Parliamentary questions
Dean Lockhart
573 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution on 12 September 2017 (Official Report, c.49), when it will make an announcement regarding its response to the Barclay review's recommendation regarding reforming the relief available to sports clubs.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Following further engagement with the sectors, our response will be available by the end of the year.
19 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what resources it will contribute towards the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Deal, and when it expects the negotiations regarding the deal to conclude.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Tripartite discussions on the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal between the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the regional partners began earlier this year. We are currently working closely with the partners to understand their ambitio…
14 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the budget is for the Scottish Development International (a) London, (b) Berlin, (c) Paris, (d) Brazil, (e) Denmark and (f) Dusseldorf hub.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government innovation and investment hubs in London and Dublin are supported from a budget of £4m for 2017-18 which also supports the expansion of SDI staff footprint in Europe. Proposed hubs in Berlin and Paris will also be supported from this b…
14 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are employed by Scottish Development International at its (a) London, (b) Berlin, (c) Paris, (d) Brazil, (e) Denmark and (f) Dusseldorf hub.
Answer · Keith Brown: Please see information as at 31 March 2017 relating to staff employed by SDI at the referenced locations in the following table. Hub Total London Innovation and Investment Hub 10 Germany – Berlin – No personnel have yet been recruited for Berlin n/…
14 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much inward investment has been recorded by Scottish Development International in each of the last four years, broken down by sector.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10471 on 25 August 2017. 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/parliamentaryb…
13 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the finance secretary’s statement on the Barclay Review of Non-domestic Rates on 12 September 2017 (Official Report, c.49), how it defines "affordable" in relation to removing the large business supplement as recommended by the review.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-11277 on 22 September 2017. 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/parliamentarybusine…
13 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the finance secretary’s statement on the Barclay Review of Non-domestic Rates on 12 September 2017 (Official Report, c.49), when it will respond to the review recommendation on charitable rates relief.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Following further engagement with the sectors, our response will be available by the end of the year.
13 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the finance secretary’s statement on the Barclay Review of Non-domestic Rates on 12 September 2017 (Official Report, c.49), whether the additional cap of 12.5% is cumulative, resulting in a 23.4% cap for 2018, or whether the cap will remain at 12.5% next year.
Answer · Derek Mackay: There will be an additional 12.5 per cent real-terms cap on increases from 2017-18 to 2018-19 in rates bills for eligible properties .
13 Sep 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the finance secretary’s statement on the Barclay Review of Non-domestic Rates on 12 September 2017 (Official Report, c.49), what its definition is of "the largest hospitality properties" that will not be subject to the 12.5% cap.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Full details will be available when the necessary legislation is laid before parliament.
30 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on broadening the criteria used to agree suitable locations for fixed speed cameras.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: There are no plans to change the current site selection requirements for safety cameras in Scotland. These were included in the 2013-2014 Review of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme, the outcome of which has delivered lasting improvements, maximising the…
24 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations or businesses have received assistance from the Scottish Growth Scheme to date.
Answer · Derek Mackay: No organisations or businesses have received assistance from the Scottish Growth Scheme to date. When the Scottish Growth Scheme was announced, it was clearly indicated that work would be undertaken to develop and design it, working with financial institution…
23 Aug 2017 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for what reason MSP staff, as building users, are not included in the text messaging alert system, given that their employer may be unable to communicate to them important messages that affect all building users.
Answer · Liam McArthur: The alert messaging system draws on contact detail information entered by staff to the Parliament’s self-service payslip portal, eHR, which feeds into the payroll system. In the past the view was taken that the comparatively high level in Members’ staff turno…
23 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations in the report, A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People, when it last received an update from local authorities regarding the setting of realistic targets for the delivery of wheelchair-accessible housing.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People was published in December 2016. We do not anticipate receiving data from local authorities until, at least, one full reporting year has elapsed.
23 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making toward its commitments regarding regulations for adaptations to accessible housing.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Whilst the Scottish Government has not committed to drafting new regulations for adaptations, we are working with health and social care partnerships, disabled people, local authorities and the housing sector to take forward the recommendations of the adaptat…
23 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports local authorities to maximise usage of accessible housing stock.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Social landlords, including local authorities, are responsible for the allocation and management of their social housing stock. The Scottish Government’s guidance Social Housing Allocations: A Practice Guide advises landlords on the flexibility they have to e…
23 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it carries out with with local authorities in the Mid-Scotland and Fife parliamentary region to ensure that realistic targets are set in their respective housing strategies regarding the delivery of wheelchair-accessible housing.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Within our disability delivery plan. A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People (published in December 2016) we have committed to working with local authorities, disabled people, and other stakeholders to ensure that each local authority sets a realistic target wi…
23 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of disabled people’s organisations and what was discussed.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Ministers and officials meet regularly with a broad range of disabled people's organisations. I met with the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Commission for Learning Disabilities on 29 August to discuss the role of the Commission in …
23 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carries out with (a) health and social care partnerships, (b) disabled people and (c) the housing sector in the Mid Scotland and Fife parliamentary region regarding the development of guidance for (i) local authorities, (ii) housing associations and (iii) other housing p…
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Following the recommendations of the independent Adaptations Working Group on improving the delivery and funding of adaptations, five Adapting for Change demonstration sites, including Fife, were established across the country to pilot new approaches. An inde…
23 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it provides to ensure that (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) other housing providers meet the timescales for installing disability-appropriate adaptions that are required to be made to properties.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Following the introduction of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) Act 2014, local authorities are required to delegate adaptations functions and budgets to local health and social care partnerships. Funding for adaptations for owner occupied and privately rent…
16 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it was provided with the regional labour market statistics for the period March to May 2017, which were published on 12 July 2017.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government was provided with the regional labour market statistics for the period March to May 2017, at the time they were published by the Office for National Statistics at 09.30 on 12 July 2017.
16 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10361 by Keith Brown on 9 August 2017, what resources it has committed to Scottish Development International’s High Growth Market Unit since May 2016, broken down by (a) individual project delivery costs, (b) staff costs and (c) other expenditure.
Answer · Keith Brown: The breakdown of resources committed to Scottish International’s High Growth Markey Unit since May 2016 are as follows: a) Project Delivery: £145,000 b) Staff Costs: £256,490 c) Other Expenditure: £0
1 Aug 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10296 by Jamie Hepburn on 31 July 2017, when it will publish a full response regarding the impact on Scotland of the report, Good work: the Taylor review of modern working practices, and for what reason it did not provide such a response in its answ…
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We will publish our response in due course.
27 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board has been given in each of the last five years to reduce waiting times for paediatric care.
Answer · Shona Robison: The specific information requested is not available centrally. The Scottish Government continues to support health boards to plan and provide paediatric services to meet the needs of its local population. I have already announced in May that an additional £…
27 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines there for dealing with people on waiting lists for treatment when referred between two or more NHS boards, and how (a) it and (b) each NHS board ensures that these people do not face disadvantage.
Answer · Shona Robison: Many patients will be assessed at their local hospital and will then be required to be referred on to a regional or national service for highly specialised care. Once a patient is transferred to a regional or national service the responsibility for the patien…
19 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the (a) quantity, (b) size and (c) location of social housing that meets wheelchair accessibility requirements, and whether it holds this information centrally.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. It is the responsibility of local authorities to determine the appropriate numbers, size and location of social housing required to meet specialist provision in their areas, which includes whe…
19 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist local authorities to ensure that people who require wheelchair accessible social housing are not on waiting lists for a long time.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: It is one of our ambitions that disabled people in Scotland should live life to the full in homes built or adapted to enable them to participate as full and equal citizens. A Fairer Scotland - Our Disability Delivery Plan launched in December 2016 sets out a …
19 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the length of time that wheelchair users are on waiting lists for social housing.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with local authorities regarding the length of time that wheelchair users are on waiting lists for social housing. Local authorities and registered social landlords have responsibility for the allocation and mana…
19 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that there is an adequate supply of social housing suitable for wheelchair users.
Answer · Shona Robison: It is the responsibility of local authorities to determine the appropriate numbers of social housing required to meet specialist provision in their areas, which includes wheelchair accessible houses, based on guidance issued by the Scottish Government includi…
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions Transport Scotland has had with (a) Network Rail, b) ScotRail and (c) freight companies regarding noise and vibration pollution caused by freight vehicles on the rail network, and whether it has discussed with the UK Government changing the regulations that cover such po…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government attend the UK Noise Policy Working Group which is chaired by Rail Safety And Standards Board (RSSB). Membership is made up from UK and Welsh Governments, DeFRA, Transport for London, Network Rail, representatives of Freight and Passenger o…
17 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whather it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government and local authorities regarding the proposed Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is very supportive of City Deals - cities and their regions are the engines of our economy. SG officials continue to meet and work closely with both Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils to discuss and support their developing proposa…