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-04456

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 11 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for rail freight hubs.

Rail hubs are privately owned facilities and it remains the responsibility of operators to determine whether to invest in existing facilities to support growth or to create new ones. The Scottish Government will continue to support this process, for example through investment in the infrastructure where there are network wide benefits or by identifying appropriate opportunities in the National Planning Framework. In addition the Scottish Government is currently developing a rail freight strategy which will consider a broad range of issues and in particular how best to work with the industry to maximise the benefits of any future public investment in rail freight facilities.

Question reference: S4W-25784

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 10 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments by a Crown Office spokesperson on 24 May 2015 relating to the reinvestigation of the murder of Emma Caldwell, for what reason it has not provided a substantive answer to question S4W-25295 on this issue, providing a holding answer on 14 May, and when it will do so.

Question reference: S4W-25295

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 10 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Lord Advocate will make a statement following recent press reports regarding the investigation into the murder of Emma Caldwell.

Question reference: S4W-25752

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it received the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals' report on the Allt Duine windfarm development and when it will announce its decision.

Question reference: S4W-25751

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many times it has overruled the recommendation of a public inquiry when determining an application for a windfarm development under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Question reference: S4W-25656

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 4 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how much Serco NorthLink has spent on (a) vessel maintenance, (b) staff training, (c) onboard passenger services and (d) information technology in each year since July 2012.

The following table details the expenditure Serco NorthLink Ltd have spent on vessel maintenance, staff training, on-board passenger services and information technology in each year since July 2012 (given in contract year format July to June).

	Vessel Maintenance including Dry Dock Phasing (£’000)	Staff Training (£’000)	On-Board Passenger Services (£’000)	Information Technology (£’000)
2012-13 (contract year 1)	£1,102	£74	£2,296	£927
2013-14 (contract year 2)	£1,915	£107	£2,631	£985
2014-15 (up to and including April 2015)	£2,297	£53	£2,478	£598

Question reference: S4W-25655

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 4 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what dividends have been paid by Serco NorthLink since July 2012.

The contract for the Northern Isles Ferry Services is between the Scottish Ministers and Serco Ltd. Serco NorthLink is an operating unit, not a subsidiary, of Serco Ltd. Dividends payable by Serco Ltd are available by reference to their published annual reports and accounts.

A copy of Serco Ltd’s annual report and accounts can be found at the attached link:

http://www.serco.com/investors/reportsresultsevents/resultsannualreport/index.asp

Question reference: S4W-25665

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to its (a) directorates and (b) agencies regarding when it would be appropriate to (i) examine and (ii) comment on views that staff members have expressed online or through other types of media.

The Scottish Government has an IT code of conduct which forms part of employees terms and conditions This code provides guidance on the Scottish Government computer network and, in particular, e-mail and the use of the Internet. It also outlines the policy on the personal use of the IT facilities and gives guidelines on what use is not acceptable.

Alongside the IT code of conduct the Scottish Government has a social media policy which sets out the principles for the use of social media and the general standards which all employees must adhere to, whether acting in a personal or professional capacity. This also fits with the civil service code which covers broader guidance on areas such as integrity and impartially. We do not routinely monitor employee use of social media, however, if a manager has concerns about the use of social media and other web-based services by their team they are advised to contact human resources for specific guidance.

IT and human resources are responsible for monitoring use of IT systems to ensure that security standards are complied with and compliance with the IT code of conduct.

Question reference: S4W-25476

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 21 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the deficit was at the last valuation of the CalMac pension fund in 2012.

Question reference: S4W-25475

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 21 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its contribution to the CalMac pension fund has been in each year since 2007.

The Scottish Government has contributed £3 million in financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15 to the CalMac pension fund. The Scottish Government has committed to maintaining this level of payments to the fund until 2024 as part of the recovery plan put in place by the trustees following the 2012 revaluation.

These payments are in addition to the regular employer contributions made by the fund’s participants: CMAL, CalMac Ferries Ltd and other companies within the David MacBrayne Group which total around £7 million per year.