Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether third and private sector care organisations have agreed to contribute 25% toward the cost of delivering at least the living wage to all of their care workers in 2016-17.
Answer · John Swinney: In correspondence to chief executives of local authorities, regarding the local government settlement, I said that this investment assumes that private and third sector providers will meet their share of the costs. I did not stipulate a specific contribution …
4 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with third and private sector care organisations to secure their agreement to contribute 25% toward the cost of delivering at least the living wage to care workers prior to the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy of 27 January 2…
Answer · John Swinney: Partnership working between the Scottish Government, local government and our stakeholders, including the third and independent sectors, is key to ensuring we achieve the intended outcomes of this additional investment. This has been the approach we have fol…
4 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set up a taskforce should the proposals in the 2016-17 local government settlement lead to job losses in the public sector.
Answer · John Swinney: The package of funding the Scottish Government is providing for the financial year 2016-17 to local government will enable councils to increase the pace of reform and improve public services to communities across the country. Taking into account the addition …
4 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the assessment by COSLA that the proposals in the 2016-17 local government settlement could lead to 15,000 local authority job losses.
Answer · John Swinney: The package of funding the Scottish Government is providing for the financial year 2016-17 to local government will enable councils to increase the pace of reform and improve public services to communities across the country. Taking into account the addition …
4 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the assessment by the union, GMB, that the proposals in the 2016-17 local government settlement have led to 8,351 local authority job losses being identified so far.
Answer · John Swinney: The package of funding the Scottish Government is providing for the financial year 2016-17 to local government will enable councils to increase the pace of reform and improve public services to communities across the country. Taking into account the addition …
4 Feb 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of how the proposals in the 2016-17 local government settlement could impact on (a) jobs and (b) services.
Answer · John Swinney: The package of funding the Scottish Government is providing for the financial year 2016-17 to local government will enable councils to increase the pace of reform and improve public services to communities across the country. Taking into account the addition …
27 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to network strengthening in each year since 2006-07.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Since 2006-07 the Scottish Government has allocated the following amounts to network strengthening including in-year changes approved through autumn and spring budget revisions: Year Network Strengthening Expenditure (£ million) 2006-07 52.2 2007-08 60.…
27 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the repair and maintenance of the Erskine Bridge in each year since 2006-07.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The total expenditure on Erskine Bridge repair and maintenance from 2006-07 to 2015-16 is £36.196 million. Year Erskine Bridge Expenditure (£ million) 2006-07 1.329 2007-08 3.137 2008-09 3.152 2009-10 4.400 2010-11 1.972 2011-12 2.450 2012-13 …
27 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the network strengthening line in the 2016-17 draft budget has been allocated to the repair and maintenance of the Erskine Bridge.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The budget allocation on Erskine Bridge repair and maintenance for 2016-17 is £3.76 million
27 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4F-03190 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 January 2016 (Official Report, c. 19), whether it will provide the information requested regarding when it will next publish an updated oil and gas bulletin.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises the severe challenges facing the oil and gas industry, which is why our focus is on what we can do to support the industry and the work force. We continue to do all that we can within devolved powers to help the sector. In …
19 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the impact on education spending of proposed reductions in funding to local government in the 2016-17 draft budget.
Answer · John Swinney: Although the funding of education is a matter for individual local authorities, the Scottish Government continues to prioritise the protection of teacher numbers as a central part of our priority to raise attainment in education. We are determined to create …
19 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to freeze the council tax across the next parliamentary session.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government will bring forward our proposals for the future of local taxation, as the Commission on Local Tax Reform also encouraged all political parties to do, before the end of the parliamentary term.
19 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much is repayable to the Treasury for financial transactions between 2012-13 and 2019-20; what the proposed annual repayment is, and in which financial year this will begin.
Answer · John Swinney: Financial transactions are a capital funding source from HM Treasury which can only be used to fund loans and equity investments that cross the public/private sector boundary and must be repaid over time. A repayment profile has been agreed with HM Treasury …
18 Jan 2016 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister, in light of the fall in oil prices, when the Scottish Government will publish an updated Oil and Gas Bulletin focusing on the impact on jobs.
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it continues to forecast an oil price of around $70 a barrel between 2016-17 and 2019-20, as set out in the Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin - June 2015.
Answer · John Swinney: The Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin in June 2015 did not contain Scottish Government oil price forecasts. All oil price forecasts reported in the bulletin were produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility as part of their March 2015 economic and fiscal ou…
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has planned a real-terms increase or decrease in the education and lifelong learning budget in 2016-17.
Answer · John Swinney: The Draft Budget 2016-17 provides a full breakdown of portfolio budgets, including Education and Lifelong Learning, in both cash and real terms.
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the reason is for the cash reduction in its 2016-17 draft budget in light of HM Treasury allocations suggesting a rise in cash terms.
Answer · John Swinney: There is a cash reduction in the total DEL resources available to the Scottish Government in 2015-16 compared to 2016-17, taking into account the HM Treasury allocation and factors such as the reduction in the ring fenced non-cash DEL budget that covers the c…
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated the growth in annual managed expenditure over the next parliamentary session and, if so, what that growth is, broken down by year.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold a complete projection for all areas of annually managed expenditure (AME) beyond those published for 2016-17. The Office of Budget Responsibility does publish AME projections, including consideration of the position for t…
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) the real-terms reduction in the local government budget, inclusive of police and fire allocations is, and (b) its departmental expenditure limit (DEL) and non-domestic rates income (NDRI) budget has been and is between 2008-09 and 2016-17.
Answer · John Swinney: The relevant draft budget figures show that local government funding has reduced in real terms between 2008-09 and 2016-17 by 8.3 per cent. The Scottish Government's total departmental expenditure limit (DEL) plus non-domestic rates income (NDRI) budget has r…
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will set out detailed plans for the reform of local government funding.
Answer · John Swinney: As I set out in my 2016-17 Draft Budget statement to Parliament on 16 December 2015, the Scottish Government will bring forward plans for reform of the present council tax, reflecting the principles of the Commission on Local Tax Reform’s report; enter into a…
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what areas of spending it plans to (a) protect and (b) increase in real terms in the future.
Answer · John Swinney: It will be for an incoming administration later this year to decide upon future spending plans. However, if re-elected in May 2016, this government's commitments include real terms increases in the NHS budget and real terms protection to the frontline police …
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will set out its detailed longer term plans regarding income tax.
Answer · John Swinney: As I announced to the Parliament on 16 December 2015, the Scottish Government will set out its intentions with regard to income tax ahead of the dissolution of Parliament at the end of March 2016. This is, however, subject to reaching an agreement with the UK…
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of future changes to the block grant under UK Government spending plans, broken down by year.
Answer · John Swinney: The Chancellor of the Exchequer's spending plans for the period 2016-17 to 2019-20 mean that the Scottish Government's total discretionary budget will, by 2019-20, be around 12.5 per cent, or £3.9 billion, lower in real terms than it was in 2010-11. The Draf…
15 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the expected revenue loss is from proposals to halve and then abolish air passenger duty, broken down by year.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government plans to use the devolution of powers over air passenger duty (APD) to Scotland to put in place new arrangements which will help to boost Scotland's international connectivity and economic competitiveness. To support these objectives, …
13 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy has had with the Scottish Local Government Partnership about the 2016-17 budget.
Answer · John Swinney: I have had no direct discussions with the Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP) about the 2016-17 budget as I have made it clear that I will only negotiate the local government finance settlement with COSLA. Representatives of the SLGP have however bee…
13 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in meeting the target of ensuring that ministerial public appointments are more diverse and reflective of the population, as set out in its Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report 2015.
Answer · Alex Neil: The following table sets out the comparison between the figures for the year to December 2014 compared to the figures for the year to January 2013: Regulated appointments Year to 31 Jan 2013 % Year to 31 Dec 2014 % Applicants Appointed Applicants App…
13 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether, following its approach to the Women 50:50 campaign, it has considered setting targets or quotas for representation in elected office and on public boards for other groups with protected characteristics.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Our ambition to create a fairer Scotland goes hand in hand with our efforts to tackle inequality. We are determined to dismantle the barriers which prevent under-represented groups from participating fully in daily and public life. Currently, the Scottish Pa…
13 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the additional £130 million to be raised in business rates in 2016-17 will come from reducing the rates relief available to (a) empty industrial and commercial premises and (b) renewable energy projects.
Answer · John Swinney: The proposals in the Draft Budget 2016-17 on empty property relief and on renewable energy generation relief would account for around £60 million and £10 million of non-domestic rates income respectively.
11 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who invited the delegation of MPs and MSPs on the recent Scottish Enterprise trade mission to Iran; on what basis they were selected, and who paid their expenses.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29237 on 22 January 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…
11 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the delegation of MPs and MSPs on the recent Scottish Enterprise trade mission to Iran will report to the Scottish Ministers and whether the report will be published.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29237 on 22 January 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…