Bill Bowman

1 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the potential impact on the retail sector of setting the higher rate of income tax threshold at £43,430.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Fiscal Commission highlighted that the income tax policy is “not of a large enough magnitude to have a significant aggregate impact on the Scottish economy”. The new rates and bands protect the lowest earning taxpayers by ensuring that 70% of Sco…

1 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the proposed income tax changes in its Budget will have on VAT receipts.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Fiscal Commission has confirmed that Scottish Government income tax policy for the tax year 2018-19 will have no impact on the economy. Based on this analysis, we would not expect it to have an impact on VAT receipts.

1 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its decision to link non-domestic rates poundage to CPI rather than RPI is a permanent change.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Decisions on each years non-domestic (business) rates poundage will be made in light of affordability at future years Budgets.  

1 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to remove the Large Business Supplement before May 2021.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Barclay review of non-domestic rates recommended that the large business supplement be reduced, and suggested that this could be done by 2020-21. Accordingly, we have committed to consider this in the context of future budgets, subject to affordability.

30 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that an increasing use of automation and artificial intelligence over the next decade will increase employment opportunities in Scotland.

30 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to identify and resolve any specific challenges in teacher recruitment in the Dundee City Council area should the local authority be unsuccessful in reducing the number of re-advertised vacancies.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is taking a number of actions to increase teacher recruitment. These include: committing £88m this year to make sure every school has access to the right number of teachers with the right skills; providing support to universities in d…

22 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13726 by Shona Robison on 18 January 2018, whether the digital tools that are being developed will offer all of the services that are provided by the NHSquicker app and, if not, whether it will provide a breakdown of the services that they will not …

Answer · Shona Robison: As set out in my answer to S5W-13726, the NHS Inform website, which is accessible from many different types of digital devices and compatible with a range of assistive technologies, already provides an interactive National Services Directory tool with informa…

22 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the (a) cost and (b) usage of the NHS Attend Anywhere service.

Answer · Shona Robison: 700 consultations with 1600 meetings held using Attend Anywhere.

22 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the cost and development of the Health and Social Care Citizen Portal.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has commissioned NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (on behalf of a consortium of West of Scotland Health Boards including NHS 24) to undertake a Proof of Concept demonstrating a Minimum Viable Product capability for a National Health and Soc…

22 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the annual usage of the NHS service, (a) NHS inform, (b) Know Who To Turn To and (c) the NHS Self-help Guide mobile app.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government holds data on the annual usage of the NHS self-help guide mobile app which offers patients information and advice on some of the most common symptoms and directs patients to the most appropriate care for their condition. Since its dev…

22 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13820 by Derek Mackay on 18 January 2018, whether it will provide a breakdown of the arrangements that are in place with HMRC to ensure that taxpayers and pension providers in Scotland are not disadvantaged in respect of pension relief.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As set out in the answer to question S5W-13820, Scottish Government officials have been working closely with HMRC and stakeholders to ensure that the implementation of the proposed income tax bands and rates will be effective. They are meeting this week to as…

22 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, which suggests that average spending in Scotland is £492.30 per week, compared with the UK average of £536.80.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The figures quoted relate to spend per household. Comparing spend per household between Scotland and the UK can be misleading, as Scotland has on average fewer people in each household. On a per person basis, the latest figures show that on average Scots spen…

18 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to adults without access to family carers who have (a) severe autism and (b) additional support requirements that prevent them from living or working independently.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of autistic people. We recognise that some autistic people are not able to live and work independently and that not everyone has access to family carers. Local authorities have a duty to assess an i…

18 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13590 by Derek Mackay on 11 January 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm for what reason the effects of incorporations in its non-saving, non-dividends income tax revenue estimates, which it made in February 2…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The 2018-19 Draft Budget process has seen the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) produce their first NSND income tax forecast. Paragraphs 3.14 to 3.17 of their report outline the approach they have taken to incorporations, and why it has changed fro…

18 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people will pay more tax overall if its proposed income tax bands are agreed and local authorities increase council tax by an average of 3%.

Answer · Derek Mackay: As set out in the response to question S5W-13592 on 11 January 2018, income tax is paid by individuals on the basis of their earnings, whereas Council Tax liabilities apply to the occupants of a domestic dwelling and depend on the tax rate set by the local au…

18 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13589 by Derek Mackay on 11 January 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm how much it will cost to implement each of the income tax bands specifically proposed in its Draft Budget, and what the annual administr…

Answer · Derek Mackay: As set out in the response to question S5W-13859, HMRC have estimated annual running costs of up to a total of £5m for a distinct Scottish income tax system. Total implementation costs are estimated at between £20m and £25m for the Scottish Rate of Income Tax…

18 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with each local authority regarding the provision of essential care, social and transport services during periods of adverse weather, and what support it is providing.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities to discuss a range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland. It is the respon…

17 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of NHS procurement is carried out (a) centrally and (b) by individual NHS boards, and what information it has on which items are procured (i) centrally and (ii) by individual NHS boards.

Answer · Shona Robison: Based on total NHS procurement expenditure of £2.4 billion for 2016-17, 59% of procurement spend was through national arrangements and 41% was procured locally by individual NHS Boards. National contracts include commodities such as pharmaceuticals, medical d…

16 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report by the British Retail Consortium, which suggests that there has been a 4.7% decline in retail footfall in Scotland, and what analysis it plans of the potential impact on the sector of its proposed changes to income tax.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government recognises that the retail sector in Scotland is transforming in response to, among other things, changes to shopping habits and through new technology. The proportion of retail businesses in the UK (with 10 or more employees) making e…

11 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the money raised by the proposed new income tax bands it plans to allocate to (a) the introduction of new public services and (b) maintaining current service levels.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The income tax measures set out in the Draft Budget are forecast to raise an additional £366 million to support the Scottish Budget in 2018-19. This additional revenue will be spent on a range of measures to support our public services, reverse UK Government …

11 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with HMRC to ensure that the introduction timescale of the proposed new income tax bands do not increase the potential for taxpayers to receive incorrect pension relief.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Government officials have been working closely with HMRC and stakeholders to ensure that the implementation of the proposed income tax bands and rates will be effective. This work includes arrangements to ensure that neither Scottish taxpayers or pen…

9 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in order to help alleviate any undue pressure on GP surgeries and A&E departments, how it encourages people to visit the most appropriate part of the health service for treatment, and what technology it uses to support this approach.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring people have the appropriate information, advice and treatment available to them to help them deal with instances of ill health. NHS 24's health information service 'NHS inform' is Scotland's national health in…

9 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what technology has recently been or is being developed to allow people to access health (a) services and (b) information.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government and NHS Boards have been implementing a number of technological approaches to support people with accessing health services and information appropriate to their needs. During the last few years, on-line appointment booking and repeat p…

9 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position on introducing a service such as the NHSquicker smartphone app, which is being trialled in Devon and Cornwall and informs people regarding how busy their area's health services are prior to considering making a booking.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government, in cooperation with NHS24, has been developing digital tools for effective triage to ensure that patients are supported in self-management or directed to the right service that can effectively deal with their care needs. The NHS Infor…

9 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to offer routine evening and weekend GP appointments, similar to the approach being introduced in England.

Answer · Shona Robison: Under the new GP contract practice opening hours in Scotland will remain as 8am - 6:30pm. The Extended Hours Directed Enhanced Service will be maintained. It will be clearer to patients when their local GP practice offers care in Extended Hours and when appoi…

3 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on statements by NHS Tayside that the Scottish Government is reducing spending on health improvement and that this "is counterproductive in achieving the national indicators".

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government's draft budget 2018-19 increases the health resource budget by more than £400 million, taking it to a record high of over £13.1 billion and providing an additional investment in our frontline NHS Boards of 3.7%. The budget includes a c…

20 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-13144 and S5W-13146 by Shona Robison on 19 December 2017, whether it will provide a breakdown of the measures that (a) it and (b) NHS Grampian are taking to recover and stabilise the NHS board's services and waiting times performance; what analysi…

Answer · Shona Robison: As I mentioned in my response to question S5W-13144 we have invested more than £8 million to support improvements at NHS Grampian. This funding is supporting a significant number of improvement actions across NHS Grampian, for example: Physio led clinics Vi…

20 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to raise awareness in the North East Scotland parliamentary region of the need to plan for funeral costs, and what support it can offer to help people deal with unplanned costs.

Answer · Angela Constance: In August 2017 the Scottish Government published both the ‘Funeral Cost Plan’ which commits to 10 key actions to tackle funeral poverty during this Parliamentary term; and ‘Planning You Own Funeral’ a leaflet to help people to make, record, and share their ow…

20 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of revenue raised through the tax measures proposed in the Draft Budget will be directly allocated on measures to grow the economy.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The tax measures set out in the Draft Budget are forecast to raise an additional £366 million to support the Scottish Budget in 2018-19. This additional revenue will be spent on a range of measures to support our public services, reverse UK Government cuts an…

20 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recognition in the Draft Budget that funding for local government services can only be protected in real terms through council tax rises, what impact such a move could have on the overall tax burden of the 70% of people that it has suggested will pay less in income tax b…

Answer · Derek Mackay: Income tax is paid by individuals on the basis of their earnings, and council tax by occupants of a domestic dwelling based on the property’s banding. There is therefore no direct link between the income tax and council tax an individual pays. The Draft Budg…