Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 May 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met COSLA and what was discussed.
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister’s declaration of a climate emergency, which of its policy areas are being reviewed, and by what date these reviews will be concluded.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There is a global climate emergency and we are acting accordingly. We acted immediately on the Committee for Climate Change advice with amendments to the Bill to set a net-zero target for 2045 and increase the targets for 2030 (to 70%) and 2040 (90%). We will…
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been raised from Air Passenger Duty in Scotland in each of the last five years, and what information it has for the rest of the UK.
Answer · Kate Forbes: UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) tax forms are returned on a company-by-company basis, with one tax return for all their business in the UK. There is therefore no historic data on APD receipts or passengers paying APD in Scotland. The Scottish Fiscal Commission (…
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister’s declaration of a climate emergency, what its response is to the UK Government reducing corporation tax for the airline industry from 28% to 17%.
Answer · Kate Forbes: Following updated advice from the UK Committee on Climate Change on 2 May, the Scottish Government acted immediately by lodging amendments to our Climate Change Bill to set a net-zero emissions target for 2045 and increase the targets for 2030 and 2040. The S…
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost would have been in each of the next two years of not scrapping Air Passenger Duty.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The introduction of Air Departure Tax in Scotland has been deferred until the issues raised in relation to the Highlands and Islands exemption have been resolved. In the interim the current UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates and bands continue to apply in Scot…
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the passenger numbers have been for each airport in each of the last five years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Information on passenger numbers at Scottish airports in each of the last five years is available on the Civil Aviation Authority website at: www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/UK-aviation-market/Airports/Datasets/UK-airport-data/ .
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what revenue it receives from the UK Government from the devolution of Air Passenger Duty.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The introduction of Air Departure Tax (ADT) in Scotland has been deferred until the issues raised in relation to the Highlands and Islands exemption have been resolved. In the interim the current UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates and bands continue to apply i…
16 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times (a) the First Minister, (b) cabinet secretaries and (c) ministers have visited London on official business by (i) aeroplane, (ii) train and (iii) car in each year since 2007.
Answer · Graeme Dey: Ministerial engagements, overseas visits and travel are proactively published on the Scottish Government website. This can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/?term=travel&publicationTypes=transparency-data&page=1 .
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to answers to questions S5W-22038 and S5W-22039 by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 March 2019, how many water charge payers in each local authority area it estimates are paying more than 3% of their income on water charges, after housing costs, and how (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) …
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government does not hold this data.
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Water Industry Commission for Scotland will confirm its decision in its 2018 Decision Paper 8: Prospects for prices, that water charges will rise above the inflation rate over a transition period of up to 15 years; how the increases being considered compare with the range set ou…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Commission will provide an updated decision paper during Summer 2019. That decision paper will allow comparisons to be drawn with previous papers.
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to answers to questions S5W-22038 and S5W-22039 by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 March 2019, what data it has on water charge affordability, broken down by council tax band, and at what bands affordability issues mainly occur.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This information is provided on page 12 of the Citizens Advice Scotland report “Charting a new course: a study in developing affordability policy for water and sewerage charges”. Most households spending more than 3% of their weekly income on their water an…
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government from which bodies Scottish Water borrows to finance capital spending.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Water borrows from the Scottish Government.
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of new properties were placed in each council tax band in each last five years (a) nationally and (b) in (i) West Dunbartonshire and (ii) Argyll and Bute.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Responsibility for maintaining the Council Tax valuation list in Scotland rests with individual local Scottish Assessors – in this case Dunbartonshire and Argyll & Bute Valuation Joint Board.
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much debt arising from past capital spending Scottish Water has, and how much it has repaid in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: At 31 March 2019, Scottish Water’s total debt was £3.754 billion. The total value of repayments are provided in the following table. Year Repaid (£m) 2009-10 72.42 2010-11 72.95 2011-12 95.96 2012-13 107.61 2013-14 110.36 2014-15 115.47 2015-16…
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of Scottish Water’s spending on capital investment has been financed by borrowing in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The proportion is provided in the following table. Year Lending (£m) Investment (£m) Proportion 2009-10 218.8 648.3 34% 2010-11 106 443 24% 2011-12 50 491 10% 2012-13 100 487 21% 2013-14 26.5 475 6% 2014-15 70 470 15% 2015-16 0 …
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much Scottish Water has repaid in interest on the money that it has borrowed in each of the last 10 years, and to which bodies.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Interest repaid by Scottish Water is detailed in the following table. Year Scottish Consolidated Fund (£m) National Loans Fund (£m) Public Works Loan Board (£m) European Investment Bank (£m) Mortgage (£m) Total Repaid (£m) 2009-10 79.6 51.6 2…
15 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the debt arising from past capital spending it estimates Scottish Water will have in 2036-37.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is unable to estimate the level of debt Scottish Water will have accumulated by 2036-37. The level of borrowing made available to Scottish Water will depend on future Scottish Government budgets that have yet to be determined.
14 May 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to help the Waverley paddle steamer return to sailing on the Clyde.
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date the (a) ethical code and (b) strategic framework for the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank will be published.
Answer · Derek Mackay: It will be for the Bank to prepare and publish its own Ethical Code or Statement, setting out how it will meet the objectives set for it by Scottish Ministers in this regard. The Scottish Government expects this to occur as soon as it is practicable following…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £2 billion investment in the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank is financial transaction money.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is providing an initial £490 million of capital in the form of Financial Transactions through the £150 million Building Scotland Fund (over 2018-21) and a further £340 million (over 2019-21) for other pre-cursor Bank investments. These…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank will not fund public sector projects.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Initial capitalisation of the Bank will be provided through Financial Transactions, a form of capital budget allocated by HM Treasury to the Scottish Government which can only be deployed as loans or equity investment for activities undertaken by a non-public…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the source is of the £2 billion investment in the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to S5W-23163 on 29 May 2019. 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 …
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank will assess societal value in its lending and investment.
Answer · Derek Mackay: In addition to traditional measures of financial performance, the Bank will measure societal value through a range of indicators, aligned to the National Performance Framework, covering the economic, social and environmental impact of its activity.
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether financial transaction money can be used to fund the third sector, social enterprises and co-operation.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23167 on 29 May 2019. 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/28…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it defines the term "commercial" in the context of the equality impact assessment of the Scottish National Investment Bank Bill, which refers it to giving “financial assistance to commercial activities”.
Answer · Derek Mackay: In referring to “financial assistance to commercial activities” the Equality Impact Assessment is in turn referring to Section 2(1) of the Scottish National Investment Bank Bill and that section mirrors what is provided for in Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much financial transaction money is being used to resource the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W -23163 on 29 May 2019. 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/2…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it defines the term "private sector" in the context of the proposed Scottish National Investment Bank's lending solely to the private sector.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Policy Memorandum set out that: “The Bank will lend solely to the private sector” and that: “It will not lend to public institutions including local authorities, government agencies or arms-length bodies.” In this context we have used ‘private’ to refer t…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will consult people with learning disabilities and their representative organisations on measures to assist vulnerable witnesses in the criminal justice system.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring a fair and effective justice system that is accessible to all. We recognise that people with learning disabilities may require additional support to enable them to secure that access, and that it is vital t…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out a timetable for the extension of measures in the Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Bill for people with learning disabilities.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The power in the Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Bill to extend the new rule requiring the pre-recording of evidence, and the related draft implementation timetable, covers extension to adult deemed vulnerable witnesses (covering victims o…
14 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the draft implementation plan for the Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The draft implementation plan was published as part of the Scottish Government’s correspondence with the Justice Committee during the consideration of the Bill. This is available at https://www.parliament.scot/S5_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/J-S5-18-VW-31A-SG.…