Parliamentary questions

Alison McInnes

1,004 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been recovered in Scotland under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 following (a) drugs seizures, (b) fraud cases, (c) breaches of fishing quota regulations and (d) the sale of (i) counterfeit or stolen goods and (ii) contraband tobacco, and how much from each has been allocated…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on the type of offence which money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime legislation relates to, is not held centrally. Information on the value and offence associated with confiscation orders is available on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal…

7 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been recovered in Scotland under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and how much of this has been allocated to the CashBack for Communities programme in each year since 2007-08.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The amount of cash and other assets recovered in Scotland under Proceeds of Crime legislation is available on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal website at: http://www.crownoffice.gov.uk/media-site/media-releases/137-first-ten-years-of-proceeds-of-crime-…

7 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the CashBack for Communities programme will next consider applications for funding.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government allocates available funds to large national partner organisations, which are responsible for running projects across Scotland. All funding currently available to the programme has been committed. As part of this Government’s commitment…

7 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the most recent criminal assets that funded the latest round of the CashBack for Communities programme were recovered.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Money surrendered under Proceeds of Crime legislation is paid into the Scottish Consolidated Fund on a monthly basis by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Scottish Court Service. At Spring Budget Review, based on the level of receipts that h…

7 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government until when funding from the latest round of the CashBack for Communities programme is fully committed.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: A financial overview of investment in the CashBack for Communities Programme and future funding commitment to partners in the CashBack for Communities Programme is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/17141/cashback/CashBack-…

7 Aug 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether funding from the latest round of the CashBack for Communities programme has been fully committed and, if so, when this was announced and how much has been secured since then for the next round of payments.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: All funding available to the CashBack for Communities programme has been fully committed. No specific announcement has been made. Due to the way in which the cashback programme is funded, it is inherently difficult to forecast when new monies will become ava…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in an independent Scotland, people would have the right to be members of trades unions that wanted to organise across the rest of the UK and Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: In an independent Scotland people would still have the right to be a member of a trade union. It is for the unions themselves to decide on what basis they wish to be organised.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the monarch of the rest of the UK would be the head of state of an independent Scotland and, if so, what the impact would be of the Scottish Parliament taking a different position from the rest of the UK on the line of succession.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government publication Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution published in February 2013 sets out the government’s position on continuity of the monarchy in an independent Scotland.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans for an upper chamber in the parliament of an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government publication Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution published in February 2013 sets out the Government’s position on parliamentary structures.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish an electoral commission in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Following a vote for independence, the Scottish Government will ensure that the necessary measures are in place for the organisation and regulation of the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary elections and subsequent elections in Scotland.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who would be eligible to stand for election in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Eligibility for candidacy in Scottish Parliament and Scottish Local Government elections will be similar in an independent Scotland to current eligibility requirements.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who would have the right to vote in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The franchise for elections to the Scottish Parliament in an independent Scotland will be similar to the franchise that is currently used, which is based on residency. The Scottish Government believes that the voting age should be lowered to 16 for all electi…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of additional staff it would need to employ in an independent Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The number of civil servants required to administer the full range of policies and services that will become the responsibility of an independent Scotland will be dependent on a number of variables, including the overall public sector landscape that is inheri…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how long it would take to establish the new state structures required in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government publication Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution published in February 2013 sets out the Government’s position on the transition from a vote for independence to Scotland’s independence day.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost of establishing the new state structures required in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government will publish its detailed white paper with positive proposals on the opportunities and gains of independence in the autumn. Material on the referendum and the Scottish Government’s proposals for an independent Scotland can be found at:…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that independence would have on the protection afforded to air links between Scotland and England under EU law.

Answer · Keith Brown: There will be no threat to these links from independence. The Scottish Government would still have the ability to promote public service obligations on those routes considered to be of particular economic importance and control of air passenger duty would ena…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that independence would have on plans for high-speed rail services between London and Scotland and the associated cost to Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: There are currently no committed plans to extend high speed rail to Scotland, despite a proposed £43 billion investment to connect London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, and deliver economic benefits to those cities.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what body would be responsible for the franchising and running of cross-border rail services if Scotland became independent.

Answer · Keith Brown: Both the UK and Scottish Governments would continue to be responsible for ensuring provision of cross-border services.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of independence on cross-border sleeper services that are subsidised by the UK Government and the Scottish Government.

Answer · Keith Brown: There will be no impact on cross border sleeper services. There are no cross-border sleeper services subsidised by the UK Government. The Scottish Government is responsible for letting, managing and providing on-going funding for the Caledonian Sleeper franch…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of independence on cross-border subsidy for loss-making railway services.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scotland will remain an integral part of the rail network in the British Isles. With the exception of the Caledonian Sleepers, cross border rail services are currently let by the UK Government and the Scottish Ministers are limited to providing advice on the …

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of independence on future Network Rail investment, given that it borrows against its asset base.

Answer · Keith Brown: Network Rail is a private company. The Scottish Government already specifies and funds Network Rail’s operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the rail infrastructure in Scotland. Last year we set out an ambitious programme of investment for Scotlan…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent Scotland would take over the proportion of Network Rail debt and interest that can be attributed to the network in Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has always been very clear that it will accept its fair share of both assets and liabilities following a vote for independence.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what would operate in place of the Office of Rail Regulation in an independent Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: These functions are currently reserved, and on independence would become the responsibility of the Parliament and Government of an independent Scotland. In delivering these functions, an independent Scotland would ensure continuity of services including trans…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the implications of independence for duty free trading at airports.

Answer · John Swinney: An independent Scotland will continue to operate within the common custom union of the EU.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the implications of independence for air traffic control.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish independence would have no effect on air traffic control operations. Scotland would meet its international obligations.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how any aviation regulator in an independent Scotland would be funded.

Answer · Keith Brown: Under the existing model, the CAA’s costs are met by those who it regulates. The Scottish Government would see this as the basis for resourcing civil aviation regulation after independence.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent Scotland would have its own aviation regulator and, if so, what assessment it has made of any gaps in skills, expertise and knowledge to staff such a body.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-16363 on 30 August 2013. 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…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what would operate in place of the Civil Aviation Authority in an independent Scotland.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how Scotland becoming independent would affect a Scottish city's status as UK City of culture.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government would be delighted if the decision reached in November 2013 is for Dundee to become the UK City of Culture 2017, as we recognise the significant contribution Dundee makes to Scotland’s rich cultural life and economy. Such commitment an…

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how an independent Scotland's (a) advertising and (b) media regulator would be funded.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-16357 and S4W-16359 on 30 August 2013. 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/…