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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S4W-23932

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 20 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the reasons were for any delays in notifying third sector organisations of the outcome of their application for Section 10 Grant Scheme funding for 2014-15.

It has taken longer than initially estimated to complete the process, due to both the number of applications received and the overall amount requested by third sector organisations.

When it became clear that the appraisal and decision would require more time, officials wrote to all applicants on 28 November 2014 and subsequently 7 January 2015 to apologise for the delay and to keep them informed of progress.

Question reference: S4W-23756

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 16 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23155 by Margaret Burgess on 27 November 2014, who the members are of the stakeholder working group.

Members of the stakeholder working group, which has been set up to help identify proposals for consultation on minimum standards of energy efficiency in private sector housing, represent a range of interests, including environmental, local authority, private rented sector, consumer and fuel poverty interests. The organisations currently represented on the working group are the Existing Homes Alliance, the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum, the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Citizens Advice Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates, the Scottish Association of Landlords and Historic Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-23757

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 16 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23159 by Margaret Burgess on 27 November 2014, when the data will be published.

Question reference: S4W-23799

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on when the Scottish Fiscal Commission last met and what the dates are for future meetings.

Question reference: S4W-23698

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 13 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it will use its proposed new power regarding funeral payment benefit to help support people who experience difficulties in meeting funeral costs.

Question reference: S4W-23758

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 13 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23268 by Alex Neil on 5 December 2014, how many of the listed public authorities with more than 150 employees have not published an equal pay statement since the public sector equality duty was established.

The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 came into force on 27May 2012. Listed authorities with more than 150 employees were required to publish statements on equal pay etc. by 30 April 2013 and every fourth year after that.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the enforcement body for the public sector equality duties. During 2013 it undertook monitoring of the regulations including the requirement to publish equal pay statements. Its reports can be accessed at:

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/devolved-authorities/commission-scotland/public-sector-equality-duty-scotland/monitoring-and-enforcement.

Reports published in November 2013 by the commission indicate that, overall, 95 per cent of relevant listed authorities published an equal pay policy. Eight out of 160 listed authorities with more than 150 employees did not publish an equal pay statement.

Question reference: S4W-23705

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 13 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to people who experience difficulties in meeting funeral costs.

Question reference: S4F-02525

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2015

To ask the First Minister for what reason the Scottish Government’s budget underspends have increased over the last few years when its budgets have been reduced.

Question reference: S4W-23706

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 8 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the charges set by (a) local authorities and (b) private crematoria for (i) burial plots or cremations and (ii) interment of remains can lead to a so-called postcode lottery for people who have to meet funeral costs, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S4W-23699

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 8 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the charges set by (a) local authorities and (b) private crematoria for (i) burial plots or cremations and (ii) the interment of remains, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.