Parliamentary questions
Willie Rennie
1,353 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its position on air passenger duty was not included in oral evidence given to the European and External Relations Committee on 16 May 2013 by the Minister for External Affairs and International Development when he was explaining the delay in establishing a direct air rout…
Answer · Keith Brown: The Minister for External Affairs and International Development answered the questions asked by the Committee members. In relation to a direct air service, the Minister was asked what was being done to support the establishment of a direct link to China and t…
4 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15756 by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 July 2013, which expert groups are contributing material to its white paper on independence, but whose final reports are not expected to be completed until after the scheduled publication of the white paper.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-16243 on 16 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…
4 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15756 by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 July 2013, whether it has considered delaying publication of its white paper on independence until after the final welfare proposals are received from the Expert Working Group on Welfare in 2014.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-16243 on 16 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…
4 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15756 by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 July 2013, whether it plans to revise its white paper on independence once final welfare proposals from the Expert Working Group on Welfare are received in 2014.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As I said in my previous answer, the White Paper will set out the gains for people, families and communities when decisions about Scotland are made in Scotland rather than by politicians at Westminster. The White Paper will be fully informed by relevant work…
3 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will make a decision regarding the application by Grundon Waste Management to build an industrial incinerator in Perth, now that it has received recommendations from its reporter.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Ministers are currently considering the proposal. It is their intention to handle the case within the performance targets set of issuing their decision within two months of receiving the Reporter’s report, in 80% of cases, and within three months in …
3 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-06902 by Richard Lochhead on 9 May 2012, what consideration it has given to animal welfare issues relating to the use of wild animals in circuses.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government take the welfare of animals very seriously and Scotland has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. We are looking at the issues around a possible ban in Scotland and plan to consult shortly. The Scottish Government…
3 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government about extending the scope of the UK Government’s planned legislation to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses to include Scotland.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is investigating the legislative options, including the possibility of participating in a UK bill, should it be decided, following a consultation process that a ban would be appropriate.
3 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will bring forward legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is looking at the complex legal issues surrounding a possible ban in Scotland and expects to consult on this issue soon to gauge the views of the public on this subject.
17 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when (a) its officials and (b) the Cabinet Secretary for Justice became aware of the date that the interim chief executive officer of the Scottish Police Authority will leave the organisation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15778 on 15 July 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/Apps2/Business/…
17 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when (a) its officials and (b) the Cabinet Secretary for Justice became aware that the interim chief executive officer of the Scottish Police Authority would announce to staff on 11 June 2013 that she had resigned.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The interim chief executive of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has not resigned. The SPA advised the Scottish Government on 11 June 2013 that the interim chief executive would be informing her staff that she would be not be applying for the permanent chi…
17 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when (a) its officials and (b) the Cabinet Secretary for Justice became aware that the interim chief executive officer (CEO) of the Scottish Police Authority had chosen (i) not to be considered for the permanent CEO vacancy and (ii) to resign from the organisation.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government and the Cabinet Secretary have been aware for some months that the Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) did not intend to apply for the position on a permanent basis and that she would step down in September 2…
17 Jun 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the tweet by the Minister for External Affairs and International Development on 13 June 2013 that “While welcoming UK hosted "Nutrition for Growth" summit is vital we ask critical/probing questions on how UK does aid” whether it will (a) confirm its position on this matter and…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Analyses of UK aid policy are available from a variety of sources, including for example the Organisation for Economic Development - Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) peer reviews and the work of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI). The…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the tweet by the Minister for External Affairs and International Development on 10 June 2013 that “International development based on justice rather than charity could create lasting progress in developing world”, whether it will (a) confirm its position on this matter and (b)…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The conceptualisation of international development as a question of justice rather than charity is based on an understanding of the negative impacts of particular global economic and financial policies on the world’s poorest nations and people. Examples inclu…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15210 by Humza Yousaf on 10 June 2013, whether it will set out its understanding of the identification document requirements for visitors travelling from Scotland to Ireland by (a) air and (b) ferry.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Home Office website states that within the Common Travel Area (CTA) “passengers are not required to carry a passport or national identity document for immigration purposes”. Further information can be found on the Home Office website: http://www.ukba.ho…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its white paper on independence will include indicative costings for policy options that it is promoting.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15756 on 1 July 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/parliamentarybus…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its statement in paragraph 30 of the Scottish Government’s Initial Response to Expert Working Group on Welfare Report that final welfare proposals will not be published until 2014, whether there are other areas of policy that will not be included in its white paper on indepen…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15756 on 1 July 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/parliamentarybus…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its statement in paragraph 30 of the Scottish Government’s Initial Response to Expert Working Group on Welfare Report that final welfare proposals will not be published until 2014, whether an indicative amount for increased welfare spending will be included in its white paper…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15756 on 1 July 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/parliamentarybus…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its statement in paragraph 30 of the Scottish Government’s initial response to Expert Working Group on Welfare Report that final welfare proposals will not be published until 2014, whether this means that welfare policies will not be included in its white paper on independenc…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government will publish a detailed white paper with positive proposals that will illustrate the gains of independence in the autumn.
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the results of its modelling work on a reduction in corporation tax of 3% on the same basis as Figure 4.2 in the Economic Advisory Group report, The Impact of Reducing Corporation Tax on the Northern Ireland Economy, which was cited as a source in its paper, Devol…
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15749 on 5 July 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/parliamentarybus…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15478 by John Swinney on 12 June 2013, for what reason its analysis on page 11 of the publication, The Impact of a Reduction in Corporation Tax on the Scottish Economy, does not set out the "immediate negative impact on the revenues collected by tha…
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government report, The Impact of a Reduction in Corporation Tax on the Scottish Economy provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of cutting corporation tax and focuses on the impacts on key economic variables, such as output, empl…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15478 by John Swinney on 12 June 2013, whether the simulation model used in its publication, The Impact of a Reduction in Corporation Tax on the Scottish Economy, has an output indicator of the change to government revenues arising from policy chang…
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15749 on 5 July 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/parliamentarybus…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15478 by John Swinney on 12 June 2013, for what reason the answer did not include a chart showing the loss of government revenues arising from a reduction of 3% in corporation tax in a similar format to the charts contained in its publication, The I…
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15749 on 5 July 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/parliamentarybus…
14 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15478 by John Swinney on 12 June 2013, whether the information needed to produce a chart of the loss of government revenues resulting from a reduction of 3% in corporation tax over a 50-year period can be obtained from the simulation model used to c…
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15749 on 5 July 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/parliamentarybus…
10 Jun 2013 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.
6 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the remarks by the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs on 5 June 2013 that “I don’t need or want the culture or heritage sector to make a new economic or social case to justify public support for their work” and “we want to see cultural and creati…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Yes. The comments in question absolutely reflect a consistent approach to culture and to the economy. As I stated, our public support for the work of the culture and heritage sectors is not dependent on them making any new economic or social arguments for the…
6 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce whether it plans to introduce legislation for a charge for single-use carrier bags.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15445 on 17 June 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/parliamentarybu…
6 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the (a) responses to and (b) analysis of the responses to its Safeguarding Scotland’s Resources consultation.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15445 on 17 June 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/parliamentarybu…
4 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update the £384.7 million figure for a loss in revenues caused by a 3% reduction in corporation tax shown at table 2 of appendix A of its paper, The Impact of a Reduction in Corporation Tax on the Scottish Economy.
Answer · John Swinney: The following answer was corrected on 25 June 2013 The paper referred to in the question outlines the impacts of a policy equivalent to a 3 percentage point reduction in the main rate of corporation tax from 23 per cent. The £384.7 million figure referre…
4 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the impact on its revenues would be of a 3% reduction in corporation tax, and whether it will publish this information in the same format and over the same time period shown for capital stock and GDP in its paper, The Impact of a Reduction in Corporation Tax on the Scottish Economy.…
Answer · John Swinney: The impacts of a policy equivalent to a 3 percentage point reduction in the main rate of corporation tax from 23 per cent are set out in the paper referred to in the question on pages 3 and 11. These findings must be seen in the context of Scotland’s stronge…