Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Jan 2018 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether increases in rail fares are justified, in light of the reported decrease in ScotRail's performance.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government wants to see more people take the train and recognises that prices have to be affordable and fair. Scottish Ministers ensure that fares are kept below certain thresholds by regulating the maximum permitted annual increase for selected …
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the provisions in its Planning (Scotland) Bill are compliant with the obligations in the UN Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, also known as the Aarhus Convent…
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is satisfied that the provisions contained within the Planning (Scotland) Bill are compliant with the Aarhus Convention, including new provisions which strengthen processes, engagement and participation in the planning system overall. …
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the assessment that underpins its assertion that the provisions in its Planning (Scotland) Bill are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Statements on Legislative Competence which accompany the Planning (Scotland) Bill recognise the Bill’s competence, including its compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Scottish Government is not able to disclose legal advice it re…
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many “good neighbour agreements” made under section 75D of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 have been registered by the Registers of Scotland in each year since 2011-12.
Answer · Keith Brown: Registers of Scotland have been unable to find any record of a good neighbour agreement having been registered under section 75D of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 since 2011-12. However, as there is no prescribed style of good neighbour agr…
18 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact West Dunbartonshire Council’s reported decision to remove funding for Police Scotland for the out-of-hours noise service will have on tackling antisocial behaviour.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Anti Social Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 provides a wide range of powers to address antisocial behaviour. The supporting guidance on noise nuisance provides support to local authorities as to how they adopt its provisions.
30 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13058 by Keith Brown on 29 November 2017, what trade deals were secured during the visit to North America.
Answer · Keith Brown: My visit to North America between 16-20 October 2017 presented a valuable opportunity to attract investment into Scotland and help Scottish businesses pursue international growth. The visit programme was geared to influence future trade and investment decisio…
30 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13058 by Keith Brown on 29 November 2017, who the cabinet secretary met during the visit to North America.
Answer · Keith Brown: A list of engagements undertaken by myself during my visit to North America between 16-20 October will be proactively published on the Scottish Government website within 12 weeks of the visit.
30 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13058 by Keith Brown on 29 November 2017, what the itinerary was for the visit to North America.
Answer · Keith Brown: A list of engagements undertaken by myself during my visit to North America between 16-20 October 2017 will be proactively published on the Scottish Government website within 12 weeks of the visit.
30 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13058 by Keith Brown on 29 November 2017, what the total (a) travel and (b) accommodation cost was for the delegation on the trip to North America.
Answer · Keith Brown: Travel and accommodation costs relating to my visit to North America between 16-20 October 2017 will be proactively published on the Scottish Government website within 12 weeks of the visit.
30 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13058 by Keith Brown on 29 November 2017, who accompanied the cabinet secretary on his visit to North America.
Answer · Keith Brown: I was accompanied by my Private Secretary on my visit to North America between 16-20 October 2017.
27 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many children are in temporary accommodation.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Government statistics published in July this year state that as at 31 March 2017, there were 6,041 children in temporary accommodation. I want time spent in temporary accommodation to be as short as possible, with people and families moving on quic…
27 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prioritise the evidence gap identified in relation to the ethnicity pay gap in Scotland's Equality Evidence Strategy 2017-2021.
Answer · Angela Constance: Scotland’s Equality Evidence Strategy set out the Scottish Government’s plans to work collaboratively with its stakeholders to fill evidence gaps across all the protected equality characteristics. http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/07/9574 Following the…
27 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10398 by Jamie Hepburn on 10 August 2017, whether it has made or plans a further assessment of the need for new statistical outputs regarding the ethnicity pay gap.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government has provisionally calculated the ethnicity pay gap using the Annual Population Survey data source. The estimate produced is now being quality assured by Scottish Government analysts in liaison with the Office for National Statistics, w…
27 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with Amazon regarding the Living Wage.
23 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-11879 and S5W-12280 by Keith Brown on 6 October and 31 October 2017 respectively, for what reason there was a delay between the finalisation and publication of the accounts for (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Answer · Keith Brown: Although the annual report and accounts for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are signed off by their respective Accountable Officers during the summer, there are a number of internal processes that need to be followed before the accoun…
22 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Budget, what the total additional (a) capital and (b) revenue for Scotland is.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The announcements in the Autumn Budget generate total net positive consequentials for the Scottish Government’s fiscal resource (discretionary) budget allocation of £346.64 million from 2017-18 to 2019-20. (This figure includes a gross reduction of £51.7m fro…
22 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what Barnett consequentials arise from the UK Budget, broken down by (a) portfolio and (b) financial year in which the consequentials arise.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The following Barnett consequentials arise from the UK Budget: Barnett Consequentials 2017-18 £m 2018-19 £m 2019-20 £m 2020-21 £m Total £m Resource Budget 8.4 183.3 154.9 - 346.6 Conventional Capital 58.6 68.6 169.3 212.1 508.5 Finan…
22 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the calculation of business rates will be based on RPI or CPI, and what the financial difference is between the two methodologies.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The 2018-19 Business rates poundage will be announced as part of the Draft Budget on 14 December.
22 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Budget, whether it is planning any changes to Land and Buildings Transaction Tax.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government's changes to LBTT prioritises support for first-time buyers and assisting people as they progress through the property market. Due to the higher zero rate threshold under LBTT and lower house prices in Scotland, approximately two-third…
22 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the allocation of any Barnett consequentials arising from the UK Budget.
Answer · Derek Mackay: As a result of the UK Autumn Budget 2017, the Scottish Government will receive additional Barnett consequentials amounting to £1970.1 million over the years 2017-18 to 2020-21. Scottish Ministers will consider the allocation of consequentials as part of thei…
22 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many orthopaedic patients are waiting longer than the guaranteed waiting time limit of 12 weeks to receive treatment.
21 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish companies are signed up to the Prompt Payment Code, and how many were signed up to the code in each year since it was introduced.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Prompt Payment Code is administered by the Chartered Institute of Credit Management on behalf of the UK Government. The voluntary Code covers businesses throughout Scotland and the rest of the UK. Co…
21 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of payment times in publicly funded subcontract chains.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold details of every contract awarded by every public body in Scotland. We have taken a range of measures, however, to support prompt payment in public sector supply chains. In 2009, we introduced a standard clause into our c…
21 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses were bankrupted in Scotland as a result of late payment of invoices in each year since 2011.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Accountant in Bankruptcy has a statutory function to maintain a Register of Insolvencies that contains details of those subject to personal insolvency proceedings and business associations subject to…
21 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of each of its departments invoices for goods and services supplied by (a) private companies and (b) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are completed on time, and what proportion of the (i) number and (ii) value of contracts between each of its departments and priv…
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold this information broken down by supplier type. However we have provided, in Table 1, the most recent figures available (October 2017) of our 10 day payment performance, by Directorate General. We do not hold the informati…
21 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of suppliers to each (a) of its departments, (b) of its agencies and (c) non-departmental public body are signatories to the Prompt Payment Code.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold centrally records of suppliers to its Directorates, Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies that are signatories to the Prompt Payment Code. It is a standard condition of Scottish Government contracts, however, that s…
21 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of undisputed invoices to each (a) of its directorates, (b) of its agencies and (c) non-departmental public body was paid within five days in each year since 2011.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not hold this information broken down by directorate or agency, nor do we hold this information for non-departmental public bodies. However, we have provided in the following table, combined figures for The Scottish Government and…
9 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question
To be taken in Chamber.
3 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question
To be taken in Chamber.
1 Nov 2017 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether its new sexual harassment hotline will accept calls from bystanders who witness inappropriate language and behaviour.