Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Dec 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget is available for the establishment of a film/TV studio.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government and its partners, Scottish Enterprise and Creative Scotland, have already stated that we are able to provide support for the establishment of a film studio in Scotland. Any opportunities for doing so would need to be considered on a ca…
5 Dec 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are state aid issues in relation to the establishment of a newbuild film/TV studio.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Yes. Any proposal to invest public sector funding in a film studio would need to be state aid compliant which is, in effect, the requirement to meet the Market Economy Investor Principle (MEIP). In order to meet the MEIP requirement, a robust case would have …
5 Dec 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering a newbuild film/TV studio or expanding existing facilities.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government, in partnership with Creative Scotland and Scottish Enterprise, is committed to taking whatever action is possible to provide support to Scotland’s screen sector. This includes a rigorous and detailed approach to exploring any options …
1 Dec 2014 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the day.
27 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish interim updates for the (a) employment and (b) income domain of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) team will continue to work with colleagues at the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC to provide interim updates to the SIMD 'employment' and 'income' domains. Publication dates will be announced in due …
27 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not yet published the redrawn data zone boundaries based on the 2011 census, which were due to be published in mid-2014.
Answer · John Swinney: The redrawn data zone boundaries and supporting consultation report are both published on the Scottish Government website; these were published on 6 November 2014. There was a slight delay from mid-2014 to allow more thorough consultation about boundaries wi…
27 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the next edition of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Answer · Alex Neil: The next edition of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation is now planned for 2016. The publication date will be announced in due course through the official statistics forthcoming publication scheme.
27 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to assist the development of the project, Helensburgh Heroes.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not directly support projects like Helensburgh Heroes and their plans for a digital academy and entertainment centre. Where such projects contribute to economic development, skills or culture they are eligible to apply for support…
24 Nov 2014 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the day.
20 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council about extending the national concessionary travel scheme to the Edinburgh trams.
Answer · Derek Mackay: In early 2013, the Scottish Government confirmed in discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council that the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme would not be extended to include the Edinburgh trams. This was on the basis that such an extension would have…
20 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has contributed to allow blind or visually impaired people to travel free on the Edinburgh trams.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The cost of allowing blind and visually impaired people to travel free on the Edinburgh tram is borne by the City of Edinburgh Council, which receives substantial funding from the Scottish Government as part of its three year 2012-15 settlement for local auth…
20 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the increase in budget and decrease in reimbursement rates for concessionary fares, for what reason it has not yet expanded concessionary travel schemes to other forms of transport.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The budget and the reimbursement rate used to fund concessionary travel on buses are designed to ensure that bus operators are no better and no worse off than they would have been in the absence of such a scheme. The reimbursement rate is now set on the basis…
20 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered implementing a voucher system similar to that for Scotland’s island residents for disabled or older people to travel on (a) ScotRail, (b) the Glasgow Subway, (c) the Edinburgh trams or (d) similar services.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has not considered the use of such a voucher system. Local authorities have discretion to operate concessionary travel schemes in their area, or joint schemes with neighbouring local authorities, for modes of transport other than bus. …
20 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out a financial analysis on expanding the national concessionary travel scheme to include (a) other forms of transport and (b) the Edinburgh trams.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government made clear that its support for the Edinburgh trams was limited to £500 million for its construction, and that no funding would be provided for its operation. We have not therefore commissioned a financial analysis of extending the nat…
20 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to expand any concessionary travel scheme for disabled and older people to include travel on the Edinburgh trams.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has no plans to extend the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for older and eligible disabled people to the Edinburgh trams. Local authorities can decide whether to provide additional concessions for their own residents, as the C…
19 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to monitor equal pay gaps in public bodies.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 were made by Scottish Ministers in May 2012 and are designed to enable the better performance of the public sector equality duty at section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. The regulations requi…
19 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to encourage all public bodies to measure the extent of any equal pay gap and publish their findings.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 were made by Scottish Ministers in May 2012 and are designed to enable the better performance of the public sector equality duty at section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. The regulations requi…
19 Nov 2014 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to assist the development of the project, Helensburgh Heroes.
17 Nov 2014 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the day.
13 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21011 by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 May 2014, when it will publish a monitoring report on all of the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) schemes across all local authorities for 2013-14.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-23159 on 27 November 2014. 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/parliament…
13 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21011 by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 May 2014, how many energy efficiency measures were installed in 2013-14, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Local authorities are currently submitting final details of Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) delivery for 2013-14 to the Scottish Government. Subject to receiving the relevant data we will publish details of energy efficiency measures de…
13 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what sanctions it is considering on homeowners if they do not meet the requirements under its proposed regulation of energy efficiency in private sector housing.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Proposals for draft regulations are planned to be published for public consultation in spring 2015. The consultation will set out proposals for the operation of the regulations. The final decision on the enforcement of regulations, including any sanctions, wo…
13 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what trigger points it is considering for its proposed regulation of energy efficiency in private sector housing.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Proposals for minimum energy efficiency standards for private sector housing are being developed with stakeholders for proposed public consultation in spring 2015. This will include proposals for trigger points for regulation, for example potentially at the p…
13 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it anticipates it would cost for a typical detached off-gas grid household to meet a minimum energy performance rating (EPC) rating of D under its proposed regulation of energy efficiency in private sector housing.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Proposals for the level at which regulations may be set and what homes may be affected by the standard will be set out in a public consultation expected to be published in spring 2015. Modelling work to inform this consultation is currently underway and we wi…
13 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has modelled the cost implications of its proposed regulation of energy efficiency in private sector housing in (a) urban and (b) rural areas.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government has commissioned modelling work to look at how the energy performance of Scotland’s least energy efficiency private sector housing stock can be improved. This will include archetypes relevant to both urban and rural areas and will look…
10 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it was represented at the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in London and, if so, who attended.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is not invited to the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in London, which is arranged by the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media & Sport in consultation with the Royal Household. Members of the UK Cabinet, opposition par…
10 Nov 2014 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what engagements he has planned for the rest of the day.
6 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether local authorities will be required to continue to match fund payments to recipients of the Scottish Independent Living Fund.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government expect to adopt the same existing criteria that is currently in place for existing users of the UK Independent Living Fund on the establishment of the new Scottish Independent Living Fund by 1 July 2015. The project board will make a n…
6 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made since April 2014 on the establishment of the Scottish Independent Living Fund.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Significant progress has been made to a tight timetable – this includes: Formation of a project board, representing a range of partners. The first meeting took place in October 2014. The board’s role is to ensure the smooth operational transition of current …
6 Nov 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, if a self-directed support assessment recommends a plan that costs more than the local authority is willing to pay, whether it expects that the council should carry out further assessments of the person's social care needs.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess a person’s community care needs and determine whether or not they are eligible for social care support. If eligible, local authorities then have a duty under the Social Care (S…