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-19884

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 22 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19297 by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2018, for what reason it did not answer the question that was asked, and whether it will now confirm the time period of the loan.

Question reference: S5W-19883

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 22 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19300 by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2018, what it considers to be the period in which the loan was repaid to Hearthstone.

Question reference: S5W-19885

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 22 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19297 by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2018, how the repayment of the loan to Hearthstone affected the quantity of housing stock due to be delivered by Edinvar Castle Rock.

Hearthstone provided initial private finance loan investment to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association (CRE) to enable delivery of social rent homes through this scheme. CRE subsequently repaid the loan to Hearthstone but continue to work with the local authority partners to develop the originally planned social rent homes. The repayment of the loan to Hearthstone did not have a direct effect on the quantity of housing stock to be delivered.

Question reference: S5W-19886

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 22 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18230 by Kevin Stewart on 4 September 2018, which body initially received the £6 million investment it made that was referred to in its news release of 8 June 2015.

Question reference: S5O-02614

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports communities in achieving fair trade accreditation.

Question reference: S5F-02820

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 November 2018

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is promoting a vibrant newspaper industry.

Question reference: S5W-19777

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 15 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has conducted regarding the public's view on its plans to ban price offers and restrict the display of discretionary foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar in retail and food service outlets.

Food Standards Scotland’s Food in Scotland Consumer Tracking Survey measures changes in Scotland’s attitudes, behaviours and knowledge in relation to food over time.

Consumer views relevant to the Government’s consultation on restricting the promotion and marketing of targeted categories of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt where they are sold to the public are contained in:

Food in Scotland: Consumer Tracking Survey Wave 2: Summary Report (July 2017) which is at https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/publications-and-research/publications/wave-2-food-in-scotland-consumer-tracking-report2

Food in Scotland: Consumer Tracking Survey Wave 4: Summary Report (October 2017), which is at http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/publications-and-research/fss-consumer-trends-report-wave-4

Food in Scotland: Consumer Tracking Survey Wave 6: Summary Report (October 2018), which is at https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/publications-and-research/publications/food-in-scotland-consumer-tracking-survey-wave-6 .

Public attitudes relevant to the Government’s proposals are also contained in an NHS Health Scotland report Public attitudes to reducing overweight and obesity in Scotland (January 2018), which is at http://www.healthscotland.scot/publications/public-attitudes-to-reducing-overweight-and-obesity-in-scotland .

Question reference: S5W-19764

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the conduct of private companies that factor residential properties is regulated.

The Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 provides for the conduct of factors to be regulated by requiring anyone acting as a factor to be registered and to comply with a code of conduct which sets out minimum standards of practice in the delivery of services to homeowners.

This process provides a route of appeal to the Housing and Property Chamber which, among other things, enables owners to have their concerns about their factor adjudicated by an independent judicial body.

Question reference: S5W-19765

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the regulations governing the factoring of residential properties by private companies.

Scottish Ministers have a duty under the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 (the Act) to prepare, from time to time, a code of conduct setting out minimum standards of practice for registered property factors. The Code was introduced in October 2012 and is currently under review.

In accordance with the Act, Scottish Ministers have consulted on proposals to strengthen the Code. In addition, the consultation asked about the impact the Act had on improving the regulation of property factors. The findings of the consultation are published at: https://consult.gov.scot/housing-regeneration-and-welfare/code-of-conduct-for-registered-property-factors/ .

The findings are currently being used alongside other available evidence to inform whether changes to the Code and/or the Act should be brought forward to the Parliament for its consideration.

Question reference: S5O-02572

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the reform of vetting procedures for recruitment to the police service.