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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-06439

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many energy-efficient, affordable houses have been built in the Lochaber area in 2016-17, and how this compares with the period, 1999 to 2007.

Official statistics on new affordable homes built, through the affordable housing supply programme, for 2016-17 will not be finalised and published until later this year. These official statistics do not provide figures below Local Authority level. However from local programme management information it is projected that 38 new affordable homes will complete by 31 March 2017 in the Lochaber area. Further to this there are 50 properties under development that are scheduled to complete in 2017-18, which are being progressed thanks to a £2M loan, secured by Lochaber Housing Association, through the Scottish Government's bond programme with Allia Impact Finance.

A comparison against the period 1999 to 2007 is not possible. Local programme figures are only available from 2001 and are as follows

2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
32	42	48	23	21	60	26

Question reference: S5W-06437

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be on people in Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch of the lessons learned at the second Nuisance Call Commission.

The regulation of nuisance calls and texts is currently reserved to the UK Government. However, the Scottish Government is determined to do whatever we can to reduce their impact by working closely with stakeholders to develop practical solutions. The discussions at the Nuisance Calls Commission meetings will form the basis for a joint action plan, which will provide an update on the progress made by Scottish Government and key stakeholders to tackle nuisance calls as well as outlining future actions to benefit people all across Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-06438

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 31 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in affordable housing in the Lochaber area in 2016-17.

Question reference: S5O-00630

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh report, Standards informing delivery of care in rural surgery.

Question reference: S5W-06441

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-06213

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 17 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in appointing new members to the board of the Crofting Commission.

Question reference: S5O-00522

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consideration of the proposal to introduce travelling domestic abuse courts in the Highlands.

Question reference: S5F-00622

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2016

To ask the First Minister how much the Scottish Government has allocated to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in this parliamentary session.

Question reference: S5W-04976

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 23 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the outcome of Rio Tinto's strategic review of the Lochaber assets.

Rio Tinto informed its workforce and the Stock Exchange this morning (Wednesday 23 November 2016) that it had reached agreement to sell its shareholding in Alcan Aluminium UK. This comprises the aluminium smelter at Fort William, two hydroelectric facilities as well as all associated land. The announcement marks the culmination of the strategic review announced in January 2016.

The last ten months have been an anxious wait for the workforce and all those whose livelihoods in the Lochaber community depend on the business. The sale to the GFG Alliance (SIMEC and Liberty House) is great news for the local community and especially for the workers at the Fort William smelter. Subject to final agreement which is expected next month, this deal safeguards over 150 jobs and has the potential to create hundreds more.

Question reference: S5O-00346

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to people from Scotland who are engaged in legal proceedings in jurisdictions outside Scotland.