Parliamentary questions

Michael Marra

205 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria were used to inform its discussions and decisions regarding the awarding of Investment Zones in Scotland; which of its (a) ministers and (b) departments were involved, and whether it will provide full details of the assessment process.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish and UK Government jointly developed an evidence led and objective place selection methodology for Investment Zones, adapting the approach taken by the UK Government in England to Investment Zones in England. Details of that process will be publis…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what applications or notes of interest it received in the creation of Investment Zones in Scotland.

Answer · Neil Gray: The invitation to host an Investment Zones was not subject to a bidding or application process, so no expressions of interest were solicited by the UK or Scottish Governments.

21 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that prolonging phase 3 of the Learning Estate Investment Programme will further delay the delivery of a primary school in the Western Gateway area of Dundee.

20 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many intermediaries are involved in disbursing public funding to third sector organisations, and whether it will provide a list of any such intermediaries.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the question S6W-19335 on 12 July 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-q…

20 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what process it records which third sector organisations are in receipt of public funding, and how much money each of those organisations receives.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Government grant making is allocated across portfolios to various parts of the third sector to improve a wide range of outcomes. Some Scottish Government funding will be issued through third sector intermediary organisations. Spending is not all spec…

13 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many women are currently waiting for surgical treatment for a pelvic organ prolapse.

30 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether agendas and minutes will be published for each meeting of the external tax stakeholder group.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18675 on 20 June 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees…

30 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its Medium Term Financial Strategy, published in May 2023, in what ways engagement with stakeholders will "feed into the Budget 2024-25".

Answer · Shona Robison: As set out in the Scottish Government’s Framework for Tax, engagement is one of the six principles for good tax policymaking. We already consult widely on tax ahead of each Budget, listening to the views of tax experts, trade unions, anti-poverty campaigners,…

30 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how often the external tax stakeholder group will meet.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Tax Advisory Group will build on the Scottish Government’s inclusive approach to tax policymaking. The group will be a key part of the achieving our ambitions for Open Government and greater engagement on tax policy and will be a long-term feature of how …

30 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set a date for the publication of its Medium Term Financial Strategy in 2024, and, if so, when that will be.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government currently have no confirmed date for the 2024 publication of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). However, under the Written Agreement between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament, we must produce the MTFS after th…

30 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders have been invited to participate in the external tax stakeholder group due to meet in summer 2023.

Answer · Shona Robison: I will shortly be sending invitations to join the group and further details on membership will be set out later this month.

24 May 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review its approach to drafting financial memoranda, in light of concerns raised by the Finance and Public Administration Committee.

15 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timeline for its proposed Scottish Languages Bill, including an estimated date for its introduction to Parliament.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government carried out a consultation on the Future of Gaelic and Scots from August to December 2022 and these responses will help shape any future legislation. The responses have been independently analysed and it is hope that these will be publ…

3 May 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Transport Scotland regarding the Swallow roundabout in Dundee.

25 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the reported closure of Tayside Aviation will have on the financial sustainability of Dundee Airport and associated Tay Cities Deal funding.

18 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the higher education sector.

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the long-term funding of the Big Noise projects in Scotland.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: We are proud to have supported Sistema Scotland and their Big Noise projects annually since 2012, contributing to the Government-wide priorities of tackling child poverty and raising attainment. We previously confirmed that the Scottish Government would provi…

22 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any potential tax implications of pay awards currently being administered by local authorities.

17 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason decision making on grants from the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund has been delayed, and when those decisions will be made and communicated to applicants.

Answer · Natalie Don: Scottish Government Ministers took the decision to extend all current funding for the 115 organisations funded under the Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention & Adult Learning & Empowering Communities (CYPFEI & ALEC) third sector fund for thr…

15 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what lessons it has learned from the pilot scheme for deferred entry of children to P1.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Interim reporting from the pilot local authorities on the number of ELC places needed for children deferring entry to P1 has been used to inform budget settlement decisions for 2023-24. The final evaluation report will be published in May 2023 and will provid…

15 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Deferral Working Group last met and when minutes of that meeting will be published.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Deferral Working Group last met on 27 February 2023. The minutes of this meeting will be published on the Scottish Government website once they have been approved by members at the next Deferral Working Group which will be in April 2023.

15 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the dates of all Deferral Working Group meetings since 2021.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Deferral Working Group met on the following dates: 1 March 2021 2 May 2021 3 July 2021 4 November 2021 5 April 2022 30 June 2022 24 October 2022 27 February 2023

15 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the evaluation report of the pilot scheme for deferred entry of children to P1 will be published.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The evaluation of the Deferral pilots will be published in May 2023. The report has been slightly delayed to allow for an extended recruitment and data collection phase of the research, as the response rate was lower than expected during the original phase.