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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: S5O-00381

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the total value is of the Attainment Scotland Fund and what proportion of this has been allocated to schools in Dumfries and Galloway.

We will allocate £750m through the Scottish Attainment Challenge over the course of this Parliament. This year, Dumfries and Galloway has been allocated up to £267,786 - £151,253 through the Attainment Challenge Innovation Fund and £116,533 for the two schools which are in the Attainment Scotland Fund Schools Programme - Kelloholm Primary and Sanquhar Academy.

From next April, schools in Dumfries and Galloway will benefit from the £100m which will be allocated direct to schools on the basis of the number of children in each primary school and the first three years of secondary school that meet the national eligibility criteria for free school meals.

Question reference: S5W-04538

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent representations it has made to (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Scottish Police Authority regarding police charging for events.

Question reference: S5W-04539

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a minimum level of school clothing grant and whether parents will be involved in the process of developing this.

The Education (Scotland) Act introduced a provision to allow Scottish Ministers to make regulations to require local authorities to pay a minimum amount of school clothing grants to families or young people. The detail of the amount of grant and the eligibility criteria would be set out in regulations.

Scottish Ministers continue to discuss the provision of school clothing grants and appropriate timescales for implementation with COSLA. We intend to achieve this in partnership with COSLA rather than by imposing regulations, in the same way that we have successfully implemented universal free school meals for Primary 1-3. However, the regulation-making power provides an alternative route should this not prove possible.

We will engage with relevant stakeholders, including parents, as we develop this policy.

Question reference: S5W-03715

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking regarding the reported concerns about rising charges being imposed for policing music festivals in Dumfries and Galloway.

Police Scotland follows the standard approach to setting charges for public services as set out in the Scottish Government's Scottish Public Finance Manual - which is based on full cost recovery.

The policing of events are dealt with on a case by case basis by the local Area commanders, in discussion with event organisers, local authorities and other relevant interested parties.

Police forces have always been obliged to charge for their services. Prior to the establishment of Police Scotland, the legacy forces all had agreed charging rates but the application of these rates and associated charging methodology varied. The establishment of the single service provide the opportunity to put in place a consistent charging policy for policing services across Scotland

Question reference: S5O-00243

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting town centre regeneration in South Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-02013

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to (a) farmers, (b) crofters and (c) other businesses affected by delays in making common agricultural policy payments.

Government officials held extensive discussions with industry and the banking sector, to design a support scheme to help ease cash flow for those farmers and crofters who had not received a first instalment payment.

The Scottish Government backed loan scheme opened for applications on 22 February 2016, and under the scheme those farmers and crofters who could not access support from their bank will be able to apply to the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government also earmarked up to £200 million of national funds to be used to fund the National Basic Payment Scheme so that anyone who had not received an instalment by the end of March 2016 could receive a nationally-funded payment of up to 80 per cent of their CAP claim.

Question reference: S5O-00146

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how the Enterprise and Skills Review will deliver its commitment to regional cohesion.

As already highlighted in response to Mr Lockhart’s question earlier, the Enterprise and Skills Review has benefitted from high levels of stakeholder interest and engagement during the summer. Over 320 responses from individuals, representative organisations and institutions have been received to our call for evidence, showing the Review’s critical importance.

As noted, the first stage of the review will conclude shortly and set out the key recommendations for change across a number of areas. This will include regional considerations. Phase 2 will take forward consideration of these recommendations with key partners, including in the South of Scotland. The timetable for this will be set out alongside the Phase 1 outcomes.

Our Economic Strategy demonstrates our commitment to promoting inclusive growth and creating opportunity for all through a fair and inclusive jobs market and regional cohesion. Ensuring all parts of Scotland benefit from sustainable economic growth and contribute to it is essential to Scotland's prosperity and cohesion.

Question reference: S5O-00173

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much paying at least the living wage to social care workers from October 2016 will cost health and social care partnerships.

Question reference: S5W-01930

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what new roads schemes are planned for the (a) A7, (b) A75, (c) A76, (d) A77 and (e) A701 trunk road within the boundaries of Dumfries and Galloway.

Over the past eight years, we have invested over £65 million in a variety of projects to improve safety and journey times on the trunk road network in the Dumfries and Galloway area. We will further assess recommendations for strategic transport infrastructure priorities in Dumfries and Galloway and for the rest of Scotland as part of the an update to the strategic transport projects review which will follow the new review of the National Transport Strategy. This will allow us to consider how to better connect Dumfries with its links north and south through a variety of road and rail interventions, ensuring that we strike the right balance of transport investments in the region.

Question reference: S5W-01931

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost per (a) local authority and (b) integration joint board of paying the living wage to care workers.