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-10216

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will use all possible routes to clarify the intentions in section 20 (1) of the Local Government Act 2003 and related provisions, which enable a local authority to promote or improve the wellbeing of all or part of its area and/or some or all of the persons within it, in light of the opinion of the Inner House of the Court of Session Court dated 12 September 2012 on the motion by Portobello Park Action Group.

Question reference: S4W-10213

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the opinion of the Inner House of the Court of Session dated 12 September 2012 on the motion by Portobello Park Action Group against proposed plans by the City of Edinburgh Council to build a new Potobello High School that it "is far from self-evident, the construction of a significant High School in a public park could be deemed a matter of 'well-being'" as defined by section 20 (1) of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003.

The Inner House of the Court of Session concluded that the City of Edinburgh Council could not use the Power to Advance Well-Being in order to build a new Portobello High School in Portobello Park. Its fundamental reason was that, regardless of how broadly "well-being" is defined, this Power does not give local authorities a general right to usurp third party rights, title deeds and other contractual agreements, or the general statutory and common law. It is for the City of Edinburgh Council to decide whether it intends to appeal against this judgement.

Question reference: S4W-10215

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, whether it plans to lay an affirmative order to clarify section 20 (1) of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 in light of the opinion of the Inner House of the Court of Session dated 12 September 2012 on the motion by Portobello Park Action Group that it "is far from self-evident, the construction of a significant High School in a public park could be deemed a matter of 'well-being'".

Question reference: S4W-10214

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake an urgent review of section 20 (1) of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 in light of the opinion of the Inner House of the Court Session dated 12 September 2012 in relation to Edinburgh City Council's proposal to build a new Portobello High School.

The Scottish Government is concerned about the difficulty which the City of Edinburgh Council is facing in securing a suitable site for a new Portobello High School. I have agreed to meet with the council on 13 November 2012 to discuss what appropriate support the Scottish Government can offer to help it exercise its responsibilities.

The City of Edinburgh Council has not asked the Scottish Government to take action in respect of section 20 of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 and we have no plans of our own to do this. While the definition of "well-being" for the purposes of the Power to Advance Well-Being in section 20 can be extended by affirmative Order, we do not consider an Order-making power could be used in a way which would overcome fundamental concerns held by the Inner House of the Court of Session. These concerns related to conditions over how the Power to Advance Well-Being is used, regardless of how widely "well-being" is defined.

We consider this case highlights a broader issue beyond this particular case, about how common good assets are used and managed in future. Our recent exploratory consultation on the proposed Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill included questions about common good assets and how they might be dealt with in future. Responses to the consultation are presently being analysed and we intend to publish a draft bill for consultation in summer 2013.

Question reference: S4W-10045

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to universities and colleges that want to establish credit unions.

There are already over 100 established credit unions in Scotland. Students and staff of universities and colleges may join any credit union that serves the area they live or work in. Several established credit unions already have partnerships with universities and colleges. First Scottish University Credit Union serves employees of Heriot-Watt, Napier, Edinburgh and Queen Margaret Universities. Colleges in and around Glasgow are partner employers with Scotwest Credit Union. Glasgow Caledonian University encourages staff to join Glasgow Credit Union.

Question reference: S4W-10044

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set up a credit union for its staff.

Question reference: S4O-01444

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General read the whole or any part of the three government documents referred to by Alex Salmond in his statement on 23 October 2012 before their publication and, if so, on what date; what was asked of them, and what their advice was.

Question reference: S4W-10041

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 31 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it (a) encourages and (b) supports young people to become self-employed sports coaches.

This government believes that good quality coaching will help to increase participation, motivate our young people to improve performance and keep physically active. This is why we are investing £2,124,000 into coaching this year alone.

To demonstrate our commitment we last year launched a coaching strategy, through sportscotland, which will take us through to 2015 and is based on five strategic areas. Sportscotland already provides a range of education and development pathways for young people as they progress through each stage of the coaching framework and therefore allow the individuals to make their own career path choices.

Sports governing bodies also play a vital role. Badminton Scotland for example is exploring innovative programmes by offering apprentice coaching positions to former international athletes. This will not only help Scottish sport progress but would also form part of the legacy for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

This government has also committed funding to various other programmes / initiatives to ensure young people are provided with opportunities to make coaching their chosen career path. For example, our sponsorship of the Scottish Communities League Cup will help Skills Development Scotland (SDS) with the development of a range of youth employment initiatives.

Our £5 million youth employment initiative is aimed at providing opportunities for young people to gain employment in and around Scotland’s hosting of major events and SDS will also deliver the Employment Recruitment Initiative, which is aimed at the modern apprentice framework for sports and events.

Question reference: S4W-10040

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the economic development of seaside destinations.

Question reference: S4W-10038

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it can support the (a) development and (b) people's enjoyment of Edinburgh's seaside as a destination.

The Scottish Government supports the development, and people’s enjoyment of, Edinburgh’s seaside in a number of ways. [Working with public bodies these include, but are not restricted to outcomes, set out in the National Performance Framework. Relevant indicators in the National Performance Framework include: ensuring that Edinburgh’s seaside is clean through improving the state of Scotland’s marine environment; increase people’s use of Scotland’s outdoors; improve people’s perception of their neighbourhood; reduce waste generated; reduce Scotland’s carbon footprint; increase the abundance of terrestrial breeding birds; increase cultural engagement; improve people’s perceptions about the crime rate in their area; increase physical activity; improve people’s perceptions of the quality of public services.]

In terms of support for development and enjoyment of Edinburgh’s seaside as a tourism destination, Scottish Enterprise supports the tourism sector in Edinburgh across the city. Scottish Enterprise also provides support to Edinburgh, as a whole, through Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG). ETAG, with support from Scottish Enterprise, aims to improve business performance, enhance the visitor experience and strengthen Edinburgh’s position as a world class visitor destination. VisitScotland is able to provide support to any eligible business within Edinburgh and Scotland.