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: S4O-02662

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has conducted on red squirrel resistance to the pox virus.

Question reference: S4O-02640

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 27 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies on fiscal sustainability in an independent Scotland.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) analysis confirms that Scotland is currently in a stronger fiscal position than the UK. In the longer-term the IFS modelling shows what Scotland could look like should it remain part of the UK.

As with any country we face economic challenges, the need to increase productivity, to improve the level of participation in our economy by securing new and long-term job opportunities and to reduce inequality.

These challenges exist whether the Scottish people vote for independence or not. What the report highlights is the future for Scotland within the union. Under independence we will have control of the economic levers that can be used to increase productivity, increase our exports and invest in our economy.

Question reference: S4W-18365

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has produced a maritime strategy similar to that of the Norwegian Government.

Question reference: S4F-01695

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that statistics presented by Police Scotland are accurate.

Question reference: S4O-02610

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the rights of academics at universities to express their views on the constitutional debate.

Question reference: S4W-17757

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will amend the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 to specify that organisations opposed to same-sex marriage will not fail to meet the charity test because of this view.

No. We do not consider such an amendment is necessary.

Section 7 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 provides that a body meets the charity test if its purposes consist only of one or more of the charitable purposes and it provides public benefit. One of the charitable purposes laid down in section 7 of the 2005 Act is the advancement of religion.

Decisions on charitable status are a matter for the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). OSCR have advised us that the simple expression of a view on same sex marriage which was to the furtherance of a body’s charitable purposes is not expected to adversely affect the body’s charitable status.

In addition, the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill has provision at section 14 making it clear that the introduction of same sex marriage will have no impact on existing rights to freedom of speech.

Question reference: S4W-17756

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, if same-sex marriage was introduced, what its position is on whether it would be appropriate for public sector employers to take into account the views on this of (a) applicants for posts and (b) staff when considering their suitability for employment.

The Government considers that public sector appointments should be based on merit and not on any views which applicants and staff may have on same sex marriage.

Local authorities and public bodies are subject to the Equality Act 2010 and, as such, are directly prohibited from discriminating against any person because of their religion or belief.

In addition, the Human Rights Act 1998 makes it unlawful for public authorities to breach the European Convention on Human Rights. The convention includes provisions on the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and the right to freedom of expression.

Question reference: S4W-17754

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will seek to amend the Equality Act 2010 to (a) include in the protected characteristic of religion or belief, support for the current definition of marriage and (b) ensure that people opposed to same-sex marriage should not experience any detriment because of their views.

No.

The Scottish Government fully respects the belief held by many people and organisations that marriage can only ever be between a man and a woman. However, we would not support an amendment to the protected characteristic of religion or belief in the Equality Act 2010 to make specific provision on beliefs about marriage.

Adding a specific amendment to the protected characteristic which related to beliefs about marriage could cast doubt about whether other strongly held beliefs are covered as well.

Where necessary, the Government is proposing provision to protect specific persons, such as the provisions in the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill, and related amendments to the 2010 Act, to make it clear that religious and belief bodies opposed to same sex marriage are under no obligation to solemnise such marriages.

The Government has indicated that persons opposed to same sex marriage should suffer no detriment just because of their reasonably expressed views. The Bill has provision at section 14 making it clear that the introduction of same sex marriage will have no impact on existing rights to freedom of speech. In addition, the Lord Advocate has issued prosecution guidance in relation to same sex marriage:

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/images/Documents/Prosecution_Policy_Guidance/Guidelines_and_Policy/PROSECUTION%20GUIDANCE%20IN%20RELATION%20TO%20SAME%20SEX%20MARRIAGE.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-17753

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will amend the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill to state that the current definition of marriage is a belief worthy of respect in a democratic society.

Question reference: S4W-18055

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will issue guidance to local authorities regarding the implementation of the High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013.