Parliamentary questions

Kezia Dugdale

1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it expects the Forth Replacement Crossing to create and secure and whether it will provide details of the methodology used to produce its figures.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Forth Replacement Crossing works will directly support over 1,200 jobs during its construction, as well as benefiting the economy by creating extensive supply chain and sub-contract opportunities for Scottish businesses. These figures are supplied by the …

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much revenue it expects the Forth Replacement Crossing to create and secure and whether it will provide details of the methodology used to produce its figures.

Answer · Keith Brown: The British Chamber of Commerce has estimated that the Forth Replacement Crossing will deliver economic benefits worth around £6 billion to Scotland’s economy. In 2006, a study for the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) estimated that carrying out nece…

22 Jul 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with Creative Scotland theatres and theatre groups having a spending limit of 15% of grants awarded to take productions on tour outside Scotland and, if so, whether it has encouraged Creative Scotland to review this limit.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Creative Scotland has advised that they are not aware of any criticism from theatres of their guidance on cross border activity. Their investment advice for touring, festivals and events states that “the activity in any other UK country or countries should no…

24 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the results of any assessment undertaken of the provision of childcare vouchers since August 2009.

Answer · Angela Constance: Following the January-June 2009 Scottish Government campaign and report to promote increased use of childcare vouchers in Scotland, no further assessment has been undertaken on the provision of childcare vouchers. The Scottish Government report can be found a…

24 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the steps that it has taken to raise awareness of childcare vouchers among voluntary sector employers since August 2009.

Answer · Angela Constance: Information on childcare vouchers for employers is available on HMRC’s website. There have been no specific steps to raise awareness of childcare vouchers among voluntary and private sector employers in Scotland since the January-June 2009 project to do so. H…

24 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all meetings it has had with the Four Nations Forum on Child Poverty since 2009.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01240 on 18 July 2011. 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/parliamentarybusi…

24 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all meetings it has had with the Child Poverty Unit since 2009.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government officials work closely with officials in the UK Government’s Child Poverty Unit. Regular Child Poverty ’Four Nations’ meetings take place approximately three times per year. These meetings involve government officials leading on child pove…

24 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the steps that it has taken to raise awareness of childcare vouchers among staff in (a) its departments, (b) its agencies and (c) NDPBs since August 2009.

Answer · Angela Constance: As an employer, the Scottish Government recognises its salary sacrifice childcare voucher scheme as a valuable benefit and it is available to all of its eligible employees, including those in the Agencies of its main bargaining units. We undertake a range of …

24 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the steps that it has taken to raise awareness of childcare vouchers among private sector employers since August 2009.

22 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much its commitment to an 85% funding floor for local authorities will cost over this parliamentary session.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to the introduction of a new funding floor to ensure that no local authority receives less than 85 per cent of the Scottish average in terms of revenue support. Until each annual local government finance settlement has bee…

22 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether some local authorities will receive a less favourable local government settlement as a result of its commitment to an 85% funding floor and, if so, (a) which authorities and (b) how much each will lose in this parliamentary session.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to the introduction of a new funding floor to ensure that no local authority receives less than 85 per cent of the Scottish average in terms of revenue support. The commitment is that this will be funded by additional mone…

22 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) which local authorities will benefit from its commitment to an 85% funding floor and how much each will receive.

22 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional money that the City of Edinburgh Council might receive as a result of the Scottish Government's commitment to an 85% funding floor for local authorities will be in addition to the money that Edinburgh receives from the capital city supplement.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: If the City of Edinburgh Council was to qualify for funding from the new 85 per cent funding floor this will be in addition to existing funding levels which currently includes the money the council receives for the capital city supplement.

21 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-00259 by John Swinney on 13 June 2011, how many unpaid work experience placements there have been in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) directorate and (b) agency.

Answer · John Swinney: Unpaid placements with the Scottish Government are currently all recorded as “Work Experience” on our HR system but this may cover a range of disparate circumstances. As they are not employees of the Scottish Government only very limited information is held a…

21 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-00259 by John Swinney on 13 June 2011, for how long each work experience placement student was in place in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) directorate and (b) agency.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-01070 on 14 July 2011. 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/Apps2/MAQASearc…

15 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes it has for working directly with people who are (a) in or (b) at risk of entering the more choices more chances (MCMC) group who have not expressed an interest in either an apprenticeship or further education.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is doing everything it can to ensure that all our young people, particularly those at risk of moving into, or are already in, a negative destination, have the right support, skills and opportunities to access and sustain jobs. We recog…

15 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what target it has set for reducing the number of people in the more choices more chances (MCMC) group.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has not set a target for reducing the number of young people in the more choices, more chances group. Our aim is to increase the number of young people in positive and sustained destinations. Through 16+ Learning Choices, introduced i…

15 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to poverty proof its forthcoming legislative programme.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is currently considering poverty proofing and has commissioned some research on this matter. Following consideration of this research the Scottish Government will consider taking forward appropriate measures for poverty proofing.

15 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its funding steams are available to help community groups make the transition from single to multi-sport facilities in order to broaden their eligibility for such funding.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-857 on 24 June 2011. 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/webapp/wa.search.

15 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its funding streams are available to community groups to support local (a) single and (b) multi-sport facilities.

Answer · Shona Robison: All Scottish Government funding to support the development of sports facilities is routed through sportscotland who operate a number of funding streams that are available to community groups. I have asked the Chief Executive of sportscotland to write to the m…

15 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission a mapping exercise on low pay.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has no current plans to commission a mapping exercise of low pay.

15 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a socioeconomic duty in Scotland under the Equality Act 2010.

Answer · Michael Matheson: A decision has not been taken regarding the introduction of a socioeconomic duty in Scotland.