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-16758

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 31 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that interactions between the Department for Work and Pensions and Scotland's social security agency, particularly in areas of split competence, are as smooth as possible.

We have been working closely with DWP since January 2015. Even after the devolved benefits have transferred, many people will be eligible for support from both DWP and from Social Security Scotland, so there will be an ongoing operational relationship.

For the first wave of devolved benefits – Carer’s Allowance Supplement, Best Start Grant and Funeral Expense Assistance – that work is focused on ensuring that Social Security Scotland has access to information held by DWP, which is essential for us to deliver the benefits for which we will be responsible.

Joint working with DWP is critical to the delivery of these benefits. There has been continuous contact and cooperation by Scottish Government officials right across a spectrum of teams from service design to IT. At Ministerial level the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare was set up to act as the vehicle for the devolution of benefits between the two governments and Scottish Ministers have recently requested to hold more frequent meetings. The Ministerial Group is supported by the Joint Senior Officials Group, comprising senior officials from the Scottish and UK Governments.

The new social security system is the largest and most complex programme of change delivered since devolution. As Audit Scotland recognised in their report of 28 March 2018, the Scottish Government cannot deliver devolution of social security powers alone. DWP are required both to provide Scottish Government with relevant, robust data and to make significant changes to their systems and processes to ensure a safe transition for benefit recipients.

Question reference: S5F-02409

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 May 2018

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to tackle human trafficking and rising sexual violence in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-16622

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 29 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it consulted (a) Inch Cape Offshore Ltd, (b) Red Rock Power Ltd, (c) State Development & Investment Corporation, (d) Prestonpans Community Council and (e) Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council prior to its decision to call in the Inch Cape planning application for the former Cockenzie power station site.

Question reference: S5W-16620

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 29 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it considers it is better placed than East Lothian Council to make a decision on the Inch Cape planning application for the former Cockenzie power station site.

It is not about who is better placed to make a decision, but the level at which that decision is taken. This is a strategic site in the National Planning Framework and it is right that a decision is taken at national level.

Ministers recognise the importance of local decision making and invoke their powers of call in sparingly and only in circumstances where matters of genuine national importance are raised.

Question reference: S5W-16621

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 29 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to make its decision on the Inch Cape planning application for the former Cockenzie power station site.

Question reference: S5W-16619

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 29 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to engage with local residents to gauge opinion regarding the Inch Cape planning application for the former Cockenzie power station site.

The application is now being determined by a reporter from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division and it is for the reporter to consider the most appropriate process for determining the application.

On 16 May, a letter was issued to all consultees and representees asking if they wished to take part in any further process, or whether they were content their original representation covered their position. They have been asked to confirm by 30 May. A copy of that letter is available on the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division website.

Question reference: S5O-02172

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to build residential accommodation at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service National Training Centre in Cambuslang.

Question reference: S5O-02123

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve labour productivity.

Question reference: S5W-16420

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on which figures were used by the World Health Organization to determine that the levels of pollution in Prestonpans exceeded the limit of 10 micrograms per cubic meter in its recent Global Urban Ambient Air Pollutant Database Update for 2018.

Question reference: S5W-16124

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 8 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers in (a) the Scottish Borders, (b) Midlothian and (c) East Lothian have taken early retirement in each year since 2010.

Early retirements
Calendar Years	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	Total
East Lothian Council	6	12	8	10	7	5	11	14	3	76
Midlothian Council	9	19	10	10	20		11	7	1	87
Scottish Borders Council	37	26	11	13	14	26	12	14	7	160
Grand Total	52	57	29	33	41	31	34	35	11	323