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-10124

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the (a) discussions it is having and (b) action it is taking with the UK Government regarding the UK industrial strategy.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with UK Government on the Industrial Strategy.

On 31 March 2017, BEIS and Scottish Government Permanent Secretaries’ held a roundtable with senior Scottish industry representatives and a separate round table with senior energy sector representatives.

I met with Rt Hon Greg Clark, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 11 April 2017 to discuss the Industrial Strategy and on the same day, Mr Clark also chaired a morning reception to engage with Scottish businesses.

On 26 June 2017, John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy met with the Chief Executives of RCUK and Innovate UK. The following day, a further meeting took place that also included Shirley-Anne Somerville, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science where discussions took place on the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

As Mr Wheelhouse highlighted in PQ S5W-08907 on 4 May 2017, the Scottish Business Growth Group will continue to provide a forum to discuss the Industrial Strategy.

I was due to meet with Mr Clark again on 2 July 2017 to discuss how best we could work with the UK Government to ensure that the planned UK Industrial Strategy and associated funding delivers maximum benefit for Scotland. Regrettably, this meeting was cancelled by the Secretary of State.

Many of the areas set out in the Industrial Strategy consultation paper, such as skills, business support and trade and investment support, are devolved to the Scottish Government and it is important that this is considered in how the Industrial Strategy is taken forward. We will continue to work closely with the UK Government to achieve this.

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-10126

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 19 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that digital connectivity is integrated into all future infrastructure planning and development decisions.

Although responsibility for digital connectivity is a reserved matter, the Scottish Government has already taken steps to, and seeks opportunities to, integrate digital rollout into infrastructure planning and development.

Scottish Planning Policy makes clear that advanced, high quality electronic communications infrastructure is an essential component of economic growth across Scotland and that the planning system should support development which helps deliver world-class digital connectivity, whilst National Planning Framework 3 highlights the importance of digital infrastructure, across towns and in cities, and in particular, more remote, rural and island areas.

From 1 January 2017, amendments to the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 set a standard for in-building physical infrastructure for high-speed electronic communications networks. This enables easier installation of fibre at any time (on or after completion) and applies to new homes and other buildings.

We are also actively seeking opportunities to facilitate and use digital connectivity on major transport projects, such as the dualling of the A9.

Question reference: S5W-09847

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the availability of social housing for rural communities.

Question reference: S5W-09980

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many registered businesses there were in Scotland with fewer than 50 employees in (a) 2015 and (b) 2016.

The number of VAT and/or PAYE registered enterprises, for 2015 and 2016, in Scotland with fewer than 50 employees are provided in the table below. Note that these figures refer to all registered enterprises operating in Scotland regardless of where the enterprise is based.

Number of registered enterprises in Scotland with fewer than 50 employees, 2015 and 2016:

Employee sizeband	2015	2016
0-49 employees	164,170	167,710

Source: Businesses in Scotland 2016, Scottish Government.

Note:

1. These figures exclude enterprises classified as central or local government.

Question reference: S5W-09933

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many primary school pupils in each local authority area have been taught in composite classes in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-07559

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 29 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), how much it expects will be generated from business rates in 2017-18, and what impact the decision to introduce a cap on rises has had on its previous estimate.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07513 on 29 June 2017, which provides an estimate of non-domestic rates income for 2017-18 and takes into account the increased cost of reliefs amounting to £44.6 million as stated to Parliament on 21 February 2017. All answers to 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: S5O-01170

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the availability of social housing in rural communities.

Question reference: S5F-01422

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2017

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to improve small business confidence.

Question reference: S5O-01142

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce waiting times for adults referred for psychological therapies.

Question reference: S5O-01102

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that pupils from deprived backgrounds gain more National 5 qualifications.