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-06913

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 22 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how the £10 million in the Workforce Development Fund will be spent, broken down by (a) sector and (b) local authority to achieve its aim to help employers work in partnership with colleges to upskill and reskill their existing workforce and address skills gaps.

Question reference: S5W-05989

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses will pay the Large Business Supplement in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18 and how much it will raise through the supplement.

Question reference: S5W-05635

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 16 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its report, Research on the Pub Sector in Scotland - Phase 1 Scoping Study, when it will engage in discussions between the relevant trade bodies and other interested parties to help reverse the reported decline in the public sector.

Question reference: S5O-00555

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to close the skills gap.

Question reference: S5W-05634

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is considering to reverse the reported decline in the pub sector.

The Scottish Government published its research findings on 6 December and I intend to meet with relevant interests to discuss these findings and how we can work together to create a more successful pub sector, reflecting the particular make-up of the sector in Scotland.

More widely, as you will be aware, the Scottish Government has commissioned a review of Scottish rates under Ken Barclay, and we are encouraging all stakeholders including those in the sales trade to engage with the review to ensure that their views are taken into account.

Question reference: S5O-00509

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support hotel businesses.

Question reference: S5W-05036

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the review of the number, structure and regulation of NHS boards.

This Government is committed to reviewing the number, structure and regulation of both territorial and special health boards and their relationships with local councils. The detail of this work has yet to be finalised but will form part of our broader transformational change delivery plan that will be set out for Parliament before the end of this year.

I want our NHS Board structure to support the new, integrated, health and social care landscape and better support the provision of excellent hospital and specialist care for Scotland’s population. That means a structure that will lead NHSScotland forward while ensuring the focus is on patients rather than on structures and bureaucracy and which maximises the opportunities for a ‘Once for Scotland’ where that creates efficiencies and reduces duplication.

Question reference: S5W-05037

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00314 by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 November 2016, what responsibilities lie with landowners in the absence of a species control order.

Question reference: S5O-00463

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there is constitutional stability.

Question reference: S5W-04971

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 7 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide specific policy advice for planning authorities to assist in considering planning applications for crematoria.

Following the report of an Independent Panel earlier this year, we will publish a consultation paper on potential changes to the planning system in Scotland in the next few weeks. Following that consultation we will bring forward proposed changes to the planning system, including a Planning Bill. This will be supported by updated planning policy in due course, and planning policy on crematoria will be considered in the next iteration of Scottish Planning Policy.