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-03237

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes the (a) Cultural Gifts and (b) Acceptance in Lieu Scheme to help increase the number of cultural artefacts in the public domain.

Specific UK legislation governs the Cultural Gifts and the Acceptance in Lieu Schemes as tax is reserved and each scheme offers tax incentives. Under executive devolution arrangements the Scottish Ministers take decisions on acceptance and allocation of cases where there is a Scottish Interest. These schemes are administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and promoted by HM Treasury. The Scottish Government also promote the allocation of new and important works of art and heritage objects to Scotland, in partnership with relevant collections, through news release, when appropriate opportunities arise. Examples of permanent allocations made possible through these schemes include the following:

An exceptional eighteenth century French clock from Hamilton Palace which came forward under the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme and is on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. This was announced by National Museums Scotland on 6 July 2016.

A painting by Joan Eardley, Seated Boy, which was gifted under the Cultural Gifts Scheme and is on display at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow. This was announced by the Hunterian Museum on 17 June 2015.

Question reference: S5O-00218

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the assurances that it has received from Boston Scientific regarding the possible use of counterfeit material in surgical mesh.

Question reference: S5W-02971

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of all grants that have been approved each year by the Climate Challenge Fund, and what criteria are used to determine whether to issue a grant.

Since 2008, the Climate Challenge Fund has made 873 awards valued at £75.7 million to 588 communities.

Applications to the Climate Challenge Fund are assessed, by an Independent Grants Panel, against a criteria of:

Community - community must be at the heart of decision making process of the project; projects must be designed and delivered by communities themselves.

Carbon Reduction – the funded activity should lead to measurable carbon reductions, improve carbon literacy and help communities move to low carbon living.

Legacy – the project should deliver a low carbon legacy, with outcomes that continue after the project is completed.

In addition, applications are assessed against the following elements:

Management and governance

Project planning

State Aid

Project finances

Information on all grants approved by the Climate Challenge Fund can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

Funding rounds 1-19: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/climatechange/howyoucanhelp/communities/ClimateChallengeFund

Funding rounds 20-22: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/climatechange/ccf/projects

Question reference: S5W-02973

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02070 by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 September 2016, what (a) monitoring and (b) auditing of the grants that are issued by the Climate Challenge Fund (i) has been carried out each year, (ii) is being carried and (iii) is planned.

The Climate Challenge Fund is managed on behalf of the Scottish Government, under contract, by Keep Scotland Beautiful. As the Fund’s administrator, Keep Scotland Beautiful operate a continuous monitoring system of all funded projects to ensure grant compliance and measure progress against outcomes agreed in approved applications. Grant recipients submit monthly progress reports which cover financial updates, project progress and support requirements.

In addition to monthly reports, Keep Scotland Beautiful officers have more regular contact with grant recipients. This includes project visits to verify information provided and assess overall progress of funded projects.

Furthermore, in order for payments to be issued to grant recipients, all items of expenditure must be evidenced and in line with the activities identified in the approved application.

Question reference: S5W-02974

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02070 by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 September 2016, what (a) monitoring and (b) auditing of the Climate Challenge Fund (i) has been carried out each year, (ii) is being carried out and (iii) is planned.

Question reference: S5W-02579

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many times a tribunal has been established under section 95 of the Scotland Act 1998 to investigate whether a judge of the Court of Session or the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court is unfit for office by reason of inability, neglect of duty or misbehaviour.

Question reference: S5W-02581

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on members of the judiciary resigning instead of facing a tribunal under section 95 of the Scotland Act 1998.

In terms of section two of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, as Head of the Scottish Judiciary, the Lord President is responsible for making and maintaining appropriate arrangements for the investigation and determination of any matter concerning the conduct of judicial office holders. The Lord President will only draw matters to the attention of the First Minister if he wishes her to constitute a tribunal to investigate and report on whether a judge of the Court of Session or Chairman of the Scottish Land Court is unfit to hold that office by reason of inability, neglect of duty or misbehaviour.

Question reference: S5W-02580

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether section 95 of the Scotland Act 1998 applies to all members of the judiciary or is limited to the Court of Session and the Scottish Land Court.

Question reference: S5W-01047

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 14 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00632 by Annabelle Ewing on 17 June 2016, in light of the consultation on the Scottish Law Commission’s proposed new scheme for protection from disinheritance closing on 18 September 2015, whether it will introduce a bill to reform succession legal rights.

The Scottish Government is considering the analysis of responses to the consultation together with the findings of a survey of public attitudes towards succession law of just over 1000 people representative of the Scottish population and a targeted Survey Monkey on disinheritance which received over 800 responses. That consideration will determine the content and timing of legislation to reform the law of succession, including succession legal rights.

The Scottish National Party’s election manifesto contained the following commitment:

“By reforming and modernising the law of succession in Scotland we will ensure a clear and fair legal framework for the law of inheritance, relevant to modern Scottish society and the rights of individuals and families”.

Question reference: S5W-01046

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 12 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00771 by Aileen Campbell on 29 June 2016, whether it will provide details of the agreed annual workplans and their accompanying budget projections.