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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-08237

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any minutes or notes of meetings with officials or representatives from the EU, including consuls, ambassadors and other representatives of EU member states, since the EU referendum.

To maintain trust and credibility with foreign governments, we will not as a matter of course, proactively publish any minutes or notes of meetings with officials or representatives from the EU or other European Member States. We do retrospectively publish a list of Ministerial engagements on the Scottish Government website. The Scottish Government will however continue to update Parliament as appropriate on key European developments.

Question reference: S5W-08227

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) since the EU referendum; what was discussed, and whether it will publish any notes or minutes of the meetings.

Question reference: S5W-08235

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals against non domestic rates valuations there have been in each of the last five years, and what percentage of these were upheld.

The Scottish Government publishes regular analysis on the progress and results of revaluation appeals following the 2010 Revaluation. The latest publication, which can be found at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Local-Government-Finance/NDR-Rates-Relief, shows that to date for the 2010 revaluation cycle, 67,026 properties have appealed their valuation and 66,664 of these have been resolved (99%) resulting in a total reduction in Rateable Value of £240 million.

Data on what proportion of appeals were successful is not held by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5W-08233

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals against council tax banding rates there have been in each of the last five years, and what percentage of these were upheld.

Question reference: S5W-08234

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time taken has been to make decisions on appeals from householders regarding council tax banding rates in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-08232

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings ministers have had with assessors regarding the revaluation of non domestic rates, and what the outcome was of these meetings.

Question reference: S5W-08236

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time taken has been to make decisions on appeals from businesses regarding valuations for non domestic rates in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-08057

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06985 by Paul Wheelhouse on 13 March 2017, what guarantees were (a) sought from and (b) provided by Greggs plc regarding the retention of jobs at the Clydesmill bakery in Cambuslang, in the event that the Loanhead bakery closed.

As Greggs have not received public sector financial support to develop the proposed centre of excellence, we were not in a position to seek formal guarantees on future employment levels at the Cambuslang site. Information was provided through SE and SDI on the types of public sector support that could be made available to assist the development of the planned Centre of Excellence at Cambuslang. Whilst Greggs welcomed the information offered, they did not ultimately take any support forward.

Question reference: S5O-00842

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the Scottish Investment Bank.

Question reference: S5W-08228

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 22 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in the revaluation of non domestic rates, the methodology adopted for retail, catering and other shopping facilities in airports has been applied consistently to all airports in Scotland.