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: S5O-01920

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish social security system will support people seeking to appeal decisions.

Question reference: S5W-14824

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK and Welsh governments regarding the EU withdrawal bill, following the recent meeting of the joint ministerial committee, JMC-EN.

There was a further meeting of the JMC(EN) on 8 March. At that meeting the UK Government did not bring forward any new proposal acceptable to the Scottish and Welsh Governments. Their proposals would still allow the UK Government to decide unilaterally to take control of devolved powers without the agreement of the devolved legislatures.

The Scottish and Welsh Governments have made a further proposal that would protect devolution by ensuring the devolution settlement cannot be changed without the consent of the devolved legislatures. The governments proposed that, if agreement could be reached on areas where UK-wide legislative frameworks may be required after Brexit, and if it is agreed that consent to the an order affecting devolved competence would be required from the devolved legislatures in each case, then the governments would take steps to reassure the UK Government that consent would not be withheld unreasonably.

With regard to the list of areas for potential frameworks, the UK Government produced for the meeting a new list, which had not been shared or discussed with the Scottish or Welsh Governments. This list has not been agreed by the Scottish Government, but in the interests of transparency, we did not object to it being published. The UK Government has now published their list: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frameworks-analysis

We continue to want an agreed solution and to be able to recommend consent to the Scottish Parliament. Hence we made fresh proposals at the JMC(EN). If agreement is not possible, there remains the option of the Continuity Bill, which received overwhelming backing across the Scottish Parliament on 7 March.

In line with normal practice, I will be writing to the Parliament on the JMC(EN) meeting shortly.

Question reference: S5F-02154

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what the outcome was of her meeting with the Prime Minister.

Question reference: S5O-01860

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has carried out of how the Scottish Studies strand of the curriculum is operating.

Question reference: S5W-14210

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a draft EU exit analysis paper by the UK Government concludes that the UK would be worse off outside the EU under every scenario modelled and that every UK region and nation will be worse off.

Reports of the results of the UK Government’s draft EU exit analysis paper confirm the findings detailed in Scotland’s Place in Europe: People, Jobs and Investment, published by the Scottish Government on 15 January. That publication was clear that leaving the single market and customs union would result in lower economic growth compared to continuing EU membership. The Scottish Government’s analysis found that a hard Brexit could lead to a loss of 8.5% of Gross Domestic Product in Scotland by 2030 – equivalent to £2,300 per individual.

The Scottish Government has been absolutely clear that the full detail of any such UK Government assessment should be made public.

Question reference: S5O-01754

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the financial services industries.

Question reference: S5O-01698

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the Erasmus+ scheme on the third sector, the further education sector and youth work in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-13822

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Russell on 15 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the latest analysis on the implications for Scotland’s economy of the UK leaving the EU.

On 10 January the First Minister announced the publication of ‘Scotland’s Place in Europe: People, Jobs, and Investment’. This paper presents the latest analysis by the Scottish Government of the implications for Scotland’s economy if the UK exits the European Union following our earlier publication in December 2016.

The paper sets out the future trade options the European Union has said will be available to the UK should it leave the EU. The evidence clearly demonstrates that Brexit will significantly weaken our economy and result in slower economic growth and lower incomes than otherwise, and that a UK outside the European Single Market and Customs Union will have the most damaging consequences for Scotland.

The paper also sets out the future opportunities for Scotland inside the Single Market as it expands and develops, and makes the case for the whole of the UK remaining a full member of the Single Market and Customs Union.

The Scottish Government therefore believes the UK Government should abandon its “red lines” on freedom of movement and the Court of Justice of the European Union before talks on the future relationship between the UK and the EU start later this year.

The people of Scotland voted decisively to remain within the European Union, and it is the role of the Scottish Government to continue making sure that their interests are protected.

Question reference: S5O-01648

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the European arrest warrant.

Question reference: S5O-01547

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Irish Government regarding continuing free trade and the free movement of people between Scotland and Ireland after Brexit.