Questions · Gavin Brown

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a commitment to reduce VAT rates on tourism in the event of independence.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20474 on 14 April 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…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last made representations to the UK Government regarding VAT on tourism.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20469 on 14 April 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…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether ministers made/have made representations to the UK Government regarding VAT on tourism in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20469 on 14 April 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…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a list of the 20 companies in Scotland with the largest e-commerce sales.

Answer · John Swinney: The most commonly used definition is that developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and used by the Office for National Statistics. This defines an e-commerce transaction as ‘the sale or purchase of goods or services, conducted o…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what methodology it applies when estimating the value of e-commerce sales.

Answer · John Swinney: A methodology for estimating the value of e-commerce sales in Scotland was developed by SQW Ltd, on behalf of Scottish Enterprise, during a commission entitled ‘Scottish e-Commerce Study’ in May 2012. This presented a number of challenges, including the absen…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

Answer · John Swinney: The indicative estimate of e-commerce sales in Scotland in 2010 was £31 billion. This estimate was derived from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Statistical Bulletin ‘E-commerce and ICT Activity 2010’ published in December 2011. Scottish Enterprise in…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it (a) has done since 2011 and (b) plans to do on producing an e-commerce strategy.

Answer · John Swinney: Scotland’s Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland was published on 3 March 2011 and sets out the ambition for Scotland to be at the forefront of the digital economy. This theme was taken up and developed with the publication of Scotland’s Digital Future – Su…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S4O-03010 by John Swinney on 13 March 2014 (Official Report, c. 28895), whether it can provide a breakdown of the £31 billion e-commerce sales figure.

Answer · John Swinney: The indicative estimate of Scottish e-commerce sales in 2010 by sector is as follows: Sector Scottish e-Commerce Sales (£billion) Manufacturing 8.89 Utilities 1.87 Construction 0.47 Wholesale 11.95 Retail 1.46 Transport and Storage 2.86 Accomm…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many courses focused on e-commerce there are in Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The cross-disciplinary nature of e-commerce means that the many courses in computing, business, marketing and web design will contribute to the skills pool supporting e-commerce. However the granularity of available data does not allow for the relevance of sp…

14 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in relation to e-skills since the publication of Skills requirements for e-commerce and their provision in Scotland in 2011.

Answer · John Swinney: Skills Development Scotland has recently published a Skills Investment Plan for the ICT and Digital Technologies Sector. This plan was developed in conjunction with a range of statutory and industry partners, including Scottish Enterprise, ScotlandIS, e-skill…

7 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reference in the recent report, Skills Investment Plan For Scotland's ICT & Digital Technologies sector, which schools do not have any dedicated provision for teaching ICT and computing.

Answer · Michael Russell: Information on schools’ provision for teaching ICT and computing is not held centrally. Responsibility for the recruitment and deployment of teachers lies with local authorities, taking into account their local contexts. In line with the Skills Investment Pl…

2 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its commitment in the white paper on independence to increasing benefits and tax credits in line with inflation refers to the consumer price index (CPI) or retail prices index (RPI).

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Ministers would ensure that benefits and tax credits increase in line with inflation after independence to preserve their value in real terms and to avoid the poorest families falling further into poverty. Future Scottish Governments will be able to …

2 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its commitment in the white paper on independence to increasing the minimum wage "at least in line with inflation" refers to the consumer price index (CPI) or retail prices index (RPI).

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Ministers would set up a Fair Work Commission and guarantee that the national minimum wage rises at least in line with the RPI after independence in order to protect the earnings of some of the lowest paid Scots.

2 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve multi-year funding for the third sector.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20564 on 28 April 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…

2 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made since May 2013 regarding multi-year funding for the third sector.

Answer · John Swinney: We are working closely with COSLA and the third sector to develop a shared understanding of the position in relation to long term funding to third sector organisations, and to move the issue forward. To this end a number of very positive meetings have taken p…

31 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has conducted on the costs of reducing VAT on tourism in the event of Scotland becoming independent and whether it will publish this.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20476 on 14 April 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…

31 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken on the (a) benefits and (b) costs of reducing VAT on tourism in the event of Scotland becoming independent and whether it will publish it.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: In the Scottish Government publication “Scotland’s Economy: the case for independence (from May 2013) it was stated: “An independent Scotland could also choose to follow the example of many EU countries by adjusting the VAT rate to help tourism. The UK impos…

31 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has regarding VAT rates on tourism in the event of independence and whether it has committed to reduce them.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scotland’s Future points out that “With independence the Scottish Parliament will make decisions about all aspects of taxation. Independence will provide an opportunity to design a Scottish tax system based on specific circumstances, preferences and principle…

31 Mar 2014 · Written Question

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20469 on 14 April 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…

31 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many representations have been made by ministers to the UK Government on the issue of VAT on tourism since 2007.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Since 2007, the Scottish Government has made four written representations to the UK Government pointing out that VAT rates in the UK are higher than in many European countries, placing the Scottish tourism and hospitality sectors at a clear competitive disadv…

25 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in taking forward the business rates incentivisation scheme.

17 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became an independent country and did not enter into a formal currency union with the rest of the UK, what its plan F currency option would be.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19732 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…

17 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became an independent country and did not enter into a formal currency union with the rest of the UK, what its plan E currency option would be.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19732 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…

17 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became an independent country and did not enter into a formal currency union with the rest of the UK, what its plan D currency option would be.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19732 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…

17 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became an independent country and did not enter into a formal currency union with the rest of the UK, what its plan C currency option would be.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19732 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…

17 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, if Scotland became an independent country and did not enter into a formal currency union with the rest of the UK, what its plan B currency option would be.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19732 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…

11 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government from which directorate budget the costs associated with the white paper on independence are being met.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Costs associated with the white paper are being met from the Strategic Communications budget.

11 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether reprints of the white paper on independence will be updated to reflect the most recently published financial figures.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland’s Future is the most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published. On 28 May 2014, the Scottish Government published its Outlook for Scotland’s Public Finances and the Opportunities of Independence report. This builds on the ana…

5 Mar 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to boost e-commerce.

20 Feb 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its Draft Budget 2015-16.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government published indicative spending plans for 2015-16 alongside the Draft Budget 2014-15. We will publish the Draft Budget 2015-16 by 9 October 2014, subject to the agreement of the Finance Committee.