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-23787

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23553 by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2014 and in light of the information not being provided on the suggested website, whether it will now answer which (a) people and (b) organisations assisted in deciding the key themes of the first meeting of the Scottish Rural Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-23784

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23550 by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2014 and in light of the information not being provided on the suggested website, whether it will now answer how much it cost to (a) set up and (b) run the first meeting of the Scottish Rural Parliament, and what its annual operating costs will be.

Question reference: S4W-23750

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fiona McLeod on 15 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to extending free school meals to those two-year-olds who are eligible for free early learning and childcare and attend school-based nurseries.

Under section 53(3) and (3AA) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, all young children who are eligible for statutory early learning and childcare are entitled to a free school lunch where they meet the same eligibility criteria as for all pupils, and where they attend an education authority setting over the middle of the day. This applies to children aged two and over, who are still under school age, and who have not yet commenced attendance at a primary school.

It is proposed that, for the additional two year olds that will become eligible for early learning and childcare in 2015, their eligibility will be based on the free school lunch criteria. Accordingly, these children will be eligible for a free school meal where they attend an education authority setting over the middle of the day.

Question reference: S4O-03890

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how often the short-life working group on heart failure has met and what conclusions it has reached regarding strengthening the role of heart failure nurses.

Question reference: S4T-00880

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 January 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what involvement it will have in the investigation into the sinking of the cargo vessel, Cemfjord, in the Pentland Firth.

Question reference: S4W-23549

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it used to select the people whom it invited to attend the first meeting of the Scottish Rural Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-23551

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations it approached for assistance in funding the running costs of the first meeting of the Scottish Rural Parliament, and which contributed.

Question reference: S4W-23553

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) people and (b) organisations assisted in deciding the key themes of the first meeting of the Scottish Rural Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-23552

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations it has approached for assistance in funding the annual running costs of the Scottish Rural Parliament, and which have (a) made and (b) indicated that they will make a contribution.

Question reference: S4W-23548

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what process it used to choose the directors of Scottish Rural Action and which (a) people and (b) groups it consulted as part of this.

The inaugural Scottish Rural Parliament took place in Oban on 6-8 November 2014 and was attended by over 400 delegates from across rural Scotland. The event was organised by Scottish Rural Action, an independent, not-for-profit organisation.

Further information relating to the key themes discussed at the Rural Parliament, the delegate invitation process as well as information on funding, costs, administration and governance can either be found on the Rural Parliament website: http://www.scottishruralparliament.org.uk/ or by contacting Scottish Rural Action.