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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-11882

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11238 by Keith Brown on 21 September 2017, whether it will provide details and costs of the external research that it is considering around automation.

No external research has been commissioned by the Scottish Government as yet, but it is reviewing the availability of evidence that exists in this area for Scotland and is undertaking a joint project with the STUC examining the potential impact of technological change on the Scottish labour market. This project will report back to the next Biannual meeting between the First Minister and the STUC in November. There is no cost to government for this research aside from staff time. This will complement a Scottish Enterprise research report on Automation and Sector Impacts published late last year as part of its Future Focus programme and will build upon these findings to determine the scope of further research.

Question reference: S5W-11775

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many statisticians it employs to collect and analyse economic data.

There are 27 statistical staff employed in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to collect and analyse economic data. These staff cover a range of work streams including: National Accounts (GDP, Input-Output tables, National Accounts and Public Sector Finances); Business and Trade; Energy and Climate Change; and Labour Market statistics.

Further details are available in the Scottish Economic Statistics Plan 2017-18 - http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/ScotStat/Planning/SESP-2017-18.

Question reference: S5W-11770

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the criteria to use emergency borrowing powers has been met and whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution plans to use this power.

Question reference: S5W-11774

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the new Data Analytical Unit will be established; how many staff will be employed, and whether these staff will be in addition to existing statistician numbers.

The Scottish Government has begun a recruitment process to appoint an individual to lead the Analytical Unit which will have its own dedicated staff. This appointment and resourcing of the unit is being taken forward in consultation with the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board. In the interim, analytical support for the Strategic Board is being provided by Scottish Government analysts supported by the analytical capacity from the wider Enterprise and Skills system.

Question reference: S5W-11833

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11233 by Keith Brown on 28 September 2017, how many of its staff have been seconded to the secretariat, and what financial support it has provided.

Scottish Government officials are supporting Benny Higgins in taking this work forward. The core Secretariat is currently resourced by four dedicated members of staff from the Scottish Government Economic Policy Unit, augmented by a variety of additional skills and expertise from across other portfolios as required.

The Scottish Government has not set a fixed budget for this work but will ensure that the appropriate financial support is provided whilst ensuring maximum value for public money.

Question reference: S5W-11771

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reviewing the pre-release of access to statistics by Scottish Ministers, in light of the Office for National Statistics and the Bank of England no longer allowing this practice.

Pre-release access arrangements for Scottish Government Official Statistics are in compliance with the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice for Official Statistics and Scottish legislation (Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008). Pre-release access continues across other parts of the UK following equivalent pre-release access orders. Access lists are regularly reviewed and the Chief Statistician has responsibility for deciding who receives pre-release access to Scottish Government Official Statistics.

Question reference: S5W-11894

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) passenger and (b) freight cargo airlines use Glasgow Prestwick Airport, broken down by the number of flights each day.

Ryanair are the only passenger airline currently serving Prestwick Airport. However, we do not hold information on the number of Ryanair flights broken down for each day.

Two freight operators, Air France and Cargolux, currently operate scheduled flights to Prestwick Airport with approximately six flights per week. We do not, however, hold this information broken down by flights per day. A range of other cargo operators use Prestwick on an ad-hoc basis.

Question reference: S5W-11896

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of freight cargo have (a) departed from and (b) arrived at Glasgow Prestwick Airport (i) since April 2017 and (ii) in each year since 2015, also broken down by airline.

The volume of arriving and departing freight transported through the airport since 2015 is provided in the following table. We cannot provide the freight volume figures broken down by airline as this information is commercially sensitive.

Year	Departing	Arriving	Total
2015	4,825	6,499	11,324
2016	3,853	7,312	11,165
2017*	2,780	5,613	8,393
Apr-Sep 2017	1,769	3,582	5,351

* Total freight figures January to September 2017

Source: Glasgow Prestwick Airport

Question reference: S5W-11895

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many passengers have (a) departed from and (b) arrived at Glasgow Prestwick Airport (i) since April 2017 and (ii) in each year since 2015, also broken down by airline.

Passenger numbers broken down by departing and arriving passengers for 2015, 2016 and 2017 (to September) are provided in the following table. Figures have been provided for Ryanair as the only scheduled passenger airline serving Prestwick during this period. Figures are also provided for other flights which include passengers on non-scheduled, chartered, military, general aviation and diverted flights. We do not hold a breakdown of these ‘other’ flights:

Year

Departing

Arriving

Total

	Ryanair	Other	Ryanair	Other	Ryanair	Other
2015	301,796	3,672	299,762	5,344	601,558	9,016
2016	331,382	5,546	329,818	6325	661,200	11,871
2017*	283,686	3,283	277,387	6,405	561,073	9,688
Apr-Sep 2017	243,306	2,346	239,055	3,203	482,361	5,549

* Total passenger figures January to September 2017

Source: Glasgow Prestwick Airport

Question reference: S5W-11506

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 October 2017

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), on what date standardised rates bills will be introduced.