Chamber and committees

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: S4W-15133

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2013
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to publish information on the economic opportunities of independence.

I am delighted to announce that the paper Scotland’s Economy: the case for independence will be published on 21 May 2013. A copy will be lodged with SPICe under bib number 54973.

The paper highlights the strengths of Scotland’s economy across a range of key sectors, our fiscal position and Scotland’s potential for growth. The paper also explores the social, economic and geographic inequalities that have developed under the UK system and the opportunities for Scotland’s economy that would flow from independence.

Question reference: S4W-14654

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what PFI projects there are in Fife and what the (a) estimated capital value and (b) annual revenue cost is and what percentage of Fife Council spend the revenue cost represents.

<>The information relating to (a) and (b) is available from the Scottish Government website under ‘PPP/PFI Projects (operational) by way of the following link: www.scotland.gov.uk.

Information relating to Local Government revenue expenditure is also available from the Scottish Government website under Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics by way of the following link: www.scotland.gov.uk.

Question reference: S4W-14238

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the affordability of housing benefit in an independent Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s view is that housing benefit would be affordable in an independent Scotland and would be more affordable than the housing benefit expenditure for Great Britain. Over the decade from 2001-02 to 2011-12, in inflation-adjusted terms, the growth of housing benefit was significantly lower in Scotland (at 21%) than in Great Britain as a whole (53%).

Housing benefit in an independent Scotland would form part of a national social protection system. Scotland’s Balance Sheet, published on 14th April 2013, shows that in 2011-12, social protection expenditure was equivalent to 14.4% of GDP. This is lower than the equivalent UK figure of 15.9%. In addition, spending on social protection in Scotland, as a share of the economy, has been lower than in the UK for the last five years, and is also lower than in the majority of other EU-15 countries.

In an independent Scotland a social protection system could be implemented which is appropriate to the needs of the Scottish people, achieving greater efficiency and improving affordability.

Question reference: S4F-01364

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 May 2013

To ask the First Minister what the implications for Scotland are of the Queen’s Speech.

Question reference: S4W-14235

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4O-01948

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent contact it has had with social landlords about the impact of the so-called bedroom tax.

Question reference: S4W-12864

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 28 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has about what action each local authority is taking to raise awareness of the impact of the proposed welfare reforms.

Local authorities are engaged in a range of actions to prepare for the reforms, such as establishing arrangements for the Scottish Welfare Fund in their area and work to introduce the Council Tax Reduction scheme. Several local authorities are also involved in pilots that provide an opportunity to help prepare for the introduction of universal credit.

We are working in partnership with COSLA and funding the improvement service to gather intelligence and information about the preparedness of councils and their partners as they prepare to implement the reforms and support those affected by the changes. This will help local authorities to shape their individual responses to the emerging priorities in their areas, including actions required to raise awareness on the expected impacts.

Question reference: S4T-00214

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update following the recent winter weather conditions.

Question reference: S4O-01650

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing.

Question reference: S4O-01561

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what response it has received from the UK Government to its recent call for an immediate targeted boost to capital investment.