Tom Mason

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates its policy to increase income tax levels for people earning over £26,000 compared with people in the rest of the UK will widen or narrow the gap between Scotland and the UK’s real household disposable income growth levels.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The latest statistics from ONS show that over the period 2006 – 2016 (the latest available year) Gross Household Disposable Income per person in Scotland has grown at 2.6% a year in current prices, the same as in the UK as a whole. The SFC forecasts for dispo…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the negative real wage growth reported in the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s recent forecast.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As the Scottish Fiscal Commission state in their latest report, the available data shows a “mixed picture” on wage growth in Scotland, with some sources showing earnings growing in real terms, and others showing negative growth. The Scottish Government’s Pub…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether a relatively weak pound over the last two years has been the driving factor in an improved net trade position for Scotland.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Quarterly National Accounts Scotland (published 2 May 2018) shows that during 2017, Scotland’s net trade position improved, driven by a net-trade surplus with the Rest of the World. The net-trade surplus with the Rest of the World was driven by an increase in…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scotland’s real household disposable income growth is reportedly 0.5% behind the UK average.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As highlighted by the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s latest report, the growth rate of Real Disposable Household Income (RDHI) is influenced by a range of macroeconomic trends. In particular differences in population growth rates are an important determinant in…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on it nearing its capital borrowing limit of £3 billion.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that revenue funded investment, including borrowing, is maintained at sustainable levels and as a result future revenue commitments will be kept within a maximum of 5% of available budget limits. When taking ac…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether consumption is the most important component of aggregate demand in Scotland.

Answer · Derek Mackay: In common with many advanced economies, consumption is the largest component of aggregate demand in Scotland. With regard to the Scottish government position on the consumption component of aggregate demand, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-1…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the view that the savings ratio in Scotland cannot continue to decrease anymore and that consumption will need to be boosted by other means.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Fiscal Commission have noted that consumption growth over the recent past has been supported by factors such as households reducing their savings and increasing their borrowing. This has decreased the savings ratio, which the Scottish Fiscal Comm…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether increasing the overall level of taxation in Scotland compared with the rest of the UK will increase Scotland’s productivity growth.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has not increased overall taxation in Scotland compared with the rest of the UK. Those who earn less than £26,000 per annum, who make up 55% of Scottish Income Taxpayers, pay less income tax in Scotland than they would in the rest of t…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address low real wage growth.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Across the UK real wages declined during the global recession as inflation outstripped increases in salaries. Latest official earnings data for April 2017 showed annual growth in average weekly full time earnings was stronger in Scotland than the UK as a whol…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to change Scotland’s industrial and demographic structure, in light of the Scottish Fiscal Commission's view that it has been a long-term driver of weak economic growth.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) identify Scotland’s industrial and demographic structure as a downside risk to growth alongside the UKs changing relationship with the EU, a weakening outlook for global trade and weak demand from activity in the UK Contin…

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the £292.17 million anticipated loss of income tax revenue in the years up to 2023-24 due to behavioural responses to policy changes in the 2018-19 budget is avoidable if taxes are lowered.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government’s 2018-19 income tax reform will - even after behaviour effects - deliver an additional £1.2 billion over the next 5 years to support public services and the economy, as well as making our system fairer and more progressive.

11 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many places have been made available in each college in the North East Scotland parliamentary region in each year since 2005, also broken down by (a) head count of students and (b) local authority area.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The student headcount numbers requested have been provided below. Headcount figures at colleges are not a reliable indicator of college activity. Full-time equivalent (FTE) numbers are a better reflection of college activity and provide a more accurate pictur…

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what interest payments (a) there have been and (b) are due in (i) 2018-19 and (ii) each of the next five years in relation to capital borrowing policy in (A) 2015-16 and (B) 2016-17.

Answer · Derek Mackay: No interest is payable on borrowing undertaken in 2015-16 or 2016-17. This was a notional borrowing arrangement agreed with HM Treasury to meet the budget implications of the classification decision relation to the introduction of ESA 10, which required the c…

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it spent the £450 million of capital borrowing in 2017-18.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government used its capital borrowing powers to support the overall capital programme in 2017-18 including investment in the Forth Replacement Crossing completion, various Trunk Roads Programmes, Northern Isles Ferry vessels, Forth Valley College…

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects to publish its consolidated account of the public sector, and what date range this will cover.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government will publish The Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts for 2017-18 in September 2018. These accounts report the position of the Scottish Government and public bodies within its consolidation boundary, including Health Boards, Execu…

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the value of the Scotland Reserve was in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18, and what is it now.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The closing balance on the Scottish Cash Reserve in 2016-17 was £74.2 million and this amount was transferred to the new Scotland Reserve, effective from 1 April 2017, in full. This amount has been held each month in the Scotland Reserve throughout 2017-18. …

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15712 by Derek Mackay on 17 April 2018, how much underspend from 2017-18 (a) is able to be and (b) was carried forward into 2018-19, and how much can be carried forward into subsequent financial years.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The new Scotland Reserve, effective from 1 April 2017, has an upper limit of £700 million. The opening balance on the Scotland Reserve at 1 April 2017 is £74.2 million and this amount has been held in each month throughout 2017-18. Full details of the 2017-18…

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-13337 and S5W-15569 by Shona Robison on 20 February and 18 April 2018 respectively, what its response is to reports of some NHS boards carrying out priority surgery for one sixth of the year, and what analysis it has made of the impact that this m…

Answer · Shona Robison: It is for Boards to ensure that their local plans enables them to continue to provide safe and effective care for patients. Many Boards increase capacity prior to winter to compensate for a planned reduction in activity over the festive period and into Januar…

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to questions S5W-13337 and S5W-15569 by Shona Robison on 20 February and 18 April 2018 respectively, what discussions it has had with (a) NHS Grampian and (b) other NHS boards regarding the organising and scheduling of hospital admissions during the winter months; …

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has detailed discussions with Boards to help strengthen their winter plans throughout the year. However, the organising and scheduling of admissions is a matter for Boards and many Boards increase capacity prior to winter to compensate…

19 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to questions S5W-13337 and S5W-15569 by Shona Robison on 20 February and 18 April 2018 respectively, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding whether all NHS boards undertake priority surgery for one sixth of the year.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government 'Preparing for Winter' guidance advises NHS Boards to take a balanced approach to the effective planning and scheduling of elective and unscheduled care and to consider the impact that this is likely to have across the wider healthcare…

19 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15569 by Shona Robison on 18 April 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding for what reason, in her response to question S5W-13337 on 20 February 2018, the cabinet secretary provided a month-long holding response an…

Answer · Shona Robison: I always endeavour to be open and transparent in answering parliamentary question however I do receive an exceptionally high volume of questions and on occasion these get delayed. The original question you raised was fully answered in my response of 18 April …

4 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the £450 million in capital borrowing that was announced in its Budget will be (a) allocated and (b) spent.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Final decisions on use of the £450 million of capital borrowing in 2018-19 will be taken over the course of the year reflecting an on-going assessment of programme requirements.

4 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its capital borrowing plans are for each of the next five years.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Draft Budget 2018-19 sets out the Scottish Government’s intention to borrow up to £450 million in 2018-19. Borrowing plans for subsequent years will be set out in future Draft Budgets. Under the terms of the Scotland Act 2016, the maximum that can be bor…

3 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many non-operational Scottish Prison Service staff in each pay band will receive Prison Officer Professionalisation Programme (POPP) payments for the period since February 2015.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Following the decision to make operational payments to Prison Officers and First Line Managers in recognition of their continuing engagement…

28 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish Fiscal Commission's calculation that there is £137.8 million in additional funding in its 2018-19 Budget when compared with its initial Draft Budget, whether it will provide a breakdown of the sources of this additional funding.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The additional funding identified in the Scottish Government 2018-19 Budget during the budget process is funded through a combination of additional income tax receipts (approximately £62 million), anticipated underspend in 2017-18 and drawdown from the Scotla…

28 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether an individual who experiences a net increase across both income tax and council tax in a year will experience a larger overall tax burden than in the previous year.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Scotland’s overall tax as a proportion of GDP is below the OECD average. Whether or not an individual has a greater overall tax liability relative to the previous year will depend on his or her particular circumstances. Scottish tax policy is designed to be p…

28 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14067 by Derek Mackay on 6 February 2018, whether it will provide the information that was asked for regarding, specifically, the consumption component of aggregate demand.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The overall impact of the council tax change will depend on a numbers factors, including the scale of the tax change, the response of households to the change, and how the increased tax revenue supports public spending. Overall, the change is unlikely to have…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13337 by Shona Robison on 20 February 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding whether all NHS boards will undertake priority-only surgery for one sixth of the year, and for what reason it (a) did not provide this i…

Answer · Shona Robison: The organising and scheduling of hospital admissions during the winter months is a matter for individual Boards to determine as part of their winter plans. There will always be a reduction in planned activity during the winter months to ensure there is suffic…

12 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to educate people regarding the potential risks of the drug alprazolam, or Xanax; what support it offers to people who are at risk of misusing the product, and what action it can take to reduce its availability through third-party and black market sellers.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Police Scotland, alongside NHS Health Boards and Scottish Government funded organisations such as the Scottish Drugs Forum, have sought to increase awareness of the health related dangers of taking any prescription drugs, whether genuine or counterfeit, throu…

30 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what level of future fiscal planning it undertakes during the budget process.