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-07475

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the additional revenues accruing to local authorities as a result of Part 6 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act did not, as intimated by paragraph 102 of the Revised Financial Memorandum to the Bill, result in a corresponding reduction in the general revenue grant for 2017-18.

As set out in the Revised Financial Memorandum for the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill the estimated additional non-domestic rates receipts in respect of shootings and deer forests as a result of the commencement of sections 74 to 76 of the associated Act from 1 April 2017 will accrue to the relevant local authorities and were taken into account in setting the overall level of funding provided through the local government finance settlement through the guaranteed combination of the distributable amount of non-domestic rates income and General Revenue Grant.

Question reference: S5W-07648

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) tackles (a) fuel poverty and (b) climate change issues arising in housing stock over 100-years-old.

As part of our development of SEEP we are now inviting local authorities and/or their partners to submit new proposals for phase two pilot projects for delivery by 28 February 2019. This second phase of pilot projects makes £11million of funding available and includes a call for councils to develop projects aimed specifically at tackling hard-to-treat properties such as historic building and properties in conservation areas. These projects will allow councils to test approaches to improving historic properties and we are working closely with Historic Environment Scotland to offer support.

The deadline for expressions of interest in phase two Pilots is end-March. We anticipate funding being issued to councils in the summer.

Question reference: S5W-07913

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07177 by Joe FitzPatrick on 28 February 2017, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) the information for 2015.

Between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015 130 individuals were seconded to the Scottish Government. As stated in S5W-07177 the funding arrangements for secondments are agreed between the Scottish Government Directorate and the secondees employer; details of these arrangements are not stored centrally. Secondees remain on their employers pay systems and continue to be paid at their existing pay grade.

Information on employers, directorates and the length of secondment is detailed on SPICE 58595.

Question reference: S5W-07663

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in relation to the Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Construction of Edinburgh Schools by Professor John Cole in February 2017; what assurance it can give that it will act on each of its 40 recommendations, and whether it will report on the outcome of these actions and, if so, within what timeframe.

In response to the findings of the Cole Report, Kevin Stewart ,the Minister for Local Government and Housing, has written to Local Authorities and Industry leaders, and has instructed the Scottish Futures Trust to write to Public Bodies, drawing their attention to the report and requesting their detailed consideration.

Further, the Minister is hosting a round-table discussion on 16 March, with Professor Cole in attendance. Those invited to this event include key figures from the Construction sector, Public Bodies, Professional and Industry bodies and the Scottish Government. This forum will establish the key actions required to address the recommendations identified in the report and will inform appropriate timescales.

Question reference: S5W-07649

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage building homes in (a) smaller towns and (b) rural areas.

Our commitment to invest over £3 billion to deliver at least 50,000 affordable homes over the lifetime of this Parliament – 35,000 of which will be for social rent – presents a huge opportunity to meet the housing needs of communities across Scotland.

Funding is allocated to local authorities through a Resource Planning Assumption (RPA) system. This gives each council the flexibility to apply the available Scottish Government funding to its strategic housing priorities within its geographic area.

In addition to the RPA allocations to councils, the Scottish Government launched a £25 million Rural Housing Fund and the £5 million Islands Housing Fund. To be eligible to apply for these funds projects will need to fall within classes four, five or six of the Scottish Government six fold urban rural classification. The Rural and Islands Housing Funds aim to increase the supply of affordable housing of all tenures in rural Scotland and will contribute to our 50,000 affordable homes target.

Question reference: S5W-07476

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment made by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work on 18 January 2017 (Official Report, c. 50) to "come back to Mr Wightman on the point about legal personality", whether he is now in a position to do so.

Question reference: S5W-07178

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has seconded the director of policy of NFU Scotland to it on a part-time basis; who is paying for his remuneration, and what assessment it has made of any potential conflict of interest.

Seconding external expertise into the Scottish Government is not unusual. As with all secondments, we assessed the benefits and any potential conflict of interest prior to seconding in the Director of Policy of NFU Scotland to provide technical expertise in agriculture and rural affairs from an industry perspective. NFU Scotland is covering the whole of the costs of the secondment including salary, national insurance contributions, pension and annual pay award costs.

Question reference: S5W-07177

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 28 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been seconded to it from other organisations since 2016, broken down by (a) directorate that they are seconded to, (b) the organisation that they have been seconded from, (c) pay grade, (d) who is responsible for their remuneration and (e) the length of secondment.

Between 1 January 2016 and 24 February 2017 82 individuals were seconded to the Scottish Government. The funding arrangements for secondments are agreed between the Scottish Government Directorate and the secondees employer; details of these arrangements are not stored centrally.

Secondees remain on their employers pay systems and continue to be paid at their existing pay grade.

Information on employers, directorates and the length of secondment is detailed on SPICE no. 58559.

Question reference: S5W-05981

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to determine whether housing can be regarded as “affordable”.

Question reference: S5O-00573

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take action to regulate growth in short-term letting of residential property.