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-02065

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it expects the increase in air passenger duty to have on the coming tourist season.

Question reference: S4O-02002

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 April 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on allowing disabled children to attend primary schools outwith their catchment area.

Education authorities’ decisions on school placement for children and young people with additional support needs, including those with disabilities, should be taken in light of the individual needs of the child or young person concerned.

The Additional Support for Learning Act contains a range of provisions relating to placing requests enabling parents of children with additional support needs to request that their child be educated in a school other than the catchment area school.

Question reference: S4W-13308

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to help first-time home buyers in 2013-14.

The Scottish Government will continue to help first time buyers through its Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) schemes. On 18 February 2013, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities announced the allocation of £20 million for 2013-14 to help first time buyers access home ownership through its LIFT shared equity schemes.

Help for first time buyers will also continue to be provided under other LIFT initiatives which include shared ownership and the new supply shared equity scheme.

In addition, a Scottish Government guarantee has facilitated the launch by Homes for Scotland of the MI New Home mortgage indemnity scheme, which enables credit-worthy borrowers to access a 95% loan to value mortgage for new build homes with a maximum value of £250,000. Three of Scotland’s biggest lenders and 22 housebuilders now support the scheme, creating new opportunities for first-time buyers and others throughout much of the country.

Question reference: S4W-13309

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have taken part in its initiatives to help first-time home buyers.

The Scottish Government’s Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) brings together a range of initiatives to help first time buyers access home ownership where this is affordable and sustainable for them. The schemes are the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme, the New Supply Shared Equity Scheme, the New Supply Shared Equity with Developers Scheme, and Shared Ownership. From 2007-2012, these schemes have helped over 7,000 people access home ownership.

Question reference: S4O-01951

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it will strengthen the shift toward sustainable and renewable energy use in the manufacturing sector.

Question reference: S4W-12673

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether additional funding has been set aside for local authorities to become more involved in the Year of Natural Scotland 2013.

No additional funding has been set aside by the Scottish Government specifically for local authorities to become more involved in the Year of Natural Scotland however partners across the country are being actively encouraged to join the celebration of the Year and to harness its significant potential to boost tourism and the wider economy.

I have had meetings with a number of local authorities to discuss Year of Natural Scotland and I am encouraged by their supportive approach.

Question reference: S4O-01900

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to improve the quality and consistency of sentencing and enhance the availability of prisoner rehabilitation programmes.

Question reference: S4W-13310

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the construction costs of the Forth Replacement Crossing.

Question reference: S4O-01877

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK credit rating being downgraded from AAA to AA1, whether it will continue to advocate adopting sterling in an independent Scotland.

The recent report by the Fiscal Commission Working Group highlighted that retaining Sterling would provide a strong overarching framework for Scotland and maintain the integrated market and business links between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The decision to downgrade the UK’s credit rating confirms the failure of the UK Government’s economic strategy. This approach has only served to weaken the credibility of the UK Government, lead to even greater borrowing and a stagnant economy.

Independence would provide Scotland with the opportunity to take control of the economic levers needed to deliver a wealthier and fairer society.

Question reference: S4W-12675

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to those affected by the recent flooding in Musselburgh.

Flood protection schemes are primarily a matter for local authorities, however the Scottish Government is committed to supporting work that helps protect the people of Scotland from the effects of flooding.

Most recently, I helped The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency launch a new coastal flood warning system for the east coast of Scotland on 28 January, covering the coast from Arbroath to Eyemouth and including a total of 28 specific potentially vulnerable areas. I welcome these new coastal flood warnings schemes in the Forth and Tay coastal areas, which will enable residents to take action and prepare for flooding in advance and I would encourage residents in these areas to register to receive free messages direct to their landline or mobile alerting them whenever a flood warning has been issued for their area.

I would recommend anyone affected by flooding to contact the Scottish Flood Forum. The Forum, which receives funding from the Scottish Government, provides an invaluable source of advice and support. I also encourage residents affected by flooding to apply for crisis loans through the Department for Work and Pensions.

I am also in discussions with the Association of British Insurers about industry proposals for continuation of flood insurance for the most vulnerable properties once the statement of principles ceases this summer.