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-14670

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11911 by John Swinney on 17 January 2013, who it plans to consult; what the timescale is, and what models it has considered as possible replacements for the council tax.

The current Council Tax system is unfair, which is why the Scottish Government has frozen the tax at 2007-08 levels.

That policy has proved overwhelmingly popular with people across Scotland. We are committed to continuing the freeze for the duration of this Parliament, by which time the policy will have saved the average household around £1,200.

We will consult with others to produce a fairer local tax based on ability to pay later in this Parliament. All potential alternative proposals which meet this criteria will be considered.

Question reference: S4W-14527

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider developing a social risk impact assessment model to complement the process of equality impact assessments.

Question reference: S4W-14526

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, Managing the Social Risks of Public Spending Cuts in Scotland.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation report addresses issues that are key to improving local outcomes, and is a welcome contribution to the debate. These issues are being addressed throughout the Scottish Government’s policy-making, budgeting, data provision and collaboration with delivery partners, through taking a broad outcomes-based approach at national and local levels. All public services across Scotland are aligned with a single framework, the Scottish Government’s Purpose and National Outcomes, which provides a clear vision of the kind of Scotland we want to see, covering all aspects of a successful and flourishing society. The Scottish Government and local government are committed to delivering the reforms recommended by the Christie Commission, particularly around prevention, and have agreed the Statement of Ambition for strengthening Community Planning. The Single Outcome Agreements currently under development, focusing on key policy priorities and a clear understanding of place, will support local decision-making that can explicitly consider the full impact of decisions on all citizens, as advocated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in its report. This is supported by the work of the joint Scottish Government, COSLA and Improvement Service working group on Improving Evidence and Data.

Question reference: S4W-14598

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 9 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will introduce the proposed Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill.

Question reference: S4O-02040

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding the board's investigation of readmission rates.

Question reference: S4W-13795

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support capacity building in (a) financial, (b) project management and (c) business planning skills in local authorities.

Question reference: S4W-13791

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support local authorities in servicing their debts.

The Scottish Government provides, as part of the Local Government Settlement, revenue funding for local authority debt charges. This is based on a notional amount of capital expenditure each year, and supports local authority borrowing prior to 31 March 2011. From 2011-12, following agreement with COSLA, this type of support has been replaced with direct capital grant, which is beneficial to both central and local government as this form of support does not require local authorities to borrow and does not incur interest debt costs.

From 1 April 2004 a local authority has been under a statutory duty to determine the amount it can afford to allocate to capital expenditure. In making that determination an authority has a duty to observe the “Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities”. The Code requires the capital investment plans of a local authority to be affordable, prudent and sustainable. Decisions on the capital investment, and the financial plans to ensure adequate budget provision is made to meet the costs of that investment, are therefore a matter for each local authority.

Question reference: S4W-13796

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities to assist them in producing estimates of timing and cost at the initial approval stage of major capital projects.

A local authority has a statutory duty to observe the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), “Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities”. The Prudential Code recognises that in making decisions the authority must have explicit regard to option appraisal, asset management planning, strategic planning for authority and achievability of the forward plan. All of these represent elements of good practice for which guidance has already been provided by CIPFA and other authoritative sources.

Question reference: S4W-13798

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities to inform (a) good governance, (b) reporting and (c) monitoring structures for the management of capital investment projects.

Question reference: S4W-13792

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of the sustainability of local authority debt.