Colin Beattie

23 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how an extension of the 1% cap on child benefit to 2017 would impact on its poverty strategy.

13 Aug 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the level of Pillar 2 funding for rural development that an independent Scotland could expect to receive from the EU.

5 Aug 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in its discussions with the UK Government regarding reinstating coal levies to Scotland.

30 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any potential revision of the national concessionary travel scheme, in light of the City of Edinburgh Council’s decision to charge Scottish National Entitlement Card holders from outwith Edinburgh to use its trams.

Answer · Keith Brown: The national bus concessionary travel scheme is a national scheme, is for buses only and does not apply to local schemes such as the Edinburgh trams and the Glasgow Subway. Any decisions on tram concessionary travel are for the City of Edinburgh Council to ta…

21 May 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include the six black guillemot sites, three sandeel sites and the Firth of Forth Banks Complex as part of the proposed marine protected areas to be designated in 2014.

28 Apr 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recent remarks by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs regarding an independent Scotland’s entry into the EU.

8 Apr 2014 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in 2014-15.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Ministers have set the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland the financial targets of achieving: 3% efficiency savings and an increase in the Registers of Scotland commercial income of 5%. In addition, the keeper has set the following service standard…

26 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the proposed bareboat tax on the oil and gas industry.

19 Feb 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many start-up companies have been registered over the last year.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to providing the economic environment to enable businesses to start-up and thrive. The latest official start-up figures, published by the Office of National Statistics in December 2013, show that there were 17,385 new busi…

12 Feb 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its foreign language engagement strategy. 

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding how the proposals in the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill could impact on civil society in Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has raised concerns with the UK Government over its Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill, on a number of occasions. We have pressed the UK Government to ensure that the Bill does not hampe…

28 Jan 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is promoting National Libraries Day 2014.

26 Nov 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to revitalise Prestwick airport.

12 Nov 2013 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the study that it commissioned on geothermal energy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I am pleased to confirm that the Study into the potential for Deep Geothermal Energy in Scotland was published on 13 November 2013. The results of this desk based study highlight that there may be significant potential for deep geothermal energy in Scotland …

5 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the new US Ambassador to the UK on his recent visit to the Parliament.

23 Oct 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will implement its plans to abolish corroboration in criminal cases.

15 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reopening the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway to passenger traffic as part of Network Rail’s plans to electrify the line.

Answer · Keith Brown: Already an important and developing freight route, passenger services on the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway (ESSR) were considered by the 2008 Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR). Studies which informed the STPR had concluded that there was a poor bu…

10 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement a Green Deal initiative for park home dwellers whose home construction does not meet the current Green Deal criteria.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Green Deal is a UK Government Policy. Changes to the Green Deal are a reserved matter for DECC at UK Government. Scottish Ministers have no current plans to implement any initiatives for park home dwellers. Park homes may be eligible for stage 4 of the Energy…

10 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the Green Deal initiative to include park home dwellers.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Green Deal is a UK Government policy. Changes to the Green Deal are a reserved matter for DECC at UK Government. One of the barriers to park home dwellers accessing the Green Deal is the pre-requisite for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). It is not pos…

1 Oct 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for pensions in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: We set out our plans in our paper Pensions in an Independent Scotland which was published on 23 September 2013.

25 Sep 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it can provide to low-income commuters who will depend on the Borders railway line.

Answer · Keith Brown: Fares for the new Borders Railway will be set at an appropriate level to encourage passenger usage. Within the next franchise agreement the Scottish Government will cap fares increases at the rate of inflation.

19 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to remove (a) religious and (b) medical professionals from the list of "persons excusable from jury service as of right".

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are no current plans to remove religious and medical professionals from the list of persons excusable from jury service as of right.

19 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the compensation procedures for self-employed members of a jury.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There are no current plans to review compensation procedures for self-employed members of a jury.

21 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the hydraulic fracturing process (fracking).

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change DECC are in the process of developing a regulatory roadmap for the extraction of unconventional gas which will cover hydraulic fracturing as one of many regulated processes involved in the future extraction of un…

21 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the hydraulic fracturing process (fracking) being carried out offshore and what information it has on whether there are any plans for this and, if so, (a) where and (b) whether licences have been issued.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The UK Government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change routinely issue Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDL) in competitive offerings (License Rounds) across the UK which grant exclusivity to operators in the license area. These licenses…

14 May 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage over-25s who are unemployed to pursue further education.

29 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

25 Apr 2013 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in 2013-14.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Ministers have set the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland the financial targets of achieving: A 3% cash-releasing efficiency saving; and an increase in Register of Scotland’s commercial income of 5%. In addition, the Keeper has set the following se…

22 Apr 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it expects the increase in air passenger duty to have on the coming tourist season.

8 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on allowing disabled children to attend primary schools outwith their catchment area.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Education authorities’ decisions on school placement for children and young people with additional support needs, including those with disabilities, should be taken in light of the individual needs of the child or young person concerned. The Additional Suppo…