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-01208

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to increase the supply of social-rented housing.

Question reference: S4O-01173

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made regarding the integration of health and social care in the Highlands.

Question reference: S4O-01130

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the reform of the common agricultural policy.

Question reference: S4W-07288

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 May 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 18 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how fire and rescue authorities have performed against the priorities and objectives in Fire and Rescue: Framework for Scotland 2005 and what plans there are to review these.

I have today published a report on the progress made by Scotland’s Fire and Rescue Services against the priorities set out in the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2005, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number: 53990).

I have today also laid before Parliament a transitional Fire and Rescue Framework, setting out guidance and priorities for the eight services as we move towards a single Scottish Fire and Rescue Service:

www.scotland.gov.uk/transitionalfireandrescueframework. Its key themes are to protect frontline outcomes over the transition period; to ensure that those best placed to participate in the design of the new arrangements are given support to do so; to ensure that any major decisions are made consistently across the eight services and with due regard to future structure; and to help protect the people, experience, processes, assets and resources that will underpin the future delivery of world class services.

Question reference: S4O-01051

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it keeps an inventory of historical artefacts from the Highlands and Islands that are held by museums outside of Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-06499

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will receive the report on the inquiry into the Galston mine incident from HM Chief Inspector of Fire and Rescue Authorities.

We have now received the report, and thank Mr Torrie and his team for their work. Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 53833) and it is being published on the Scottish Government website.

Ministers instructed this Inquiry under Section 44 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 to ensure lessons are learned from the tragic death of Mrs Hume. We will carefully consider the report, and will discuss with services how best to take forward the recommendations.

Our sympathies are with Mrs Hume’s family and friends at this time.

Question reference: S4O-00856

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in recruiting appropriately qualified teaching staff for Gaelic medium education.

Question reference: S4W-06083

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 21 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it provides to local authorities regarding the provision of service level agreements to bodies assisting in the delivery of local government services.

Question reference: S4W-06084

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 21 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what arbitration facilities it recommends when there is dispute between a local authority and a third sector organisation regarding the funding of services.

Question reference: S4W-06061

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that ethnic minorities are included in its work on youth employability.

This government is committed to improving youth employment for all young people in Scotland.

Since my appointment as Minister for youth Employment, I have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including speaking at the Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure Conference on 21 February on Youth Employability, Race Equality and Rights.

Building on that event, I will meet with representatives from black and ethnic minority communities on 22 March to continue and broaden out that discussion.