Tom Mason

22 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to alleviate the reported shortage of teachers.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government continues to provide an additional £88 million to support teacher numbers and has undertaken a range of initiatives including the Teaching makes People Campaign, and the offer of STEM bursaries to attract career changers into priority …

22 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it did not reach its target of ranking among the top quartile of OECD countries for productivity by 2017.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Data pertaining to Scotland’s performance relative to comparator OECD countries will be released on 6 th February 2018. Between 2007 and 2017, Scotland’s productivity has increased by 5.7% in total, or 0.6% per year on average. This compares to a UK increase…

22 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to FSB Scotland's call for all school pupils to receive enterprise education, and what its position is on whether teacher numbers are sufficient to deliver this.

Answer · John Swinney: We recognise enterprise and entrepreneurship education as being key to future economic growth. Enterprise and employability skills are embedded within Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) and are referenced in the core curriculum document “Building the Curriculum …

22 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to FSB Scotland's comment that the economy would be £13 billion bigger if the number of women-led businesses matched those led by men.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling the gender gap in enterprise through supporting the Scottish Framework and Action Plan for Women in Enterprise, and welcomes FSB Scotland’s contribution to the literature on the role of women-led businesses in …

22 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Business Enterprise Research and Development analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute, which recorded that 71% of R&D expenditure in 2017 took place in the West Lothian, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow local authority areas.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government welcomes the Fraser of Allander Institute analysis which highlights the continuing improvement in Scotland’s business research and development (BERD) performance including the fact that at £1.25bn, BERD expenditure is at an all-time hi…

22 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the level of people who say that they are very or fairly satisfied with the quality of local schools has fallen from 85% in 2011 to 70% in 2017.

Answer · John Swinney: The figures quoted are from the National Household Survey. However the same survey also reports that 87% of adults who have used schools i.e. those who have children in school, were very or fairly satisfied with the quality of local schools in 2017. This sati…

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason statistics released by ISD record the NHS Grampian area as having the second highest number of adult mental health delayed discharges.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The annual Delayed Discharge census, published on 11 September 2018 shows that NHS Grampian recorded 8,600 bed days lost to delays in Mental Health specialties , putting them 5th highest of any Health Board in Scotland. The three Health and Social Care Partn…

10 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20623 by Michael Matheson on 10 January 2019, on what date the impact study was completed; what subsequent work was carried out to update these figures to reflect changes in economic circumstances, and when this was completed.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Economic Activity and Location Impact study was published in 2008. Investments such as the AWPR/B-T project are vitally important to the regional economy which has been impacted in recent years from the challenges facing the oil and gas industry. While n…

14 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the transport secretary on the Transport Scotland website that the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) will unlock £6 billion for the north east economy and create 14,000 jobs over a 30-year period, what research it has undertaken on this; how these figu…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The estimates of future economic and employment benefits that would arise from the opening of the AWPR are taken from the findings of an Economic Activity and Location Impact study carried out by economists when proposals were being developed for the project.…

20 Nov 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 13 locations in Aberdeen have illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution.

6 Nov 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when recommendations will be published for the location of the three national neonatal intensive care units outlined in the five-year plan in the 2017 report, The Best Start.

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18752 by Kate Forbes on 5 October 2018, whether the assertion that “Scotland does provide the most competitive non-domestic rates relief package available anywhere in the UK” is based on evidence supplied by any independent institution and, if so, w…

Answer · Kate Forbes: Analysis based on the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission's forecasts, on data provided by local government, and on official statistics published by the UK Government's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, shows that the Scottish Governme…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18750 by Derek Mackay on 2 October 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding its position on whether there will be an overall loss in income tax revenue when considering tax motivated incorporations, behavioural effe…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) is responsible for producing economic and tax revenue forecasts for Scotland. Although it expects behavioural effects to reduce the yield from our 2018-19 income tax policy by £0.3 billion, its forecasts show that it expec…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18746 by Kate Forbes on 5 October 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding the number of businesses that have welcomed the Large Business Supplement being twice that in England.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is doing all it can to support the Scottish economy, including maintaining a competitive non-domestic rates regime for businesses in Scotland. We have taken the decision to prioritise small businesses and seek a balance between having…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18750 by Derek Mackay on 2 October 2018, in light of concerns that the data regarding taxpayer numbers that it used to underpin its income tax policy is now out-of-date, following it being updated by the Scottish Fiscal Commission, whether it will r…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government’s proposals for rates and bands for Scottish Income Tax in 2019-20 will be published in the Draft Budget on ?12 December 2018. These proposals will be informed by an updated set of forecasts by the independent Scottish Fiscal Commissio…

17 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17428 by Derek Mackay on 16 July 2018, what its position is on borrowing less than the maximum level of available of capital borrowing in its post 2019-20 budgets over a shorter repayment period to free up borrowing space.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Decisions on future borrowing levels will be taken as part of the 2019-20 budget and subsequent budget processes.

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations in the paper, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, what contingency plans it has in place in the event of any closures of neonatal care centres in NHS Grampian.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As outlined in S5W-19431 on 22 November 2018 the options appraisal process is still underway and therefore no decision has been made on where the neonatal intensive care units will be located. No neonatal units will be closed. All answers to written parliame…

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the NHS Grampian area could face increased travel times to neonatal care centres if the recommendations in the paper, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, are enacted.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As outlined in the answer to question S5W-19431 on 22 November 2018 the options appraisal is still underway and therefore no decision has been made on where the neonatal intensive care units will be located. All answers to written parliamentary questions are …

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18959 by Jeane Freeman on 2 October 2018, what impact a reduction in the number of neonatal care centres in NHS Grampian, as recommended in the paper, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, could have o…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: No neonatal units will close as a result of The Best Start recommendations for neonatal intensive care and the Best Start does not recommend a reduction in the number of neonatal care centres in NHS Grampian. It recommends a reprofiling of neonatal intensive …

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations set out in the paper, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, by what date the Implementation Programme Board will conclude its options appraisal of neonatal intensive care.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The options appraisal process is still underway and is moving into a testing phase shortly, after which the Programme Board will make its recommendations to me. No date has yet been set for this.

20 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the distance and time travelled by babies born prematurely to treatment centres is key to positive healthcare outcomes.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In every case where a baby, or any patient has to be transferred to access specialist care it is important that they are transferred safely and timeously, with best available clinical advice and support. To support the model of neonatal care in Scotland, we h…

20 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of National Records of Scotland figures stating that NHS Grampian serves an estimated 600,000 people, what its position is on the importance of there being a neonatal intensive care unit that is readily accessible in the local area.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: It is important that every part of Scotland has access to high quality neonatal care, including neonatal intensive care. The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care described a new model of neonatal care for Scotland, which keeps …

20 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the distance between the NHS Grampian area and the central belt is an acceptable distance for babies born prematurely to travel for neonatal intensive care.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: There will always be a need for some babies to travel to access highly specialised neonatal care. In cases where the need for this specialist neonatal care can be anticipated before birth, maternity professionals will plan, as far as possible, for the mother …

20 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recommendation in the report, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, which was published in January 2017, to reduce the number of neonatal intensive care units from eight to three.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Minister for Public Health and Sport welcomed all of the recommendations in The Best Start report in a statement to Parliament in February 2017, and at the same time announced the creation of an Implementation Programme Board for the Best Start recommenda…

18 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of short-term lets on tourism levels in Aberdeen and other local authority areas.

11 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17540 by Derek Mackay on 17 July 2018, how many businesses have welcomed the Large Business Supplement being twice that in England.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18752 on 5 October 2018. 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…

11 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17419 by Derek Mackay on 16 July 2018, what its position is on whether its policy to increase income tax levels for people earning over £26,000 compared with people in the rest of the UK, holding other factors constant, will widen or narrow the gap …

Answer · Derek Mackay: Our income tax policy ensures that for the majority of income tax payers - those earning less than £26,000 - Scotland is the lowest taxed part of the UK. The latest statistics from ONS show that over the period 2007 – 2017 (the latest available year) Gross H…

11 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17540 by Derek Mackay on 17 July 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding on what basis it claims in Scotland's Fiscal Outlook, The Scottish Government's Five Year Financial Strategy that Scotland has the "most attr…

Answer · Kate Forbes: Scotland does provide the most competitive non-domestic rates reliefs package available anywhere in the UK , worth a record £720 million. This package includes a number of reliefs that are unique in the UK including the Business Growth Accelerator which encou…

11 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-17434 and S5W-17435 by Derek Mackay on 16 July 2018, what its position is on whether (a) the Scottish Fiscal Commission data suggests that behaviour effects and tax motivated incorporations will result in a £0.6 billion loss in revenue over the ne…

Answer · Derek Mackay: Although the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) expects behavioural effects to reduce the yield from our 2018-19 policy by £0.3 billion, their forecasts clearly show that they expect the Scottish Government’s income tax reforms will still deliver an additional …

11 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase population growth, other than through migration.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: More people have moved to Scotland from the rest of the UK than have moved in the other direction for every year since the year to mid-2001. In the past year, net migration from the rest of the UK to Scotland increased from +8,800 in the year to mid-2016 to +…