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-20561

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 29 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what funding was provided by the energy company obligation in 2013-14 for the affordable warmth scheme; how many people received support, and how this compares with the expected (a) funding amount and (b) number of people assisted.

The Scottish Government does not have access to the funding allocated by energy companies to the affordable warmth scheme nor any targets set by the companies for funding or number of people assisted. In 2013-14, the Energy Saving Trust made 8,139 referrals to the three energy companies participating in the affordable warmth scheme and, of these, 2,177 households have so far received an installation.

Question reference: S4W-20559

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 29 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has suspended the affordable warmth scheme.

The affordable warmth scheme was temporarily put on hold in March 2014. This is because energy companies are facing uncertainty over the way in which surplus actions under the Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation will be treated whilst the UK Government is consulting on proposed changes to the Energy Company Obligation. The Scottish Government is working to clarify the position with each energy company, but expects to re-open the scheme in May 2014.

Question reference: S4W-20555

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the UK Government's changes to private pensions and whether it will mirror these provisions in the event of independence.

As stated in Scotland’s Future, helping people to save for a better retirement is a key focus for this government in an independent Scotland and we have set out a range of measures to address current levels of under-saving.??

Whilst we agree in principle with the greater flexibility introduced by the UK Government’s changes, much of the detail is still to be worked through and we await the outcome of its consultation on Freedom and choice in pensions.???

On independence, the body of law governing private pensions, including legislation implementing the changes announced in the 2014 Budget, will continue to apply in Scotland until amended, replaced or repealed by the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-20556

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported criticisms by demographers, whether it considers it appropriate to use a dependency ratio to calculate pensions that includes counting children.

The Scottish Government’s paper Pensions in an Independent Scotland and white paper Scotland’s Future, did not use dependency ratios to calculate pension costs. Instead, they explained, in some detail, the most relevant demographic challenge for affordability of state pensions in Scotland: lower projected growth in the working age population relative to the UK.

Recent studies from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research have concluded that demographic differences would have an insubstantial effect on pensions affordability between the rest of the UK and an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-03117

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what measures Police Scotland is taking to ensure that women face no barriers in joining and staying in the police force.

Question reference: S4W-20557

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the comment by David Davidson of Spence and Partners and ICAS that, in order to match current UK dependency ratios by 2066, Scotland requires the immigration of one million working people.

Scotland faces lower projected percentage growth in the working age population than the UK (4% in Scotland, 12% in the UK over the period 2012-2037) and this affects the respective dependency ratios referenced by David Davidson.

However, detailed analysis by David Comerford (Stirling University) has concluded that only “relatively modest” increases in net migration would be required to eliminate the difference between Scotland and the UK.

Further, an independent Scotland would address long run pensions affordability by a broad approach to sustainable economic growth, through increasing productivity and labour participation in Scotland, as well as boosting the working age population.

Question reference: S4W-20199

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reduced Show Racism the Red Card's grant from £120,000 to £40,000.

The table below shows the Scottish Government funding provided to Show Racism the Red Card and Show Bigotry the Red Card for the financial years 2012-15:

	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Show Racism the Red Card	£70,000	£40,000	£20,000
Show Bigotry the Red Card	£20,000	£20,000	£20,000
Total Scottish Government Funding	£90,000	£60,000	£40,000

Previously in 2011-12 Show Racism the Red Card and Show Bigotry the Red Card received combined funding of £120,000.

The funding for the 2012-15 period was agreed with Show Racism the Red Card. It is essential that the Scottish Government ensures best value for money from the project funding it administers. The staggered reduction of funding was in line with Scottish Government policy on future sustainability of projects, encouraging partnerships, collaborative working and mainstreaming of such work to reduce dependency on Scottish Government funding and ensure the maximum impact of resources to deliver the best outcomes for our communities. Full feedback on the reasons for the level of funding awarded, were provided to Show Racism the Red Card at the time the decision was made in 2012.

Question reference: S4O-03102

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact in Scotland will be of changes to private pensions announced in the 2014 UK Budget.

Support for pensioners is long overdue and we will be carefully monitoring the impact of the changes announced in the 2014 Budget on pensioners in Scotland. Whilst the changes will introduce greater flexibility for people with private pensions, it is not yet clear whether they will benefit those who are struggling to save for their retirement.

Given the high concentration of life insurance and pensions services in the country, we will also be monitoring the impact on, and opportunities for, the Scottish financial services sector.

Question reference: S4W-20202

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 31 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the appeals mechanism is for the Scottish Welfare Fund.

Question reference: S4W-20201

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 31 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it had a communications strategy for the Scottish Welfare Fund and, if so, whether it will be published.