Parliamentary questions

Hugh Henry

645 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

22 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessments it has prepared on what would happen if its preferred options could not be delivered if Scotland decided to separate from the UK.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The member is referred to question 549 on page 553 of Scotland’s Future: your guide to an independent Scotland available at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/11/9348

22 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out any scenario planning of options available if Scotland decided to separate from the UK.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The member is referred to question 549 on page 553 of Scotland’s Future: Your guide to an independent Scotland available at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/11/9348

22 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland decides to separate from the UK, whether the people will be given an opportunity to decide whether the negotiated terms of separation are acceptable.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The member is referred to question 548 on page 553 of Scotland’s Future: your guide to an independent Scotland available at:http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/11/9348

22 Aug 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it reportedly welcoming the comments by the Governor of the Bank of England that contingency plans had been prepared regarding the referendum result, what contingency plans it has prepared if its preferred currency option is not agreed if Scotland decides to separate from th…

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government position is to retain sterling within a formal monetary union with the rest of the UK. As part of the proposed formal monetary union, the Bank of England would continue to act as the central bank across the sterling area and will conti…

30 Jul 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent comments by the cabinet secretary with responsibility for pensioners’ rights, whether it will rule out an increase in state pension age to 67 if Scotland decides to separate from the rest of the UK.

28 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21915 by John Swinney on 21 July 2014, whether its preference is for a local income tax to be set by local authorities or to be set centrally.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-21915 on 21 July 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/parliamentaryb…

25 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its proposed local income tax scheme will be set by local authorities or centrally.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to consulting others later in this parliamentary session to develop a fairer, more progressive, local tax based on the ability to pay.

18 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that local authorities will be given the full revenue and capital costs necessary to implement its early years and childcare initiative.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to fully funding the agreed costs of our early learning and childcare policy. We have already committed significant revenue and capital funding to local authorities. Full details can be found in the Financial Memorandum an…

30 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its definition is of a clinical intervention.

Answer · Alex Neil: A clinical intervention is a treatment which will cure or improve a patient’s medical condition. This could be medicine, surgery, therapies, health promotion and other care provided by regulated health professionals.

20 May 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the four-hour target for accident and emergency treatment will be met at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

14 May 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent comments by the cabinet secretary with responsibility for pensioners' rights, what the retirement age for pension eligibility would be if Scotland separates from the rest of the UK.

9 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints buyers have made each year about the home report system.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: These figures are not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Local authorities’ trading standards departments are responsible for enforcing the Home Report legislation. In addition a buyer or seller may make a complaint about the content of a Home Report…

9 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15301 by Margaret Burgess on 7 June 2013, whether the review of the effectiveness of the home report system has been carried out and, if so, whether it will publish its findings.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The scheduled five year policy review of the Home Report began with a public consultation on 5 December 2013. This consultation, which formed the first stage of the review, closed on 27 February 2014. All responses have now been analysed and the report publis…

30 Apr 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received advice from the European Commission that, if Scotland separates from the UK, it would need to apply to the EU as a new member state rather than assuming continuing membership.

26 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government which aspects of national sovereignty the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth would be prepared to cede in order to achieve a currency union with the rest of the UK, if Scotland decided to separate from the rest of the UK.

11 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support improved transport links between Glasgow Airport and Glasgow city centre.

4 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for which cancers waiting times targets are not being met.

21 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can guarantee that, if Scotland separated from the rest of the UK and subsequently joined the EU, a rebate proportionate to the UK’s current rebate would be paid to Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As set out in Scotland’s Future, the Scottish Government proposes that an independent Scotland would negotiate EU membership from within the EU and approach these membership negotiations on the principle of ‘continuity of effect’. This approach ensures ‘no de…

21 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland separated from the rest of the UK, how much a proportionate share of the UK's EU rebate would be worth if Scotland subsequently joined the EU and was given a rebate.

Answer · John Swinney: Estimates of Scotland’s historic share of the UK rebate, which assign a population share to Scotland, are presented in Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland which can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/GERS.

18 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland separated from the UK and there was no currency union, what the transaction costs would be for businesses from the rest of UK trading with Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19820 on 28 February 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/parliamenta…

18 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland separated from the UK and there was no currency union, what the transaction costs would be for Scottish businesses trading with the rest of the UK.

Answer · John Swinney: The Fiscal Commission Working Group set out a number of viable currency options for a country of Scotland’s size and economic strength. Their first report and assesment of the key currency options was published on 11 February 2013. They concluded that retaini…

18 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its definition of a foreigner would be in a Scotland separated from the rest of the UK.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As set out at page 271 of Scotland’s Future, Scottish Government policy is that British citizens who are habitually resident in Scotland and British citizens born in Scotland but residing elsewhere, would automatically be considered Scottish citizens. Other r…