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-11936

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to prevent the Scottish Police College from training police officers from regimes that contravene international law and human rights.

Question reference: S4W-12244

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it seeks the consent of the Queen or Prince Charles prior to introducing legislation and, if so, in respect of (a) how many and (b) which bills it has sought such consent since May 2007 and for which bills consent was refused.

Rule 9.11 of the Scottish Parliament’s Standing Orders (which reflects the requirements of paragraph 7 of Schedule 3 to the Scotland Act 1998) states that:

“Where a Bill contains provisions, or is amended so as to include provisions, which would, if the Bill were a Bill for an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament, require the consent of Her Majesty, the Prince and Steward of Scotland or the Duke of Cornwall, the Parliament shall not debate any question whether the Bill be passed or approved unless such consent to those provisions has been signified by a member of the Scottish Government during proceedings on the Bill at a meeting of the Parliament.”

Information on Crown consent where it has arisen in relation to individual Bills is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. However, the Scottish Government understands that Crown consent has been sought, and granted, for every Scottish Parliament Bill enacted since 1999 for which the parliamentary authorities have determined that consent is required by Rule 9.11. Where Crown consent has been signified, that fact has been confirmed during the debate on the relevant Bill at a meeting of the Parliament and has been recorded in the Parliament’s Official Report.

Question reference: S4W-11629

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether ministers or officials authorised the (a) Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and (b) Chair of the Scottish Police Authority to seek legal advice in relation to their roles and responsibilities under the new national police service and, if so, what guidance was given on who could be consulted and the costs that could be incurred.

Question reference: S4W-11627

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much the (a) Chief Constable of the Scottish Police Service and (b) Chair of the Scottish Police Authority have spent on legal advice in relation to their roles and responsibilities under the new national police service.

Question reference: S4W-11630

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money the (a) Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and (b) Chair of the Scottish Police Authority has been spent seeking legal advice in relation to their roles and responsibilities under the new Scottish Police Service.

Question reference: S4W-11628

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and (b) Chair of the Scottish Police Authority consulted ministers or officials prior to seeking legal advice in relation to their role and responsibilities under the new national police service.

Question reference: S4W-11631

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that senior public officials are provided with sufficient information about their job role and responsibilities to obviate the need to seek legal advice at public expense on such matters.

The statutory responsibilities of public bodies are set out in their founding legislation. The application pack for public appointments for senior public sector posts includes information on the background and functions of the public body and the skills, knowledge and experience required for the role being advertised. All public appointees are provided with induction which covers their roles and responsibilities. All public bodies are required to agree a framework document which, amongst other things, sets out the respective roles and responsibilities of the Chair, the Chief Executive and the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S4O-01644

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what benefits specialist domestic abuse courts bring to victims.

Question reference: S4W-11152

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 09 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 22 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time is between the conclusion of a public local inquiry and a ministerial decision.

Question reference: S4W-11153

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 09 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 22 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it gives to community councils to ensure that any representations that they make as statutory consultees in the planning process are informed, relevant, democratically agreed and reflective of the views of the communities that they represent.

The Scottish Government recognises that many community councils take a proactive role in planning matters. Following a review of community councils in 2006, a working group, which included the Scottish Government and COSLA, developed a package of measures to support community councils, this included Good Practice Guidance which contains guidance on planning matters. Last year a short life working group was established by the Scottish Government to consider what could be done to further build the resilience and capacity of community councils in order to strengthen their role and relevance as voices for their communities. The group recently reported its recommendations. The Scottish Government and COSLA will respond early next year following wider engagement to seek a range of broader views from those with an interest in the sector.