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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-11846

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor the Fair Start Scotland programme and what criteria it will use to determine its effectiveness.

The Scottish Government have designed a robust performance management framework to ensure that both key performance indicators (KPIs) and key delivery indicators (KDIs) which were set out within the Statement of requirements are met, providing quality of support to all Participants. Key products and tools have been developed to assist in the performance management activity. The performance Management framework will consist of monthly random sampling of Participant case files, observation visits and more in depth reviews where appropriate to ensure that the KPIs/KDIs are being achieved and that the service is delivered consistently across the programme for all Participants. Any areas requiring to be addressed will be monitored through performance management reviews and improvement activities.

In addition to performance management and monitoring, the Scottish Government will fully evaluate the delivery and outcomes of Fair Start Scotland. This will include commissioned research with service users, providers, delivery partners and employers, as well as ongoing analysis of performance and monitoring information. The aim of the evaluation will be to provide a clear picture of impacts at an individual, group and system level.

Question reference: S5W-11842

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has continued the practice of "paying by results" for the Fair Start Scotland programme.

Through Fair Start Scotland, the Scottish Government is committed to delivering an employability service which is focussed on delivering outcomes and progression to employment.

The 2015 consultation on devolved services pointed to the need for sufficient guaranteed funding to enable smaller organisations to engage and guarantee a level of support to all participants. Therefore, Fair Start Scotland will operate differently to previous Department of Work and Pensions programmes as a service fee of 30% of the contract value will be paid.

The key aim of the service and the Scottish Government’s significant investment in it is to help as many people as possible into sustained work. By rewarding providers for job outcomes with staged payments over a period of up to 12 months, the Scottish Government is ensuring service providers support participants into sustainable work and continue to help them afterwards to remain in their job or move quickly back into work should they become unemployed again. I believe this is the best way to deliver both a high quality service and value for money.

Question reference: S5W-11880

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the accounts of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Island Enterprise in the first week of September in each year to aid financial scrutiny, given that it understands they are signed-off at the start of each summer.

Question reference: S5O-01397

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to review the operation of the Scottish Futures Trust to help improve transparency.

Question reference: S5W-11773

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a full set of public sector assets and liabilities.

Question reference: S5W-11777

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial implications for the block grant, in cash terms, of a growth rate in Scotland that is lower than the rest of the UK.

Under the Fiscal Framework, Scotland’s block grant continues to be determined by the operation of the Barnett Formula, and is adjusted to reflect the new fiscal powers that have been devolved. The Scottish Government remains committed to doing all it can to generate sustainable economic growth, which is important for protecting and growing tax receipts. As part of its financial management, the Scottish Government monitors performance of both the UK and the Scottish economy, updating assessments at key UK Fiscal events to inform Budget decisions.

Question reference: S5W-11772

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish Whole Government Accounts.

A commitment was given in November 2016 to produce a "tailored for Scotland" consolidated public account. The Scottish Government has designated the financial year 2016-17 as a shadow year for production of this account, with a view to publishing outputs during 2018. The on-going work to deliver this shadow year account will inform the plans as to the timetable, scope, format, content and audit arrangements for production of this account in future periods.

It may be helpful to note that the scope of the accounts produced will include assets and liabilities of public bodies within the Scottish Administration, plus local authorities and other public sector bodies such as non-departmental public bodies and public corporations.

Question reference: S5W-11879

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

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the annual accounts for (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

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-11524

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10471 by Keith Brown on 25 August 2017, how many of the planned jobs were confirmed, and where these jobs were.