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-30417

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what liability the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland has in relation to the recent cases of fraudulent disposition of title.

The statutory scheme of land registration is set out in the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012, which came into effect on 8 December 2014. A person affected by a fraudulent disposition that has been registered may request rectification of the register. The keeper will be able to rectify the register where there has been a fraudulently granted deed, unless the property has subsequently been transferred to a third party who acquired it in good faith. If the register cannot be rectified then the victim of the fraud may be entitled to monetary compensation from the keeper for the value of their loss.

Question reference: S4W-30418

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland has taken following the recent cases of fraudulent disposition of title.

The keeper has robust measures in place to minimise the effects of fraud, and keeps them under review. She has a designated fraud officer responsible for implementing her fraud prevention and mitigation policies, and for delivering regular staff training. Her staff are encouraged to refer suspicious applications to the fraud officer. In order to aid earlier detection, the keeper meets with other bodies such as the Law Society of Scotland, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Police Scotland and Revenue Scotland. She also maintains communications with other land registries both in the UK and internationally to monitor trends.

The reply to S4W-30417 on 17 March 2016 sets out the process for fraud discovered after registration. If an allegation of fraud is made before an application for registration has been determined then the keeper will apply her policy on holding applications in abeyance as set out in Registers Update 42 (issued in December 2014).

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-30420

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland has introduced any procedural changes following the recent cases of fraudulent disposition of title.

Question reference: S4W-30409

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it would consider giving greater powers to property owners to enforce communal maintenance and non-essential repairs.

If any owner refuses to pay his or her share of repairs, the obligation to pay can be enforced in the sheriff court by any owner or anyone authorised by an owner or owners. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 introduces new discretionary powers for local authorities to pay missing shares on behalf of owners who are unwilling or unable to comply with decisions made by the majority of other owners. We will further consider common repairs in the work of the stakeholder forum on a common housing standard.

Question reference: S4W-30421

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland publishes answers to freedom of information requests on its website.

Question reference: S4W-30072

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on Scotland's economy, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding fiscal reform to secure the future of the oil and gas industry.

The key fiscal levers that affect the sector remain with the UK Government. The Scottish Government has made repeated calls for the fiscal regime to support greater exploration, protect critical infrastructure and encourage further investment in the oil and gas sector. Most recently, the Deputy First Minister wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 February 2016 to outline the need for further urgent fiscal reform.

The Deputy First Minister called for:

A substantial reduction in the headline rate of tax, in order to create an internationally competitive tax regime that will successfully bid for investment, improvements to accessing decommissioning tax relief and the fiscal treatment of infrastructure, which should encourage innovation and efficiency.

The removal of fiscal barriers for exploration and enhanced oil recovery, via the further refinement of the investment allowance. Additional non-fiscal support to support investment in the sector, such as government loan guarantees.

The Scottish Government is currently using all of its devolved powers to help where it can. Building on actions such as the creation of the energy jobs taskforce in January 2015, the Scottish Government has recently announced a comprehensive support package for the sector.

Question reference: S4W-30073

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on Scotland's economy, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the introduction of a government loan guarantee scheme to allow oil and gas supply chain companies to access finance.

The Deputy First Minister wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 February 2016 outlining a series of measures the UK Government must consider ahead of the March budget. Along with urgent fiscal measures to reduce the tax burden, we have asked the UK Government to consider easing constraints on accessing finance, for instance through the introduction of a Government loan guarantee scheme. This scheme would improve access to working capital, ease borrowing constraints and may provide a crucial lifeline to many companies.

The First Minister also announced on 1 February 2016 that Scottish Enterprise has begun an extensive research project to analyse and understand the access to finance issues facing the oil and gas sector.

Question reference: S4O-05636

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Question reference: S4W-30231

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Marco Biagi on 2 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to the Commission on Local Tax Reform.

Question reference: S4O-05614

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with the Aberdeen women's hospital and cancer care unit projects.

NHS Grampian is continuing to plan the Baird Family Hospital and ANCHOR Centre in Aberdeen with the support of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Futures Trust. The planning process involves a wide range of clinical staff and public engagement. The clinical strategies for the new facilities are complete and work is proceeding on the detailed specifications and development of the designs. The planning applications for the new facilities have been submitted.