Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1259 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-07531

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to promote sporting activities to help boost tourism.

The industry-led “Tourism Strategy 2020” identifies events (including sporting events) and festivals as a key growth opportunity.

The Scottish Government, together with its agencies and bodies (including SportScotland) and with VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, EventScotland, playing a lead role, is strongly committed to supporting the further development of Scotland’s wide and diverse events portfolio and the events industry.

To further enhance our international profile as a world class events destination and build upon these achievements, our recently revised national events strategy, "Scotland the Perfect Stage" (launched on 15 September 2015) reaffirms our commitment to the delivery of a One Scotland approach to building a strong and dynamic events industry producing a portfolio of events and festivals that deliver sustainable impact and international profile for Scotland; and further enhance Scotland’s reputation both nationally and internationally as a leader and innovator of best practice in sporting event planning and delivery.

VisitScotland invests around £1.5m annually into supporting sports events and also manages Scottish Government investment in events such as 2019 Solheim Cup and 2019 European Indoor Athletics Championships. These, together with a range of other events, not only deliver economic and profile benefits but also provide direct economic and social benefits in the communities where they take place.

In addition to these larger, organised, events VisitScotland also promotes Scotland as a destination for a wide range of sporting activities, right across Scotland. The Scottish Government is therefore assisting public bodies to support the tourism sector, right across Scotland, via “Tourism Strategy 2020” collectively across the public agencies, especially VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Development International, and the relevant local authorities.

Question reference: S5O-00709

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports tourism in rural areas, and what impact the rural economy hub could have on this.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the importance of tourism to the economy of our rural areas. Its development is supported through the work of a range of public bodies, for example, VisitScotland's national and international marketing campaigns; business and destination support from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, training and development through Skills Development Scotland; promotion and enhancement of the natural environment through Scottish Natural Heritage.

The rural economy hub is an early stage internal mechanism to strengthen these links across government and to coordinate Scottish Government policy interventions into a single coherent framework that maximises impact on the rural economy.

Question reference: S5W-06913

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 22 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how the £10 million in the Workforce Development Fund will be spent, broken down by (a) sector and (b) local authority to achieve its aim to help employers work in partnership with colleges to upskill and reskill their existing workforce and address skills gaps.

Question reference: S5W-05989

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses will pay the Large Business Supplement in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18 and how much it will raise through the supplement.

Question reference: S5W-05635

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 16 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its report, Research on the Pub Sector in Scotland - Phase 1 Scoping Study, when it will engage in discussions between the relevant trade bodies and other interested parties to help reverse the reported decline in the public sector.

Question reference: S5O-00555

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to close the skills gap.

Question reference: S5W-05634

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is considering to reverse the reported decline in the pub sector.

The Scottish Government published its research findings on 6 December and I intend to meet with relevant interests to discuss these findings and how we can work together to create a more successful pub sector, reflecting the particular make-up of the sector in Scotland.

More widely, as you will be aware, the Scottish Government has commissioned a review of Scottish rates under Ken Barclay, and we are encouraging all stakeholders including those in the sales trade to engage with the review to ensure that their views are taken into account.

Question reference: S5O-00509

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support hotel businesses.

Question reference: S5W-05036

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the review of the number, structure and regulation of NHS boards.

This Government is committed to reviewing the number, structure and regulation of both territorial and special health boards and their relationships with local councils. The detail of this work has yet to be finalised but will form part of our broader transformational change delivery plan that will be set out for Parliament before the end of this year.

I want our NHS Board structure to support the new, integrated, health and social care landscape and better support the provision of excellent hospital and specialist care for Scotland’s population. That means a structure that will lead NHSScotland forward while ensuring the focus is on patients rather than on structures and bureaucracy and which maximises the opportunities for a ‘Once for Scotland’ where that creates efficiencies and reduces duplication.

Question reference: S5W-05037

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00314 by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 November 2016, what responsibilities lie with landowners in the absence of a species control order.