Parliamentary questions
John Lamont
759 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will seek a draft opinion on an independent Scotland’s credit rating from a credit rating agency and, if so, when.
Answer · John Swinney: Given our position of relative financial strength we have every confidence in securing a top credit rating for an independent Scotland - almost two thirds of countries with an AAA rating are small countries with a population of less than 10 million. SG belie…
9 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the damage caused by the landslip on the A68 at Blainslie south of Lauder will be repaired.
Answer · Keith Brown: The works contract for repairing the damage caused by the landslip on the A68 trunk road at Blainslie, South of Lauder, should be awarded by the end of May. Works should be completed during the summer.
9 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14146 by Kenny MacAskill on 2 May 2013, how many of those given a custodial sentence in 2011-12 of up to (a) three and (b) six months where the main offence had a domestic abuse aggravator were (i) male and (ii) female and how many cases involved a …
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The data held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database shows that there were 382 people (373 Male, 9 Female) given a custodial sentence of up to three months and 490 (483 Male, 7 Female) with a sentence of over three months to six months for case…
9 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14147 by Kenny MacAskill on 2 May 2013, how many of those (a) accused and (b) convicted in 2011-12 where the main offence had a domestic abuse aggravator were (i) male and (ii) female and how many cases involved a same-sex partner, also broken down …
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following table provides the available information. People proceeded against in Scottish courts for offences with a domestic abuse aggravator recorded by gender, 2011-12 Gender of Accused Result Male Female Total All proceeded against 9,300 1…
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in the event of Scottish independence, whether it would guarantee benefits accrued after independence by pension schemes that are currently part of UK pension schemes and, if so, on what terms.
Answer · John Swinney: All pensions’ rights and entitlements which have been accrued will continue to be fully protected and accessible under independence, including private, public and state pensions. There is no rationale as to why in an independent Scotland the provision for and…
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to withdraw from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) in the event of Scottish independence and, if so, whether it would negotiate a division of PPF levies accumulated since its establishment.
Answer · John Swinney: The current rights and entitlements under UK-wide schemes, such as the PPF which is funded by levies on the industry, will continue as will the protection that the Fund affords to current pension scheme members and pensioners in Scotland. It is a requirement …
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the cross-border management of pension schemes in the event of Scottish independence.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government would welcome discussions with the UK Government on a range of issues relating to Scottish independence, including the operation of cross-border pension schemes.
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what pension scheme management companies it has consulted regarding the effect that Scottish independence would have on their funding arrangements in light of EU regulations requiring the full funding of cross-border pension schemes.
Answer · John Swinney: We are engaging with key participants from providers, trustees and employers on this and other issues of importance to business in the independence debate.
30 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide examples of “cross-border schemes with Ireland” as referred to by a Scottish Government spokesman in a report in the The Herald on 26 April 2013.
Answer · John Swinney: The ICAS report “Scotland’s Pensions Future: What Pensions Arrangements Would Scotland Need?”, on page 17 footnote 22, provides the example of the implementation of EU Directive 2003/41/EC (IORP) and the operation of cross-border pensions schemes between the …
23 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will promote the debt guarantee scheme for the private rented sector.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The guarantee scheme for the private rented sector is administered by the UK Government. Initial scheme rules have been published and the Scottish Government has drawn these to the attention of various parties, including private landlords and the Scottish Fed…
23 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recommendations set out in the report, Review of the barriers to institutional investment in private rented homes, regarding (a) allowing local authorities flexibility in the planning system to plan for and enable developments of privately rented homes includi…
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Development of the new Strategy for the private rented sector in Scotland has been influenced by the content of Sir Adrian Montague’s report, Review of the Barriers to Institutional Investment in Private Rented Homes. In implementing the actions within the f…
23 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement any of the recommendations set out in the report, Review of the barriers to institutional investment in private rented homes, and, if so, which.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Development of the new Strategy for the private rented sector in Scotland has been influenced by the content of this report by Sir Adrian Montague. In implementing the actions within the Strategy, we will discuss with stakeholders the relevance of the recomm…
23 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes investment in the private rented sector.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government plans to publish a new Strategy for the private rented sector on 30 May 2013. Our key aims for the sector include improving quality and encouraging sustainable growth. Implementation of the strategy will build on our work over the pas…
9 Apr 2013 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Shaping Scotland's Court Services.
8 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether section 120 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 has been commenced and, if not, when it plans to lay an order to commence the section.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Section 120 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 came into force on 1 April 2013.
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Police Service of Scotland warrant cards contain images such as a security hologram to prevent forgeries and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is a matter for the Police Service of Scotland. Scottish Ministers do not hold this information.
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all authorised firearms officers had Police Service of Scotland authorisation cards to carry firearms on 1 April 2013 and, if not, how many and what percentage of officers did not and what the implications are for these officers.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is a matter for the Police Service of Scotland. Scottish Ministers do not hold this information. However transitional provisions under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 make clear that any authorisation granted by a Scottish chief officer in…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all police officers had Police Service of Scotland authorisation cards to carry CS incapacitant spray on 1 April 2013 and, if not, how many and what percentage of officers did not and what the implications are for these officers.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is a matter for the Police Service of Scotland. Scottish Ministers do not hold this information. However, transitional provisions under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 make clear that any authorisation granted by a Scottish chief officer i…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all police officers had Police Service of Scotland warrant cards on 1 April 2013 and, if not, how many and what percentage of officers did not and what the implications are for these officers.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is a matter for the Police Service of Scotland. Scottish Ministers do not hold this information.
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted in cases involving domestic violence in 2011-12, broken down by manner of disposal.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The data held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database shows that 10,499 people were prosecuted where the main offence had a domestic abuse aggravator recorded in the financial year 2011-12. Of these 8,869 were convicted which consisted of the fo…
4 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people given a custodial sentence in cases involving domestic violence received a sentence of (a) up to three and (b) between three and six months in 2011-12.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The data held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database shows that there were 382 people given a custodial sentence of up to three months and 490 with a sentence of over three months to six months for cases where the main charge had a domestic abu…
3 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to upgrade the A1.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has no plans to fully dual the A1. Our analysis shows the route enjoys a safe and efficient operation and experiences few journey time reliability issues. As such, the key objective for the route is to promote a continuing reduction in…
3 Apr 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government about upgrading the A1.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has held no recent discussions with the UK Government on this matter.
20 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each year since 2007, with no prior convictions in the previous 10 years, have been given alternatives to prosecution, broken down by alternative.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is shown in the following table. No information on non-court disposals is held for years before 2008-09. Disposals received by individuals with no previous court convictions in past 10 years, 2008-09 to 2011-12 Disposal types 200…
15 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effect of higher oil and gas prices on tax revenues in an independent Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: Box 8.02 of the Fiscal Commission Working Group’s First Report provides an assessment of the impact that higher oil and gas prices would have on Scottish tax revenues. The report estimates that a temporary increase of £10 in the price of oil would increase Sc…
15 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to Scenario 4 in the March 2013 Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin, what (a) assumptions were made and (b) statistical model was used regarding the increasing operating costs and lower profitability that could result.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question, S4W-13723 on 18 April 2103. 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…
15 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what decommissioning costs it assumed in each of the scenarios in the March 2013 Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin.
Answer · John Swinney: Decommissioning costs are assumed to be consistent across each scenario and are based on the assumptions for future decommissioning expenditure factored into the OBR’s forecasts for oil and gas tax revenue published in the December 2012 Economic and Fiscal Ou…
15 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it modelled extraction rates and operating or other costs for individual field production for all scenarios in the March 2013 Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin and, if so, what field-extraction model it used.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question, S4W-13723 on 18 April 2013. All answer are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
15 Mar 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it modelled the (a) future profitability and (b) operating costs of extraction for each of the scenarios in the March 2013 Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin provides forecasts for oil and gas tax revenue from the “Scottish” portion of the UK Continental Shelf under five scenarios. Further information on the assumptions used in each scenario are provided in…
28 Feb 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS boards provide access to three cycles of IVF treatment for couples.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The following NHS boards allow eligible couples access to up to three cycles of IVF treatment: NHS Ayrshire and Arran NHS Grampian NHS Highland NHS Orkney NHS Shetland NHS Tayside NHS Western Isles.