Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what reports (a) its officials and (b) Scottish Development International received from the delegation of SNP parliamentarians who visited Iran in December 2015.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: A report on the visit to Iran has been received by the Deputy First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs. The report has been circulated to relevant officials. Alex Salmond MP MSP has contacted the Scottish Government se…
6 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance (a) its officials and (b) Scottish Development International provided to the delegation of SNP parliamentarians prior to their visit to Iran in December 2015.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No assistance was provided to the delegation of SNP parliamentarians prior to their visit to Iran by either the Scottish Government or Scottish Development International.
6 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-02112 by Humza Yousaf on 15 May 2013 (Official Report, c. 19792), which Scottish Government economic development plans have included reference to Iraqi Kurdistan since that date.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: None of the Scottish Government economic strategies since 2013 have included specific reference to Iraqi Kurdistan.
6 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-02112 by Humza Yousaf on 15 May 2013 (Official Report, c. 19792), how many Scottish businesses have been supported by it or Scottish Development International in developing links with Iraqi Kurdistan since that date.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Development International (SDI) records assistance given to companies in overseas markets at a national level and does not record specific regions. Between 15 May 2013 and 30 October 2015, SDI helped 10 individual companies or organisations to do bus…
6 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-02112 by Humza Yousaf on 15 May 2013 (Official Report, c. 19792), what work Scottish Development International has undertaken in Iraqi Kurdistan since that date.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Development International (SDI) had a staff member assigned to Istanbul between September and December 2014 who, as part of his remit, assessed the suitability of Kurdistan as a potential destination for oil and gas events and trade missions. SDI ha…
6 Jan 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12861 by Keith Brown on 28 February 2013, when the decision was taken not to include in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015 the reference to a Scottish section of high speed rail that was contained in the Infrastructure Investment Plan project p…
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29177 on 14 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…
14 Dec 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many eligible crofters and farmers have not received any common agricultural policy basic payment by 6 January 2016.
14 Dec 2015 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the outcome of the Paris climate conference.
24 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what inspections have been carried at the Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen by (a) the NHS, (b) the Care Commission and (c) other bodies since 2011, and what information it has regarding inspections by the Health and Safety Executive; what the outcome of each inspection was; what repor…
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has undertaken the following visits and investigations: In 2012 the HSE visited Royal Cornhill Hospital to carry out an investigation into a patient fall reported to the HSE by NHS Grampian. No action was taken by the HS…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planned investment of private and public sector money in new rolling stock for the Caledonian sleeper rail service.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The process of design and procurement of new rolling stock for the Caledonian Sleeper franchise is continuing against plan. Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited (SCSL) and manufacturers Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles are working to complete new train…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times there have been (a) delays, (b) cancellations and (c) other reductions in planned services on the Caledonian Sleeper rail service (i) in each of the last three years and (ii) since April 2015, and what information it has regarding how many passengers were affected.
Answer · Derek Mackay: (a) Delays The following table shows Caledonian Sleeper performance described by two measures: Public Performance Measure (PPM, which for long distance services measures arrival within 10 minutes of the public timetable arrival) and Right Time measure which …
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what reports it has received regarding electrical and mechanical faults on the Caledonian Sleeper rail service.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Under the terms of its franchise agreement with the Scottish Ministers, Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited (SCSL) is required to provide periodic information regarding rolling stock availability, provide detailed records and certification relating to the condi…
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the RMT union and (b) Serco regarding the possibility of strike action on the Caledonian Sleeper rail service, and what action it is taking to avert such a situation.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has had a number of discussions with each party involved in this dispute. We are encouraging continued dialogue between the parties and the pursuit of a mutually satisfactory outcome which sees no impact on passenger service.
18 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that faults with the Caledonian Sleeper rail service have caused delays, cancellations and have led to the RMT union balloting its members on strike action.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is aware of recent cancellations and delays on Caledonian Sleeper services, RMT’s attribution of underlying vehicle faults as a causal factor in recent disruption, and its decision to ballot its members on industrial action on that bas…
4 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason local contractors did not have the opportunity to tender for the University of the Highlands and Islands' £34 million contract to build student accommodation in Shetland.
Answer · Angela Constance: Universities are autonomous institutions, the Scottish Government has had no involvement in any any University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) tendering exercise for student residencies. Furthermore the UHI’s Shetland student residencies projects have rece…
4 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it approved the University of the Highlands and Islands' £34 million contract with Cityheart to build student accommodation in Shetland.
Answer · Angela Constance: Universities are autonomous institutions and the Scottish Government has had no involvement in any associated tendering exercise or in approving the contract with CityHeart. The University of the Highlands and Islands’ Shetland student residencies projects ha…
3 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people appointed by ministers in each of the last five years to (a) NHS boards and (b) other public bodies have declared political activity, also broken down by what information it has on their party affiliation.
Answer · John Swinney: The requested information is as follows: a) NHS boards Year Political activity declared Affiliation: Conservative Affiliation: Labour Affiliation: Liberal Democrat Affiliation: SNP Affiliation: Independent/other 2010 1 1 0 0 0 0 2011 4 0 0 …
3 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26716 by Jamie Hepburn on 12 August 2015, in light of the minister's comment that an announcement regarding the priorities for the new funding of mental health would be made "shortly", by what date it will make this announcement and what the reason …
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Proposals from local partnerships for the initial £15 million innovation/Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) funding have already been approved and resources allocated. The next phase of investment we will announce will be further support fo…
2 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish an overarching land-use agency similar to Natural Resources Wales.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are no plans to establish an agency in Scotland similar to Natural Resources Wales.
2 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to maintain Forestry Commissioners' powers regarding the felling of trees.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Powers to regulate the felling of trees are held by the forestry commissioners under the UK Forestry Act 1967. The Scottish Government announced in June 2015 that it is time to complete the devolution of the arrangements for the management of forestry in Scot…
2 Nov 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to maintain the status of Forestry Commission Scotland as a non-departmental public body.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Forestry Commission Scotland provides advice and support to Scottish ministers and is part of the Scottish Government’s Environment and Forestry Directorate. Although forestry was devolved under the 1998 Scotland Act and forestry policy in Scotland is determi…
14 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the figures it used for each year to produce the charts in Options for the UK Fiscal Mandate, setting out (a) the proposed path for the UK current budget balance, (b) the proposed path for UK borrowing and debt and (c) additional spending on UK inve…
Answer · John Swinney: Figures are published on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Economy/Publications/Options-for-the-UK-Fiscal-Mandate
14 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the figures it used for the indicators for (a) public debt, (b) additional spending and (c) the UK current budget balance for each year from 2015-16 to 2019-20 in (i) Increasing Public Spending: Comparison of Policy Costings when it was (A) publishe…
Answer · John Swinney: Figures for (a) public debt and (b) additional spending contained in Increasing Public Spending: Comparison of Policy Costings are available on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00472778.pdf Figures were not produced for t…
14 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £150 billion of cumulative investment in public services it proposes in Options for the UK Fiscal Mandate was calculated on the same basis as the £165 billion of investment referred to in Increasing Public Spending: Comparison of Policy Costings.
Answer · John Swinney: Both papers calculated the extra funds that would be available for investment in public services if the UK Government changed its policy of fiscal austerity and the impact of such a change on key fiscal aggregates.
13 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27249 by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2015, what information it has on what average profit is made by dairy farmers based on the price paid by (a) Sodexo and (b) the other public bodies.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Information on individual producer incomes is not collected by the Scottish Government. The economic performance of individual dairy units is dependent on a number of factors including input costs, farmgate prices, husbandry skills and business acumen.
9 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by a government spokesperson reported in The Press and Journal on 6 October 2015 that “Scottish councils already retain all of the business rates they collect”, whether this is true for Glasgow City Council.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27989 on 27 October 2015. 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/parliamentary…
9 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by a government spokesperson reported in The Press and Journal on 6 October 2015 that “Scottish councils already retain all of the business rates they collect”, whether this means that a Scottish local authority that increases the amount of business rates collec…
Answer · John Swinney: With effect from 1 April 2011 all Scottish councils have retained all of the business rates they collect, with the balance of their guaranteed needs-based funding met by general revenue grant (GRG). Following the introduction of the Business Rates Incentivis…
8 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether individual crofting apportionments and improved pasture classified as code PGRS under Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) submissions are being downgraded to region 3 payment under the common agricultural policy Basic Payment Scheme: revised provisional payment re…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There is nothing in the classification process which would automatically result in crofting apportionments or improved pasture classified as PGRS being classed as region 3 payment. The Scottish Government used objective criteria which took account of a parcel…
8 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what spend it originally estimated under the common agricultural policy Basic Payment Scheme, broken down by Rural Payments and Inspections Division office area, and whether it has now made a new estimate.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We explained during the common agricultural policy roadshows in the autumn of 2014 that we estimated that the combined budget for the Basic Payment Scheme, Greening, voluntary coupled support schemes, the young farmer supplement, and the National Reserve woul…
8 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) formal appeals and (b) submissions of documentary evidence including photographs by individual applicants are being processed under the common agricultural policy Basic Payment Scheme: revised provisional payment region scheme, broken down by Rural Payments and Inspections D…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The answer to S4W-27985 on 20 November 2015 provides information on the requests for a review of the payment region that have been received. All customers submitting a request for a review were provided with an opportunity to provide supporting documentary in…