Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what companies attended the recent Scottish Enterprise trade mission to Iran and what the cost of the mission was.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The recent Scottish Development International visit to Iran was not a trade mission. Two officials visited Iran from 7-9 December 2015 to discuss possible future opportunities for Scottish companies in the oil and gas sector. The visit to Iran undertaken lat…
8 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the fall in oil prices, whether it plans to issue an updated oil and gas bulletin and, if so, on what date it will be published.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government produces a range of statistics and analysis on the oil and gas industry in Scotland. The most recent publications were Oil and Gas Production, Income and Expenditure Statistics in October 2015 and the Quarterly National Accounts in Nov…
8 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will (a) reach and (b) announce its decision on whether its borrowing plans for 2016-17 will be financed through (i) the National Loans Fund, (ii) bank loans on commercial terms, (iii) issuing bonds or (iv) other means.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government expects to take decisions about future borrowing routes in the course of 2016-17, and on the basis that we would plan only to draw down borrowing late in the financial year. It is anticipated that final arrangements will be confirmed w…
7 Dec 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that it will end fuel poverty by November 2016.
3 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27885 by John Swinney on 25 November 2015, how many employees there are in each pay bargaining unit and what the salary cost is in each case.
Answer · John Swinney: The table provided in response to S4W-27885 set out the number of full time equivalent employees in each pay bargaining unit and the salary cost in each case. As noted in that response only Scottish Government (SG) Main and some of its agencies form a pay bar…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the Healthier Scotland National Conversation.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-28792 on 4 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…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the meetings of the Healthier Scotland National Conversation have been audio- or video-recorded to enable people to share in the engagement.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-28792 on 4 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…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the contract for facilitating the Healthier Scotland National Conversation was put out to tender.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are managing the national conversation from within government, working with and through a number of partner groups, in order to keep overall costs down. We have therefore not put in place an external contract to facilitate the conversation and the matter o…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the role is of (a) The Democratic Society and (b) Alliance-Scotland in the Healthier Scotland National Conversation.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Democratic Society has had no role in the Healthier Scotland Conversation. The Health and Social Care Alliance are one of several partners working with us to support the national conversation through facilitated engagement events across the country. They…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the remit is of the Healthier Scotland National Conversation and who is responsible for its delivery.
Answer · Shona Robison: The national conversation on creating a healthier Scotland was launched on 4 August 2015, to allow the people of Scotland to have their say on what a healthier Scotland should be like in the next 10 to 15 years, and on the steps that could be taken to make th…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Healthier Scotland Engagement Fund has been spent, broken down by (a) organisation and (b) event.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-28792 on 4 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…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) email, (b) website and (c) written responses have been received by the Healthier Scotland National Conversation.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-28792 on 4 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…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people attended each Healthier Scotland National Conversation event, excluding facilitators and civil servants.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-28792 on 4 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…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on (a) staff and (b) other costs for the Healthier Scotland National Conversation, and what future expenditure is expected.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-28792 on 4 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…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the Scottish Natural Heritage report, Beavers in Scotland.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Ministers are carefully considering the Scottish Natural Heritage report Beavers in Scotland and listening to the views of a range of stakeholders. A decision on the future of beavers in Scotland will be made in due course and the Scottish Government will res…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has completed its mapping of farms and what methodology it has used.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There is an on-going requirement to maintain the accuracy of our mapping system, which the European Commission (EC) regulations describe as a Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) and considers as a ‘key control’ for the administration of payments under th…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects that there will be delays in making the 2015 direct payments and, if so, (a) for what reason and (b) whether it will pay the (i) arrangement fee and (ii) interest on any bank loans that farmers take out as a result.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I announced in November 2015 that the first direct payments should begin arriving in bank accounts by the end of December 2015. Virtually all farmers should receive an initial payment by the end of March 2016 and the balance of payments in April 2016. The pay…
2 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the 2015 direct payments will be paid in full.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: This Scottish Government is committed to supporting Scotland’s farmers and crofters. The Scottish Government is implementing the biggest Common Agricultural Policy Reform in a generation, which is considerably more complex than the former policy. To avoid del…
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has decided who should operate the Independent Living Fund Scotland.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Independent Living Fund (ILF) Scotland is the new organisation established by ministers to administer the ILF in Scotland, from 1 July 2015.
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Independent Living Fund Scotland is open to new claimants and, if so, how many have claimed in each year and how many claims were successful.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The UK Government closed the Independent Living Fund to new claimants in 2010, and the fund remained closed at the point of transfer to Scotland on 1 July 2015. The Scottish Government is committed to opening the fund to new users. Work to open the fund is cu…
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the Independent Living Fund Scotland in each year.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Independent Living Fund Scotland has been fully operational since 1 July 2015. The Scottish fund budget for the first nine months of operation, until 31 March 2016, is £35.4 million. In addition, the Scottish Government contribution to administration cost…
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria apply to the allocation of the Independent Living Fund Scotland.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The criteria for allocation of the Independent Living fund (ILF) are set out in the ILF Scotland awards policies, available on their website: http://www.independentlivingfund.scot/ilf-scotland-policies/.
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Independent Living Fund was devolved and what the value was when it was transferred.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Independent Living Fund was devolved to Scotland from 1 July 2015. The total value of the fund transferred from the UK Government is a recurring figure of £47.2 million per year. This fund is pro-rata for the first nine months of operations, up to 31 Marc…
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the consultation on the Independent Living Fund Scotland closed.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government consultation on the future use of resources devolved following the UK Government's decision to close the Independent Living Fund closed on 1 November 2013.
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how NHS Lanarkshire's out-of-hours rheumatology clinic is (a) financed and (b) staffed.
Answer · Shona Robison: Out-of-hours clinics provide patients with more flexible access to services such as the rheumatology out-of-hours clinic in Lanarkshire. This will allow Lanarkshire patients who have commitments, such as work, to attend a clinic more quickly at a time more co…
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Lanarkshire contracts with a private provider to run out-of-hours clinics.
Answer · Shona Robison: I understand from NHS Lanarkshire that they have a three month contract with Medinet to support their rheumatology out-of-hours clinics. This contract is to address short-term capacity issues due to a high level of demand being experienced in the board's rheu…
1 Dec 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the helipad at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow has been closed and for what reasons.
Answer · Shona Robison: As at 30 November 2015, the helipad at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow has been closed on five occasions due to the following reasons: Water pressure failure; Lift failure; High density fog on two occasions; and High wind (above 40mph/34.7…
30 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by John Swinney on 26 November 2015 (Official Report, c. 40), whether it will set out its spending plans for beyond 2016-17 before the end of the parliamentary session.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government will publish the Draft Budget 2016-17 on 16 December 2015, which will set out detailed spending plans for the next financial year and the government’s vision for the longer term direction of the public finances in Scotland.
25 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussion it has had with the Office for Budget Responsibility on forestalling in relation to the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and whether the figure has been revised.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government participates in the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) devolved taxes forecast challenge meetings ahead of each UK fiscal event. The OBR updated its estimate of the effect of forestalling in relation to the introduction of Land…
25 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what future investment it has planned for Dumbarton Castle.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Ministers have responsibility for the management and conservation of a number of historic properties, including Dumbarton Castle. The functions relating to the care, conservation and management of the properties in care and collections associated wit…