- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government who invited the delegation of MPs and MSPs on the recent Scottish Enterprise trade mission to Iran; on what basis they were selected, and who paid their expenses.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29237 on 22 January 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what companies attended the recent Scottish Enterprise trade mission to Iran and what the cost of the mission was.
Answer
The recent Scottish Development International visit to Iran was not a trade mission. Two officials visited Iran from 7-9 December 2015 to discuss possible future opportunities for Scottish companies in the oil and gas sector.
The visit to Iran undertaken later in December 2015 by SNP MPs and an MSP was a separate visit with no Scottish Enterprise or Scottish Government involvement. It will be for the delegation to decide whether its report on the visit will be published.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has planned a real-terms increase or decrease in the education and lifelong learning budget in 2016-17.
Answer
The Draft Budget 2016-17 provides a full breakdown of portfolio budgets, including Education and Lifelong Learning, in both cash and real terms.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what the reason is for the cash reduction in its 2016-17 draft budget in light of HM Treasury allocations suggesting a rise in cash terms.
Answer
There is a cash reduction in the total DEL resources available to the Scottish Government in 2015-16 compared to 2016-17, taking into account the HM Treasury allocation and factors such as the reduction in the ring fenced non-cash DEL budget that covers the costs of student loans and the addition in 2015-16 of resources carried forward by the Scottish Government through the budget exchange arrangements.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will set out its detailed longer term plans regarding income tax.
Answer
As I announced to the Parliament on 16 December 2015, the Scottish Government will set out its intentions with regard to income tax ahead of the dissolution of Parliament at the end of March 2016. This is, however, subject to reaching an agreement with the UK Government on a new fiscal framework to support the Scotland Bill 2015.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will set out detailed plans for the reform of local government funding.
Answer
As I set out in my 2016-17 Draft Budget statement to Parliament on 16 December 2015, the Scottish Government will bring forward plans for reform of the present council tax, reflecting the principles of the Commission on Local Tax Reform’s report; enter into a consultation with local government about the possible future assignation of a proportion of income tax receipts, thereby giving local authorities an incentive to boost economic growth in their areas; and launch a review of the non-domestic rates system in Scotland, before the end of the current parliamentary term.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government when the delegation of MPs and MSPs on the recent Scottish Enterprise trade mission to Iran will report to the Scottish Ministers and whether the report will be published.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-29237 on 22 January 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what areas of spending it plans to (a) protect and (b) increase in real terms in the future.
Answer
It will be for an incoming administration later this year to decide upon future spending plans. However, if re-elected in May 2016, this government's commitments include real terms increases in the NHS budget and real terms protection to the frontline police resource budget for the duration of the next parliamentary session.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it continues to forecast an oil price of around $70 a barrel between 2016-17 and 2019-20, as set out in the Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin - June 2015.
Answer
The Oil and Gas Analytical Bulletin in June 2015 did not contain Scottish Government oil price forecasts. All oil price forecasts reported in the bulletin were produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility as part of their March 2015 economic and fiscal outlook.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 January 2016
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 21 January 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the additional £130 million to be raised in business rates in 2016-17 will come from reducing the rates relief available to (a) empty industrial and commercial premises and (b) renewable energy projects.
Answer
The proposals in the Draft Budget 2016-17 on empty property relief and on renewable energy generation relief would account for around £60 million and £10 million of non-domestic rates income respectively.