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: S5W-08163

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the devolution of industrial injuries disablement benefit, what its position is on the list of diseases and conditions linked to employment that the benefit covers; whether it plans to remove any of these from the list; what the criteria will be to add to the list, including what standard of evidence will be needed, and what support it will give to people with a disease or a condition that is suspected to be linked to their employment but is not on the list.

Our priority for transition of the Industrial Injuries scheme, alongside all benefits to be devolved, is safe and secure transfer, ensuring that households continue to receive payment on time and in the right amount. Those who are eligible for the benefits at the point of transition will continue to receive them. It is clear from the recent consultation that people believe the scheme to be outdated and no longer reflective of the modern workplace. We will enlist the support of experts to advise us on the most effective arrangements, including the Industrial Injuries Advisory Group and the Disability and Carers’ Benefits Expert Advisory Group.

Question reference: S5W-08156

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to establish a version of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, in light of the decision not to designate it as a cross-border public authority.

The UK Government has decided that following devolution of the Industrial Injuries scheme, the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) will not provide advice to Scottish Ministers. It is clear from the recent consultation that there is support for similar expertise to be established in Scotland to ensure that the scheme is delivered effectively. We have also sought views from the IIAC on their role, membership and functions. We will enlist the support of experts to advise us on the most effective arrangements, including the Industrial Injuries Advisory Group and the Disability and Carers’ Benefits Expert Advisory Group.

Question reference: S5W-08184

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much an independent Scotland would pay in annual contributions if it joined the (a) EU and (b) European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

Question reference: S5W-08124

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 27 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the comment by the Scottish Green Party that "in assessing public appetite for a second referendum we will respect new kinds of citizen-led initiatives - for example, a call for a referendum signed by up to 1 million people on the electoral register".

Question reference: S5W-08000

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether Edinburgh College runs at a deficit and, if so, (a) what the level of this is and (b) when it believes the college will no longer be in this position.

Question reference: S5W-08003

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Edinburgh College adequately serves the communities that it covers.

The College works with its key stakeholders including Community Planning Partnerships to ensure that provision is aligned to regional need.

The College has to evidence how it is responding to regional need including the communities it covers within its Outcome Agreement. The Outcome Agreement Process enables the Scottish Funding Council to monitor the level of engagement the College is having with its key stakeholders and how it is responding to regional need.

Question reference: S5W-07999

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much public funding is awarded to Edinburgh College, and whether it expects to provide it with such support in 2018-19.

For AY 16-17 Edinburgh College was awarded the following funding:

£40,162,091 Grant in Aid for teaching;

£10,495,590 for student support;

£665,747 for European Social Funds; and

£5.3 for Business Transformation Plan (£2.9M of this is a cash advance to be repaid in future years).

Allocations from the Scottish Funding Council for future academic years will be dependent on the outcome of future spending reviews and the Business Transformation Plan support funding will finish in AY 17-18.

Question reference: S5W-08001

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that Edinburgh College has experienced a fall in the number of students (a) registered on courses and (b) sitting exams, and whether it considers that this reduction in student activity has arisen because of poor planning.

The SFC is closely monitoring College progress implementing their Business Transformation Plan in AY 16-17, a key strand of which is student recruitment.

The College is close to reaching its credit activity target for AY 16-17 and has undertaken significant restructuring of its curriculum to better serve the regional skills needs and respond to demand. College planning has contributed to this improvement, with smarter use of data and intelligence.

Question reference: S5W-08004

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the effectiveness of the (a) board and (b) management and executive team of Edinburgh College, including its handling of public funds.

The College Board operates in accordance with the Financial Memorandum between the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the College and the Code of Good Governance for Colleges.

Board structures have been reviewed and the board itself has been active in supporting the Business Transformation Plan (BTP).

A new Senior Management Team (SMT) has recently been brought together, comprising three new Assistant Principal posts with set remits.

The SFC is working closely with the SMT through the Outcome Agreement process and BTP monitoring.

Question reference: S5O-00825

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 23 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on airport expansion.

We fully support the ambition of Scotland’s airports to increase the number of services to international and domestic destinations in order to support economic growth by improving connectivity for business and facilitating increased inbound tourism.

The expansion of services and Scotland’s airports needs to strike a balance between the benefits that an airport and new services bring in terms of economic growth and employment, whilst mitigating the impact on local communities and more widely. We have made our view clear on numerous occasions that we expect local communities to be fully consulted on any plans to expand activity at airports.