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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-20096

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the report by the Auditor General, The 2017/18 audit of the Scottish Police Authority, that there has been “a lack of clarity about how the £298 million required to implement the [Police Scotland digital, data and ICT] strategy will be funded” and that this presents "a risk to both the timing of its implementation and the future financial sustainability of the Scottish Police Authority".

The Scottish Government welcomes the work undertaken to date to develop the Police Scotland Digital, Data and ICT (DDICT) Strategy. Moving forward, it is for the Scottish Police Authority to scrutinise the delivery of that strategy, ensuring that proposals are affordable and deliver best value.

Funding of transformation activity across policing is being considered in the context of setting the 2019-20 Scottish Budget which will be published in December 2018.

Question reference: S5W-20100

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the report by the Auditor General, The 2017/18 audit of the Scottish Police Authority, that "The lack of progress in developing [the workforce, estates and ICT] strategies will constrain the Scottish Police Authority’s ability to achieve long-term financial sustainability".

The Scottish Government welcomes the Auditor General’s view that progress has been made in key areas, with many of the concerns highlighted in previous audit reports now being addressed.

The Scottish Police Authority’s three year financial plan and ten year financial strategy were approved in May 2018. The three year plan sets the context for the delivery of the Policing 2026 strategy, outlining plans to eradicate the service’s budget deficit. The ten year strategy sets out the range of financial impacts that could arise as a result of longer term trends.

The Scottish Government recognises that these financial plans will become increasingly robust, supporting the delivery of long-term financial sustainability, as underpinning strategies are developed.

Question reference: S5W-20017

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the 2017 business rates revaluation has impacted on Aberdeen's (a) businesses and (b) economy.

Question reference: S5W-20049

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the multi-agency public protection arrangements report on the Robbie McIntosh case will be published.

The report commissioned by Angus Council on behalf of the Tayside MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group is in the very initial stages of being finalised. There is a necessary process of factual accuracy checking and consideration of comments from all partner agencies prior to a final report being presented by the independent reviewer. The report will then be formally considered by the Tayside MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group and the Angus Protecting People Chief Officers Group. Following this, further decisions about the report, including in relation to publication, will be made on a multi-agency basis by local partners.

Question reference: S5W-20008

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact on Aberdeen of the 2014 oil and gas sector crash, what consideration it gave prior to April 2017 of how the proposed business rates revaluation that year could impact on the city's (a) businesses and (b) economy.

The valuation of all non-domestic property, including the revaluation, is a matter for the Assessors who are wholly independent of central and local Government. The Scottish Government has no locus to intervene in that process.

The Scottish Government undertook a thorough analysis ahead of April 2017 to estimate the effects of the revaluation for business properties across the country, including in Aberdeen. In response the Scottish Government put in place a transitional relief from 2017-18 to cap the annual year on year increase in rates bills at 12.5% real terms, for all but the largest hospitality across Scotland and Aberdeen city and Shire offices. This relief is expected to save businesses over £15 million for this year alone. I recently confirmed that transitional relief would be maintained for the next three years, to the next revaluation in 2022. This will deliver an annual year on year real terms cap of 12.5% on rates increases for eligible properties for the full five-year period between the 2017 and the 2022 revaluations.

In addition, we are doing all we can to support the Scottish economy, including the economies of cities like Aberdeen, by maintaining a competitive non-domestic rates regime and the most competitive rates relief package in the UK, worth around £720 million. This includes the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which according to official statistics lifts over 2,200 recipients in Aberdeen city out of rates altogether. Since the Small Business Bonus Scheme was introduced, by this government, it has saved premises in Aberdeen City around £48 million. That £48 million that would have otherwise been paid in tax has been freed up for investment and growth. We have also created powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to allow Councils the ability to offer their own bespoke local business rates relief schemes to reflect the local needs.

Question reference: S5O-02647

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported problems with teacher recruitment.

Question reference: S5W-19848

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme, and when it expects work on this to begin.

Significant progress has been made in developing an appropriate technical solution for this important junction. Having let the local community and road users see and comment on the preferred option for the Laurencekirk Improvement scheme in a series of public exhibitions held on 20 July and 24 August of 2018, the next stage of design and assessment work, which is the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option, is well underway leading to publication of draft Orders in 2019 for formal comment.

Progress thereafter is dependent on the level and nature of representation received in response to the published draft Orders and whether a Public Local Inquiry is required to consider objections made and not withdrawn.

Construction of the scheme itself can only commence if the scheme is approved under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set.

While there is still a lot of essential development work to be carried out we continue to push forward the design preparation stages to deliver this scheme as soon as possible. Once complete, it will bring improved road safety and economic benefits to road users and the local community in Laurencekirk and across the north east.

Question reference: S5W-19797

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity on 1 November 2018 (Official Report, c.57), whether it was aware that the Don Bridge had a technical issue when it was sent a letter dated 23 October 2018 referring to weather and the collapse of Carillion as the issues delaying the opening of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).

Neither my officials nor I have received any correspondence dated 23 October 2018.

In May 2018 ARL first reported of concreting issues at the River Don Crossing. Minor defects were identified in a localised section of the structure while post tensioning a small number of concrete panels. On 26 October 2018, Transport Scotland was informed that a greater scope of works would be necessary to repair the defects and ARL intimated that December was a more realistic date for opening this final section. This is supported by the Galliford Try trading announcement on 7 November.

Question reference: S5W-19796

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity on 1 November 2018 (Official Report, c.57), by what date the remedial works on the Don Bridge will be completed, and whether it will publish details of any analysis that it has carried out regarding how differing levels of severity of adverse weather might impact on this target date.

As I outlined in my statement to Parliament on Thursday 1 November, on the River Don Bridge minor defects were identified in a localised area while post-tensioning a small number of concrete panels. On 26 October 2018, Transport Scotland was informed that a greater scope of works would be necessary to repair the defects and ARL intimated that December was a more realistic date for opening this final section. This is supported by the Galliford Try trading announcement on 7 November.

It is important to allow the contractor and its designers the time it requires to undertake the necessary repairs in a safe manner. Our primary focus is on ensuring the works are completed safely and to the required standards.

Question reference: S5F-02829

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2018

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on reforming the rules regarding the temporary release and parole of prisoners.