Parliamentary questions

Bill Bowman

310 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

24 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has made of devolving the administration of Air Departure Tax to local authorities, and whether it has discussed this with The Highland Council.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As I informed the Parliament during my statement on Air Departure Tax on 5 October, the Scottish Government has carefully considered the proposal to devolve the tax to local councils and does not believe this can be done in a way which is compatible with stat…

23 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of applicants have experienced a delay in receiving common agricultural policy (CAP) payments in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: For the Pillar 2 Schemes as there is no regulatory deadline for when payment are to be made. However, for pillar one schemes there is a regulatory deadline to complete payments by 30 June or, if not then by 15 October. We are able to provide information on t…

23 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time between application and receipt of common agricultural policy (CAP) payments has been in each of the last five years.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is not possible to answer this question as the data is not readily available from the system and it would breach the disproportionate threshold to collate it manually.

19 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what the average number of days worked each week by GPs has been in each of the last five years, and what proportion worked (a) above and (b) below this figure.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Primary Care Workforce Survey 2015 collected information on estimated weekly hours worked by GPs in practices (excluding Out of Hours periods). 58% of GP practices responded and…

19 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out to determine whether the NHS is receiving the best value for money from the current procurement strategy, and what steps are being taken to deliver better value to the NHS from future procurement.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS National Procurement was created ten years ago to deliver better value and identify collaborative opportunity across NHS Scotland’s Health Boards' 3rd party spend. Since then, it has developed to where it now procures two thirds of NHS Scotland spend, wit…

19 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many senior managers in the NHS have had their contracts terminated on performance grounds since 2007.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. Senior Managers performance is a contractual matter which, by law, remains between the employee and their employer. Decisions relating to employee capability/performance and how any related statistics are collected ar…

19 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been committed to NHS capital construction projects since 2007, and how this compares with funds spent on the training of medical staff.

Answer · Shona Robison: The NHS Capital budget since 2007 is highlighted in the first column. The totality of spend on medical training is not reported centrally, however NHS Education for Scotland report costs associated with medical undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and thes…

18 Oct 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assurance it can provide to patients that NHS Tayside’s proposed suspension of elective surgery procedures over the Christmas period will not become an established feature.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Tayside have not suspended any elective procedures during the Christmas period. It is however common practice across Boards to reduce elective capacity during the holiday period to ensure appropriate capacity is available to meet the likely increase in em…

12 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to (a) collect and (b) analyse data on the local administration of non-domestic rates.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government currently collects data from local authorities to analyse the level of non-domestic rate reliefs awarded. The collection of this data is to inform policy development with the awarding of the relief and administration being entirely the…

9 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on renegotiating the contract between NHS Tayside and Indigo Park Services UK Ltd for the administration of car parking facilities at Ninewells Hospital.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Tayside is locked into a long term PFI contract and while the Scottish Government position is that parking should be free, due to the prohibitve cost, there is currently no prospect of a buyout of this contract. However we would expect NHS Tayside to keep…

9 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to using land assets held by NHS Tayside to expand parking provision at Ninewells Hospital.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Tayside continues to take steps to support parking provision at Ninewells hospital and will continue to engage with the local authority, other NHS Boards, travel planning and public transport organisations to ensure that best alternative solutions to any …

9 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) NHS Tayside and (b) Indigo Park Services UK Ltd regarding parking provision at Ninewells Hospital.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is a local matter that is managed by NHS Tayside. However we do expect the board to continue to discuss parking provision with Indigo Park Services UK Ltd. The board will keep us informed of these discussions.

4 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce seeding relief for the establishment of property authorised investment funds and co-ownership authorised contractual schemes to encourage commercial property investment, in light of reported concerns that, under the present system, real estate might be view…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government consulted on and introduced a seeding relief for property assets transferring from an Authorised Unit Trust to an Open-ended Investment Company in September 2015. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Scotland remains a…

4 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of a similar provision being available in the rest of the UK, what its position is on ensuring that no Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) charge is imposed when (a) pension funds holding Scottish property are transferred and (b) self-invested personal pension plan provid…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that Scotland remains an attractive location for investment. We are currently considering a number of proposals around Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, including transfers of property assets between pension …

4 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of a similar provision being available in the rest of the UK, what its position is on introducing relief from the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) for companies that are required to provide share pledges to banks.

28 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01283 by Derek Mackay on 21 September 2017, what assurance it can provide to businesses in receipt of the business rate cap measures, which were outlined by the Cabinet Secretary in his statement on 12 September 2017, that they will not be financial…

Answer · Derek Mackay: An additional 12.5 per cent real terms cap on increases for all but the very largest properties will apply to 2018-19 non-domestic rate bills. Full details of this will be available when the legislation is laid before Parliament.

13 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10583 by Derek Mackay on 16 August 2017, for how many engagements does it hold confirmed attendance details.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Ministers attend a variety of engagements, meetings and events during which a range of topics are discussed. A record of those who attended each is not held.

13 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted regarding a timescale for reducing the Large Business Supplement during the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Following the recommendation in the Barclay report for the large business supplement to be reduced, the Scottish Government will consider this, should it become affordable, in the context of future years budgets.

13 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what modelling it has carried out in advance of the budget of the possible economic impact of increases to income tax.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As set out in the recent Programme for Government, the Scottish Government intends to publish a discussion paper on income tax to generate debate before setting the budget for 2018-19. The paper will cover a variety of scenarios, including those proposed by t…

13 Sep 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assurance it can give businesses in the north east that they will not be financially disadvantaged by any change to the 12.5% business rate cap.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The additional 12.5% real terms cap on 2018-19 rates increases will provide continuing support to offices in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire and all but the very largest hospitality properties across the country, as I set out in my statement to Parliament on …

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the potential impact of creating new income tax bands on (a) tax revenue and (b) the wider economy.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As set out in the recent Programme for Government, the Scottish Government intends to publish a discussion paper on income tax to generate debate before setting the budget for 2018-19. The paper will cover potential tax revenue raised for a variety of scenari…

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of any public sector recruitment shortages resulting from the difference in the higher rate income tax threshold between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government remain convinced that the income tax rates and bands set by the Parliament for 2017-18 struck the right balance between raising revenue and protecting lower income taxpayers and by doing so continue to ensure Scotland remains an attrac…

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions regarding extending the cap on business rates ministers have had with stakeholders, and what future discussions are planned.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government undertook discussions with a range of bodies across the hospitality sector and business more widely, ahead of committing to a further targeted cap on non-domestic rates increases for 2018-19, and will continue this close and constructi…

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact would be on business of any increase in income tax, and what analysis it has carried out on this.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As set out in the recent Programme for Government, the Scottish Government intends to publish a discussion paper on income tax to generate debate before setting the budget for 2018-19. The paper will cover options to ensure the sustainability of public servic…

30 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what contingencies (a) have been considered and (b) are in place to (i) process and (ii) apply the 12.5% non-domestic rates relief cap for businesses in the hospitality sector should there be a failure of the computer-processed payments system.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Administration of non-domestic rates and reliefs is a matter for local government, including the 12.5 per cent real-terms cap on 2017-18 rates increases for certain properties.

30 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has paid to (a) each local authority and (b) businesses in the hospitality sector in each local authority area under the 12.5% non-domestic rates relief cap.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government does not make payments to local authorities or business in respect of the 12.5 per cent real-terms cap on 2017-18 rates increases for the hospitality sector. The estimated cost of the cap in terms of reduced non-domestic rates income,…

30 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in the hospitality sector in each local authority area have applied for the 12.5% non-domestic rates relief cap; how many applications have been approved, and how many have received their payment.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Administration of non-domestic rates and reliefs is for local government, and summary data regarding the local processes referred to is not held centrally.

23 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what promotion opportunities there are for community nurses who do not have a master’s degree.

Answer · Shona Robison: Community nursing roles such as health visiting and district nursing require a post graduate specialist practitioner qualification. Other roles such as Advanced Nurse Practitioners require elements of education up to Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framewo…

23 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is provided to NHS boards regarding which staff are authorised to administer medication from blister packs that are issued by pharmacists during residential care visits.

Answer · Shona Robison: Schedule 1 of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 makes it clear that where a cared for person requires medicine, carers should assist with medication where this can be done without the physical involvement of a registered nurse or of a medical …

16 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing Dundee City Council with support for the implementation of its new collections and recycling service.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Through Zero Waste Scotland, the Scottish Government continues to work with Scottish local authorities, including Dundee City Council, to assist in the implementation of waste collection and recycling services. In addition to advice and specialist assistance…