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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: S5W-08475

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 30 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in 2017-18.

Scottish Ministers have set the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland the financial targets of achieving:

A 3 per cent efficiency saving on their unit costs; and

At least a 5 percent profit on their non-statutory products and services.

In addition, the Keeper has set the following service standards for her department:

1. Enter new land register applications on the application record

within one working day

2. Register applications in:

Chancery and Judicial Register

Crofting Register

within three working days

3. Register applications in: General Register of Sasines

within 20 working days

4. Register land register applications for deeds affecting:

registered land

within 20 working days

unregistered land (standard)

within 20 working days

part of registered land where the keeper has given development plan approval

within 20 working days

5. Register other applications for deeds affecting unregistered land

within six months

6. Register other applications for deeds affecting part of registered land

within nine months

A copy of the document has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 58638).

Question reference: S5W-08200

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planned dates for the delivery of baby boxes to parents.

Question reference: S5W-08168

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 17 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the contract arrangements for delivery of April 2018 employment support services in the previously announced contract area (West) that has been reserved for supported businesses.

Further to the response to S5W-07802 on 8 March 2017, we will continue to move forward our Programme for Government 2016-17 commitment on employment support by issuing an Invitation to Tender (ITT), today, to deliver Fair Start Scotland from April 2018 in West Contract Area. This contract area covering East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire has been reserved for supported businesses. Regulation 21 of Public Contracts Scotland Regulations (2015), defines a supported business as "an economic operator whose main aim is the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons and where at least 30% of the employees of the economic operator are disabled or disadvantaged persons".

Fair Start Scotland will provide support to disabled people and those at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to find and retain work. It will deliver across nine geographical Contract Areas, including the West Contact Area. It aims to support a minimum of 38,000 customers over the 3 year contract period, on a voluntary basis.

Fair Start Scotland will deliver a Scottish approach to employability: an approach that reflects fair work and social and economic inclusion; that puts an emphasis on partnership delivery; and which treats Service users with respect.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-07802

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 8 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the arrangements for the fully devolved programme of employment support that will commence from April 2018.

We will move forward our Programme for Government 2016-17 commitment on employment support by issuing an Invitation to Tender (ITT), today, to deliver a new Scottish Employability Support Service from April 2018. The aim of this Service is to provide support to disabled people and those at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to find and retain work.

We aim to support a minimum of 38,000 customers over the three year contract period, on a voluntary basis. Scottish Ministers have agreed a budget of up to £96m, and to invest an additional £20 million a year – over and above the funding that is transferred from Westminster for 2017-21.

Following extensive consultation and market testing, the Service will deliver across nine geographical Contract Areas, based on clusters of Scottish Local Authority Areas. Scottish Ministers have decided to reserve West Contract Area - East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire - for supported businesses.

This Government has been clear on its commitment to developing a Scottish approach to employability: an approach that reflects fair work and social and economic inclusion; that puts an emphasis on partnership delivery; and which treats Service users with respect. The arrangements for the 2018 Service have this approach at its heart.

Question reference: S5O-00684

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the value of Scotland’s natural environment is to the economy.

Question reference: S5W-06545

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to encourage banks to speed up their processes for opening accounts for new customers, in light of the recent closure of the Airdrie Savings Bank and proposed closure of branches of other banks.

The Scottish Government encourages all banks, and other financial services providers, to ensure that their account opening processes meet the needs of their customers. However, account opening processes will vary from bank to bank. In the opening of accounts for new customers, each bank is required by law to undertake checks to verify a customer's identity and place of residence in order to comply with money laundering regulations.

Airdrie Savings Bank current account facilities remain open until the end of April 2017 and this timeline should allow for all customers to make alternative arrangements.

Question reference: S5O-00663

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that schools communicate with both resident and non-resident parents.

Question reference: S5W-06696

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 31 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm when the consultation on unconventional oil and gas will be launched.

I can confirm that the consultation on unconventional oil and gas has been published at the following link: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/fracking-unconventional-oil-and-gas/

The future of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland has proven both complex and controversial. It is also an issue that has stimulated intense debate, motivated by deeply held and sincere views on all sides. The consultation, Talking “Fracking”, is opportunity for those views to be put forward to the Scottish Government. The consultation will run until 31 May 2017.

Throughout this process we have sought to present impartial, independent information on unconventional oil and gas in order to encourage informed dialogue and debate, and this consultation is a continuation of that process. The consultation does not set out or advocate a preferred Scottish Government position or policy. Instead, we want to create space for dialogue and allow different perspectives to come forward.

The Scottish Government has a very important decision to make in determining the future of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. Once the consultation closes and the responses have been independently analysed, we will then consider the full range of evidence, and make our recommendation. In doing so, we will give careful consideration to the extraction methods for both shale oil and gas, and coal bed methane.

We will then ask the Scottish Parliament to vote on our recommendation, and we will come to a final decision by the end of 2017 on whether or not unconventional oil and gas has a role in Scotland’s energy mix.

The consultation document is available in alternate formats on request, including easy read, large print, braille, British Sign Language and other languages, which can be requested from the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government is also happy to receive responses in alternative formats, for instance spoken responses or other languages.

Question reference: S5W-06359

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 31 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to Clydesdale Bank employees following the announcement that 40 branches will be closed.

We have contacted the Clydesdale Bank to offer support for any employees who may be facing redundancy through our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative. The Bank has advised there will be no requirement for PACE support as the Bank will offer full outplacement support through its contracted provider to all employees who are confirmed as being made redundant.

The decision to close these branches, while a commercial decision, is obviously very disappointing as it will have an effect on bank customers, local communities and the bank’s staff across a substantial area of the country, and, therefore, the Scottish Government will continue to engage closely with Clydesdale Bank, and indeed other banks, where appropriate, as they implement changes, in response to changes in the banking services market, and to understand any impact on any affected bank employees and the wider economy.

Question reference: S5O-00603

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that both parents can play an active role in their children's lives following divorce or separation.