for final year students.

The loan includes an amount to cover students during the summer holidays as they are generally not eligible for state benefits.

The final year loan is currently reduced as, on completion of their course, students are in a position to seek full-time employment or, if they do not find suitable employment, become eligible to claim state benefits.

We are currently reviewing the final year loan arrangements as part of our work to simplify student support in higher education through the post-16 reform programme.

Question reference: S4W-07763

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what Barnett consequentials will arise from the UK Government's proposed high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham.

The Scottish Government is of the view that consequentials should arise from the UK Government’s investment in the High Speed 2 link between London and Birmingham, and from its subsequent stages of development.

However, I am aware there is no committed budget allocated for the construction of HS2; construction is planned to commence from 2017. Proposals for the inclusion of funding for the scheme in future Comprehensive Spending Reviews will be a matter for the UK Government.

I expect that any additional funding secured for the scheme will carry consequentials for Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-08094

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 26 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of complaints to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission regarding the probity of solicitors has been upheld since 2007 and how much compensation has been awarded.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

It may be helpful to note that conduct complaints against solicitors are referred to the Law Society of Scotland. The Law Society of Scotland’s Professional Conduct Committee investigates. If it considers that the complaint is upheld, one option is an unsatisfactory conduct censure and compensation. Another option for the Committee is to refer the matter for prosecution by the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal and information would be required on how many of these referrals are upheld by the Tribunal.

Question reference: S4W-07764

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in negotiations with the UK Department for Transport and the Welsh Assembly Government to make it easier for seriously injured service personnel and veterans under the age of 60 to access the concessionary travel scheme.

The Scottish Government announced in March 2011 that bus pass applications under the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People from seriously injured HM service personnel and veterans would be fast tracked from 1 April 2011. This followed discussions with the Department for Transport and the Welsh Assembly Government over a number of months. Negotiations with them on this matter were concluded in summer 2011 when similar arrangements were introduced in England and Wales.

Question reference: S4W-07762

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of street lights have been switched to LED or other energy saving bulbs, broken down by region.

Question reference: S4W-07615

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 19 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of dwellings is in public ownership and what energy performance categories these dwellings have.

Around 28% of Scottish housing stock is in public ownership.

Energy performance is measured using the Scottish House Condition Survey by approximating energy efficiency ratings (EER) as used in the production of Energy Performance Certificates. The EER grade properties from extremely good ratings of A to poor ratings of G.

Of the homes in public ownership:

2% of homes have an energy efficiency rating of B,

47% have an energy efficiency rating of C

36% have an energy efficiency rating of D

13% have an energy efficiency rating of E

1% have an energy efficiency rating of F.

No homes in the sample had an energy efficiency rating of A or G and 2% of homes in the sample were unable to be classified.