Jamie Greene

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the proposal for new wind turbines on Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles, as set out at the Scottish Islands Renewables Delivery Forum.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government remains committed to realising the vast renewable resource potential of the Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles. Since 2012 we have worked closely with the UK Government, Islands councils, wind developers, SSE and Ofgem to address t…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide impoverished communities with digital skills and learning.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all of Scotland have the opportunity and ability to access the benefits that the digital world brings. In the last ten years the percentage of Scottish Households who have internet access has increased fro…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the public cost is of the Snapchat geofilter created by the Electoral Commission to promote local government elections.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I have been informed by the Electoral Commission that there was no cost in creating the Snapchat geofilter, other than staff time.

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce loneliness.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Addressing social isolation and loneliness is key to improving wellbeing and supporting people to participate in their community. That is why we created a £500,000 Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund (2016-17) to support 36 community-based projects tackling …

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, in the 20 weeks following the EU referendum, ministers held 80 meetings in Europe, and how much these meetings cost.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: On 28 June 2016, the Scottish Parliament agreed by an overwhelming majority that the Scottish Government should engage with European Governments and institutions in order to raise awareness of how Scotland voted in the EU referendum and the steps being taken …

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what e-government developments it plans to introduce before January 2018.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has recently published its refreshed digital strategy, setting out its long term plans for using digital technology to transform ways of working across Government and the wider public sector. Before January 2018, the Scottish Governme…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on petition PE1650, which calls for postgraduate degree funding to be introduced for people who have studied for an undergraduate degree in Scotland but are ordinarily resident elsewhere in the rest of the UK.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is aware of this petition, which has not yet been considered by the Public Petitions Committee. We will respond when further information is requested by the committee.

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve economic growth.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is taking a range of actions to improve Scotland’s economic performance over the long term, in keeping with the priorities set out in Scotland’s Economic Strategy (SES). We are supporting investment through our £6 billion infrastructu…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to green energy entrepreneurs.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government is committed, alongside public, private and third sector partners, to realise the potential of our people and see Scotland become a world-leading entrepreneurial nation through the Scotland CAN DO approach. Through our enterprise agen…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to the CodeClan initiative.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: CodeClan has received over £2 million in public sector support to date, to help offset its start-up and initial operating costs.

6 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Moody’s recent claim that an independent Scotland could face "junk" status.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The recent claim is based on an opinion rather than an official credit rating. There has been no official update to the May 2014 report issued by the rating agency Moody’s which concluded that an independent Scotland would hold an investment grade rating.

6 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost was of the First Minister’s trip to the United States in April 2017.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx. Final costs for the visit are not yet available. They will be proactively published on the Scottish Government's website.

6 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures suggesting that, in the last quarter, Scotland's economy contracted by 0.2% compared with the UK figure of 0.7% growth, and that construction output contracted by 0.9%, and, in light of this, whether it will bring forward a proposal for a parliamentary deb…

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish economy grew by 0.4% in 2016 despite the continued challenges posed by the slowdown in the oil and gas sector, but contracted by 0.2% in the fourth quarter reflecting, in part, lower consumer confidence in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK,…

27 Mar 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether Police Scotland plans to increase the number of armed officers.

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who is accountable for its IT (a) investment, (b) infrastructure, (c) tender processes, (d) procurement and (e) project management, and who audits this.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government’s IT Investment Board oversee alignment, assurance and support for the deployment of information systems, and the wider use of information technologies, across the Scottish Government. The board, chaired by the Director Digital and com…

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can offer to owners of Band E properties and above who are concerned about increases to council tax charges in 2017-18.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Legislation approved by Parliament last Autumn will mean up to 54,000 low income households living in properties in Bands E to H will be entitled to a council tax reduction equal to the increased charge arising from the way council tax is calculated on such h…

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of all costs associated with the consultation regarding the proposal to move the Arran ferry's home port.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The report commissioned from Peter Brett Associates cost £45,925 plus VAT as indicated in the response to S5W-07951 on 21 March 2017. No breakdown of that cost is held. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website…

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the aim is of its Digital Directorate; what the directorate's budget is; how many staff it employs and what the annual staffing cost is, and what information it can provide regarding its (a) structure, (b) governance and (c) chain of accountability.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The role of the Digital Directorate within the Scottish Government is to lead the development and oversee the delivery of Scotland’s digital strategy. This includes responsibility for operating the corporate ICT systems of the Scottish Government, working wit…

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that elections in Scotland are not subject to cyber-crime or outside interference.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: There is no evidence that elections in Scotland have been subject to outside interference, either by electronic or other means. The security of elections is a matter for returning officers and electoral registration officers in consultation with Police Scotl…

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for developing its strategy on the use of public data, including the use of so-called big-data.

Answer · Derek Mackay: I am responsible for policy around digital and data. The recently published Digital Strategy “Realising Scotland's full potential in a digital world” laid out the Government’s approach on the use of public data and big data. Delivering these elements of the s…

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in North Ayrshire will be taken out of the Small Business Bonus Scheme following the business rates revaluation.

Answer · Derek Mackay: It is estimated that there are around 89 properties in North Ayrshire who have a rateable value below £18,000 in 2016-17 and will have a rateable value above £18,000 in 2017-18, but it is not possible to confirm how many of these properties are eligible for o…

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on sending an official or minister to future meetings of the cross-party group on LGBTI+ issues to participate in the group's discussions.

Answer · Angela Constance: Scottish Government ministers or officials would welcome the opportunity to be involved in the cross-party group on LGBTI+ issues and to participate in discussions as appropriate.

23 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support West Kilbride surgery, in light of news that two of its four GPs will leave the practice.

Answer · Shona Robison: Since experiencing recruitment difficulties in replacing GPs, NHS Ayrshire & Arran and North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership have been working closely with the West Kilbride Medical Practice to support them in stabilising the Practice. This suppor…

21 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact would be on the economy of a second independence referendum campaign.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government believes the people of Scotland should be given the right to choose their own future. A choice between the hard Brexit being advocated by the UK Government, and the risk we know that this poses to our economy of around £11 billion a ye…

16 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what account it takes of the outcome of votes on Parliament debates.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government will always give careful consideration to the views and decisions of Parliament, in whatever form they are expressed. When Parliament gives its consent to a motion which invites the Government to consider a specific course of action, t…

16 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what status it takes of the impact of (a) online trading, (b) virtual businesses and (c) businesses that sell intangible products when reviewing business rates, bands and caps.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has commissioned an external review of business rates, chaired by Ken Barclay, to consider any potential areas of future reform for the business rates system in Scotland.

16 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of homes with dampness.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There is a statutory minimum tolerable standard for all housing which includes that homes must be substantially free from rising damp or penetrating damp. Local authorities have a statutory duty to address housing which falls below the tolerable standard. Sec…

16 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00632 by Keith Brown on 28 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 5) and the vote in the Parliament on motion S5M-03438, what plans it has to review its decision to abolish the board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Answer · Keith Brown: In my statement that I made to parliament yesterday I confirmed that that the board of HIE and the other agencies will remain. As I have previously promised, HIE will continue to be locally-based, managed and directed, and the new arrangements will protect …

16 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07923 by Humza Yousaf on 23 February 2017, whether it has received the STAG report and, if so, whether it can confirm on what date it will announce its decision on the Arran ferry route proposals.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The report by Peter Brett Associates was published on the Transport Scotland website on 20 March 2017. The port operators and Councils have been invited to make comments on the report by 3 April 2017.   The final decision on the future of the service wi…

16 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to help people from islands meet transport costs when attending NHS appointments on the mainland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme reimburses reasonable travel costs for all patients in the Highlands and Islands area that are required to travel 30 miles or more to a hospital for treatment, less the first £10, with the exception of those in …