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: S5W-11525

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09857 by Keith Brown on 28 June 2017, what the value of each project was, and what the total value was each year.

Question reference: S5W-11524

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10471 by Keith Brown on 25 August 2017, how many of the planned jobs were confirmed, and where these jobs were.

Question reference: S5W-11833

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11233 by Keith Brown on 28 September 2017, how many of its staff have been seconded to the secretariat, and what financial support it has provided.

Scottish Government officials are supporting Benny Higgins in taking this work forward. The core Secretariat is currently resourced by four dedicated members of staff from the Scottish Government Economic Policy Unit, augmented by a variety of additional skills and expertise from across other portfolios as required.

The Scottish Government has not set a fixed budget for this work but will ensure that the appropriate financial support is provided whilst ensuring maximum value for public money.

Question reference: S5W-11771

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reviewing the pre-release of access to statistics by Scottish Ministers, in light of the Office for National Statistics and the Bank of England no longer allowing this practice.

Pre-release access arrangements for Scottish Government Official Statistics are in compliance with the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice for Official Statistics and Scottish legislation (Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008). Pre-release access continues across other parts of the UK following equivalent pre-release access orders. Access lists are regularly reviewed and the Chief Statistician has responsibility for deciding who receives pre-release access to Scottish Government Official Statistics.

Question reference: S5W-11775

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many statisticians it employs to collect and analyse economic data.

There are 27 statistical staff employed in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to collect and analyse economic data. These staff cover a range of work streams including: National Accounts (GDP, Input-Output tables, National Accounts and Public Sector Finances); Business and Trade; Energy and Climate Change; and Labour Market statistics.

Further details are available in the Scottish Economic Statistics Plan 2017-18 - http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/ScotStat/Planning/SESP-2017-18.

Question reference: S5W-11770

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the criteria to use emergency borrowing powers has been met and whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution plans to use this power.

Question reference: S5W-11774

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the new Data Analytical Unit will be established; how many staff will be employed, and whether these staff will be in addition to existing statistician numbers.

The Scottish Government has begun a recruitment process to appoint an individual to lead the Analytical Unit which will have its own dedicated staff. This appointment and resourcing of the unit is being taken forward in consultation with the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board. In the interim, analytical support for the Strategic Board is being provided by Scottish Government analysts supported by the analytical capacity from the wider Enterprise and Skills system.

Question reference: S5W-11879

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the annual accounts for (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Question reference: S5W-11882

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11238 by Keith Brown on 21 September 2017, whether it will provide details and costs of the external research that it is considering around automation.

No external research has been commissioned by the Scottish Government as yet, but it is reviewing the availability of evidence that exists in this area for Scotland and is undertaking a joint project with the STUC examining the potential impact of technological change on the Scottish labour market. This project will report back to the next Biannual meeting between the First Minister and the STUC in November. There is no cost to government for this research aside from staff time. This will complement a Scottish Enterprise research report on Automation and Sector Impacts published late last year as part of its Future Focus programme and will build upon these findings to determine the scope of further research.

Question reference: S5W-11497

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution on 12 September 2017 (Official Report, c. 49), how much the extension of Fresh Start will cost in each of the next four years, and how many properties it expects will apply.