Parliamentary questions
Andy Wightman
202 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many valid claims under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme on the basis of having submitted an environmental assessment were made in each local authority area, broken down by the (a) name and location of the landholding, (b) extent in hectares of the claim and (c) amount (i) claimed and (…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Further details will be released in due course. The following table provides an interim summary at 26 September, showing the number of locations by local authority area with estimated eligible areas and resulting BPS payments. Local Authority Number of loc…
30 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish or make available the 2015 environmental assessment submitted to it by the Invermark Estate in Angus as part of the Basic Payment Scheme.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02241 on 23 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusin…
30 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish or make available the annual environmental assessments submitted to it as part of the Basic Payment Scheme.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government will consider the practicalities, including the cost, and the Data Protection Act implications of making these assessments more readily available in due course.
30 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 27 January 2016, Common Land to be reviewed, what progress it is making with the review of the Division of Commonties Act 1695, and what discussions it has had with the Scottish Law Commission regarding the matter.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Following a request by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Law Commission has agreed to consider the Division of Commonties Act 1695 as part of its next tranche of statute law repeals work. General information on the statute law repeals work is on the Commi…
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether condition management support for people with health conditions will be part of its employability programmes.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government recognises that many of those who want to work – including those claiming Jobseekers Allowance as well as those receiving Employment Support Allowance - suffer from long lasting health conditions. To be able to enter and sustain work, …
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is considering in relation to its employability programmes to avoid the so-called parking of participants with high support needs.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Evidence from the Work Programme, and to a lesser extent Work Choice, shows that those further from the labour market have not been adequately supported to help enter work. A National Audit Office report on The Work Programme published in July 2014 (https://w…
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its employability programmes will have defined minimum services standards.
Answer · Keith Brown: Yes. From April 2017, Scottish Government’s transitional employability services will have clear levels of the service to be provided for each customer. These will be detailed within the statement of requirement documents that will be issued within the tender …
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role it anticipates not-for-profit and social enterprise service providers having in the delivery of its employability programmes.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is aware that social enterprises, the third sector, SME business and other partners make a significant contribution to their communities and the economy by supporting people into work – either as employers in their own right or as prov…
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether supported employment approaches will be part of its employability programmes.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government recognises the benefits of the Supported Employment Framework in enabling disabled people enter paid employment. Since launching A Working Life for All Disabled People: the Scottish Framework for Supported Employment (http://www.gov.sc…
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering "distance travelled" systems of performance management, in which intermediate steps to employment are recognised in paying providers and assessing success, in relation to its employability programmes.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The option of measuring distance travelled for customers accessing the new services was a feature of the 2015 consultation. For the transition services in 2017-2018, we will ask providers to gather and share collated and anonymised customer data on distance…
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Individual Placement and Support will be part of its employability programmes to help people with mental health conditions into lasting employment.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: It is important we consider all options for new services which might help people with mental health conditions into work. Scottish Government officials are meeting with mental health employment support providers to learn more about delivery of Individual Plac…
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what international best practice in helping disabled people and people with health conditions into work it is examining in advance of assuming responsibility for employability support programmes.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: In 2015, the Scottish Government carried out a consultation on future devolved employment support and in March 2016, we published our response to that consultation - A New Future for Employability Support in Scotland (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/03/…
6 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is evaluating the success of the Work Choice programme in advance of assuming responsibility for employability support programmes.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: In addition to examining all available literature on Work Choice, the Scottish Government has had a series of meetings with DWP and current providers, including sub-contractors, to gain a clear understanding of the current service, its cost and its efficacy. …
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the guidance in A National Approach to Anti-Bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People to independent schools.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government takes bullying very seriously. Bullying of any kind, is unacceptable and must be addressed whenever it arises. We want all children and young people to be free from discrimination, so that they can learn and reach their full potential…
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with HMRC regarding assigning a portion of income tax receipts to local authorities.
Answer · Derek Mackay: We will formally seek to consult local authorities on devolving a share of income tax to councils in due course and will engage with HMRC as appropriate to support this process.
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost will be of the non-domestic rates relief granted through the small business bonus scheme from 2008-09 to 2020-21.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00988 on 12 July 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the small business bonus scheme has cost in each year since 2008-09, and what its position is on whether this represents value for money for public funds.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00988 on 12 July 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the economic impact of the small business bonus scheme, including whether the scheme has provided small businesses in Scotland with any competitive advantage over their counterparts in the rest of the UK.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Audited and projected estimated figures of the cost of the small business bonus scheme from 2008-09 to 2016-17 are shown in the following table. Estimates for future years are subject to final decisions and the impact of the 2017 revaluation and cannot be acc…
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to implement the recommendations made in March 2003 by the Scottish Law Commission in its paper, Report on Law of the Foreshore and Sea Bed.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has no current plans to implement this report by the Scottish Law Commission.
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take action to ensure that the valuation of domestic dwellings for the purposes of liability for council tax is updated to reflect the current market value of dwellings rather than the value at 1 April 1991.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not have such plans. Revaluation of properties for council tax purposes would potentially impose major changes to individuals’ council tax liabilities.
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the review of non-domestic rates that was announced by the First Minister on 18 March 2016 will include experts in land and property taxation.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00984 on 12 July 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…
21 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) remit, (b) terms of reference, (c) membership and (d) timetable is of the review of non-domestic rates that was announced by the First Minister on 18 March 2016.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The remit of the business rates review group is to explore ideas and options to improve the business rates system in Scotland to better support business growth that consider how the system can respond to wider economic conditions and changing marketplaces; su…