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-27075

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 29 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines "inclusive growth", and what information it has regarding whether this is the same definition used by all (a) local authorities and (b) agencies involved with enterprise.

The Scottish Government set out its definition of Inclusive Growth, and how it relates to the activities of its Enterprise Agencies, in the answer to question S5W-15066 on 14 March 2018. This states that Inclusive Growth is growth that combines increased prosperity with greater equity; that creates opportunities for all and distributes the dividends of increased prosperity fairly.

Promoting a shared inclusive growth agenda across Scotland is a key objective of this Government – evidenced, for example, by the establishment of Scotland’s Centre for Regional Inclusive Growth – which is working with partners across Scotland, including Local Authorities, to drive improvements in inclusive growth outcomes across Scotland’s communities.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-26828

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to protect rural nurseries from the threat of closure.

The Scottish Government is providing a range of support to enable nurseries, including rural nurseries, to have a positive and sustainable future. As a result of the substantial investment already made to support the expansion of early learning and childcare we have seen local authorities significantly increase their hourly funding rates to private and third sector providers with average rates for delivery of the current funded entitlement of 600 hours increasing by 26% over the two years to August 2019.

Financial support is also being provided through the 100% business rate relief for premises wholly or mainly used as day nurseries that we introduced in April 2018.

Our Delivery Support Plan sets out other ways that we are helping the sector prepare for the expansion in funded entitlement, and we continue to work closely with the sector to identify where further action may be required.

In addition, the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 requires local authorities to consult with the local community on proposals to close a nursery or all nursery classes in a school under their management. Ministers have powers to call in certain proposals for review by an independent panel. Additional protections for rural schools cover nursery classes within such schools.

Question reference: S5W-26910

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 27 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding the Scottish University Innovation Fund has received in each of the last five years.

The University Innovation Fund (UIF) was introduced in AY2016-17 and as such the Scottish Government can only provide funding figures from that date, rather than the 5 years requested. The annual baseline figures for UIF are presented in the following table:

AY	Amount
16-17	£12,240,000
17-18	£12,240,000
18-19	£13,458,000
19-20	£13,458,000

In 2018-19, the UIF baseline funding was increased in-year by £5.22 million to £18,678,000 as a result of a one-off allocation of Barnett consequentials.

Question reference: S5W-26982

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional income tax revenue has been raised in each applicable year as a result of increasing the (a) basic rate from 20% to the intermediate rate of 21%, (b) higher rate from 40% to 41% and (c) top rate from 45% to 46%.

The income tax changes introduced in 2018-19 included the introduction of the Intermediate Rate – the Basic Rate remains unchanged at 20%.

In May 2019, the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) forecast that the introduction of the five band system would raise £204 million in 2018-19. Of this, around £130 million is estimated to be due to the introduction of the Intermediate Rate, with a further £66 million and £3 million due to the 1p increase in the Higher and Top Rate respectively (see Table S4.6 of their report). The SFC will publish updated forecasts on 6 February, alongside the Scottish Budget. The SFC’s published forecasts can be found here: https://www.fiscalcommission.scot/forecast/scotlands-economic-and-fiscal-forecast-may-2019/

Question reference: S5W-26985

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will await the findings of the KPMG insolvency report into the collapse of Our Power before setting up its proposed publicly-owned energy company.

While all legislative and regulatory powers over energy markets are reserved to UK Ministers, under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998, we are following developments in the UK-wide energy market closely.

We are continuing to develop proposals that will deliver the ambition of a public energy company. Lessons learnt from the failure of a number of energy companies last Winter will be studied. We are aware of a number of causes for those company failures, including changes in investor sentiment in the energy supply market arising from the introduction of the energy price cap. We will also study closely the development and deployment of new Ofgem proposals to ensure suppliers are financially robust and ensure these, and all other relevant matters, have been appropriately considered as part of the development of the outline business case for a public energy company.

Question reference: S5W-26983

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities in advance of publishing its outline business case for its proposed publicly-owned energy company.

In August 2018 I wrote to COSLA inviting local authorities to work alongside the Scottish Government to develop, in partnership, the energy company ambition.

We have worked closely with COSLA and SOLACE throughout the outline business case development. I offered local authorities a place on the steering group that my officials established to support the evidence base for the company. Through SOLACE and COSLA representation we have received positive input and constructive challenge.

Question reference: S5W-27000

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what form its investment of £37.4 million in Burntisland Fabrications Ltd (BiFab) takes, and whether it expects to receive a commercial return.

The Scottish Government’s investment of £37.4 million in Burntisland Fabrications (BiFab) was converted to a 32.4% equity stake in the company.

According to the most recent valuation obtained, our equity holding has a carrying value of £2 million, as outlined in recently published Scottish Government Accounts 2019 (available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-consolidated-accounts-year-ended-31-march-2019/ ).

While this valuation is significantly lower than the sums advanced, we have been clear that we have made a long term investment in, and commitment to, BiFab.

Question reference: S5W-27001

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how its investment of £37.4 million in Burntisland Fabrications Ltd (BiFab) has been used by the company.

Question reference: S5O-04073

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in taking forward the proposals in its paper, A Fairer Scotland for Older People.

Question reference: S5W-26984

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money had been invested into Our Power in each year before its collapse, and how much it expects to receive back.

The Scottish Government provided loans to Our Power of £3.25m in 2015, £2.8m in 2017 and £3m in 2018. Prior to its closure, the Scottish Government received £464,000 from Our Power. The total value of the outstanding loans to Our Power at the time of its closure was approximately £9.8 million including capitalised interest. We anticipate a further recovery against this debt from the insolvency but this has not yet been concluded by the administrator.