- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 8 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of a rise in VAT from 17.5% to 20% would be for each Scottish local authority.
Answer
The Scottish Government has made no estimation of the cost to local authorities as a result of any increase in VAT. Section 33 of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 provides all local authorities with the power to recover VAT incurred from supplies of goods and services received so any additional cost to Scotland''s local authorities would be at the margins.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 1 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will write to the UK Government asking that it confirm that VAT will not be imposed on new house building and that consideration will be given to removing VAT for rehabilitation works to older buildings in order to boost the construction industry and assist in the conservation of historic properties.
Answer
I have written to the UK Government reiterating our support for a reduction in VAT for maintenance and repair activity and expressing concern about the negative effects that charging VAT on new build properties would have on both the construction sector and the affordability of homes for first-time buyers.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 27 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought clarification from the UK Government that the pledge in its coalition agreement to end detention of children in Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre will be extended to ensure the ending of dawn raids in Scotland.
Answer
I welcome the Immigration Minister''s recent announcement that the detention of children at Dungavel is to end immediately. However, I remain opposed to detaining children of asylum seekers anywhere in the UK, including those who may be transferred from Scotland, and urge the new UK Government to introduce their new policy throughout the UK as quickly as possible.
I am unclear how the UK Government will carry out its commitment to end the detention of children or whether this will include the end to dawn raids, however, I am aware that they have launched a comprehensive review. I took the opportunity to raise these issues in my letter to the new Home Secretary, Theresa May, on Tuesday 18 May and to Damian Green, the new Immigration Minister on Thursday 20 May. I also took these letters as an opportunity to offer support to the UK Government in finding a humane solution.
I would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that my officials will be monitoring this change in practice and will continue to reaffirm our opposition to the forcible removal of children and dawn raids.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 May 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive , further to the answer to question S3W-28748 by John Swinney on 16 November 2009, how it monitors the number of small and medium-sized enterprises that compete for public sector contracts.
Answer
The Scottish Government''s Public Contracts Scotland portal captures information on the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that express an interest in contracts advertised on the portal. Since PCS was launched in October 2008, 83% of notes of interest have been from SMEs.
Further improvements are being made to Public Contracts Scotland to allow us to monitor the number of contracts awarded to SMEs, and a pilot is underway to examine how the portal can assist SMEs through the advertising of sub-contracting opportunities.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 March 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussion it has had with the UK Government in relation to minimum pricing for alcohol.
Answer
We have regular discussions with the UK Government about alcohol policy and we are pleased that only last week at the debate in the House of Commons on the Health Select Committee''s report on alcohol, the UK Government did not rule out minimum pricing for alcohol.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the guidance on the ethical purchasing of medical supplies being developed by the BMA for the NHS in England.
Answer
Through NHS National Procurement, the centre for expertise for all procurement by NHSScotland, we are aware of the guidance on the ethical purchasing of medical supplies being developed by the BMA for the NHS in England. NHSScotland will link into this guidance as part of its overall sustainability strategy.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Scotland is represented on the BMA’s Medical Fair and Ethical Trade Group.
Answer
NHS Scotland is not represented on the BMA''s Medical Fair and ethical Trade Group.
In December 2008, the Scottish Government published The Scottish Procurement Policy Handbook, which provides detail on both ethical standards of business and corporate social responsibility across the public sector in Scotland. NHS National Procurement, as the procurement centre of expertise for all NHSScotland organisations, is ensuring the adoption of these standards within the NHS procurement process in Scotland.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 November 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the work of the BMA to promote ethical purchasing policies for medical supplies for the NHS.
Answer
Through NHS National Procurement, the centre for expertise for all procurement by NHSScotland, we are aware of the work of the BMA to promote ethical purchasing policies for medical supplies for the NHS.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 8 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect inherited PFI/PPP payments will have on its future budgets.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1008-01.htm.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the environmental and public health effects of benzene and other aromatics when used in vehicle fuel.
Answer
European Directive 98/70/EC sets limits for the content of aromatics and benzene in petrol. The Directive is regularly reviewed, most recently in 2007, and any amendments take account of the most up to date advice from health professionals and other relevant stakeholders.
Air quality objectives set by the Scottish Government are derived from air quality standards which are based on the best available medical and scientific understanding of the effect of individual pollutants on public health and the environment.
Benzene is a known carcinogen and for this reason the concentration of benzene in ambient air is included in Scottish and European air quality legislation. In their 1994 report, Expert Panel on Air quality Standards considered the advice of the Committee of Carcinogenicity, that exposure to benzene should be kept as low as practicable, and recommended a target of 3.25ug/m3 for benzene. The Scottish Government has set an objective to meet this concentration by the end of 2010 and monitoring has shown that this objective is already being met across Scotland. A number of policy measures already in place or planned for future years will contribute to a continued reduction in concentrations of benzene in ambient air.
