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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: S4W-11966

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether its plans for security for the 2014 Commonwealth Games are costed at £90 million.

Question reference: S4W-11965

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will put in place to ensure that appropriate parliamentary scrutiny of the enhanced security budget for the 2014 Commonwealth Games can take place.

The Scottish Government currently updates the Scottish Parliament in a number of ways on progress with planning for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. As Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport I regularly meet with party spokespeople, and provide updates to the Public Audit Committee and Audit Scotland. However, any decisions on further Parliamentary scrutiny of any issue is a matter for the Scottish Parliament. The governance arrangements for Government assurance and scrutiny of the safety and security arrangements for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, including the enhanced security budget, were made available in SPICe (Bib. number 11965) on 18 December 2012.

Question reference: S4W-12090

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Scottish production companies can benefit from the high-end TV tax credit.

Implementation of the recommendations of the Scottish Broadcasting Commission has seen benefits for the broadcasting sector, which creates the environment within which Scottish broadcasting companies can benefit from the high-end television tax credit. These include measures such as:

better funding for television production;
greater working together by government agencies to support the sector; and
increased profile of the sector within the Scottish Parliament.

This has resulted in Creative Scotland and Scottish Enterprise announcing last year the Television Production Fund, with an allocation of £1 million for the 2012-13 financial year. Creative Scotland has formed partnerships with leading broadcasters STV, DRG, Creative Media and Nine/8 Entertainment. There has also been a rise in the proportion of productions that are made in Scotland and shown across the UK which has rise from 2.6% in 2006 to 4.9% in 2011.

Question reference: S4W-12091

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that TV production companies wishing to benefit from the high-end TV tax credit choose to film in Scotland.

There have been successes in attracting television production to Scotland for example, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International worked with Shed Productions to relocate the BBC drama Waterloo Road to Scotland. This venture is expected to generate almost £25 million in direct investment and 230 job opportunities across all levels of production.

Scotland’s remarkable landscapes and heritage are sought after by producers. For example, the Christmas special for Downton Abbey was shot at Inveraray Castle in Argyll and Bute. Creative Scotland Locations offers a free and confidential service to television producers seeking suitable locations. The tax credit for high end television drama will provide a further incentive to locate television production in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-12092

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the facilities are available to encourage TV production companies wishing to benefit from the high-end TV tax credit to base their productions in Scotland.

Current success in attracting television production demonstrates that Scotland has facilities and skilled staff for such productions, including high-end television drama.

The Scottish Government would welcome the establishment of a sustainable production facility to complement Scotland’s current offering in relation to landscapes, historic homes and good film crews. Creative Scotland have committed £75,000 to undertake a feasibility study for development of screen industry facilities, with a provisional future investment of £1 million earmarked to develop such a proposal in more detail.

Question reference: S4O-01737

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had about widening access to culture for people in north Glasgow.

Question reference: S4W-11890

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Deputy First Minister on 13 December 2012 (Official Report, c.14759), whether it is its intention to negotiate an opt-out from the Schengen Agreement in the event of Scotland separating from the rest of the United Kingdom.

Scottish Ministers have outlined their intention to remain as part of the common travel area and outside Schengen, in an independent Scotland. Following a ‘yes’ vote in 2014, a process of negotiation will take place with the UK government on the transfer of powers to an independent Scottish Parliament. In parallel to negotiations with the UK government, it would be our intention to negotiate the terms of an independent Scotland’s continuing membership of the EU. This has long been made clear by the Scottish Government in Choosing Scotland’s Future in 2007, in Your Scotland, Your Voice in 2009 and in Your Scotland, Your Referendum in 2012.

Under paragraph 30 of the Edinburgh Agreement the UK Government and the Scottish Government have committed to continue to work together constructively in the light of the outcome of the Referendum, whatever it is, in the best interests of the people of Scotland and of the rest of the United Kingdom.

Question reference: S4O-01688

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages young people from poorer backgrounds to participate in further and higher education.

Question reference: S4W-11793

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received legal advice concerning the position of an independent Scotland in the European Union, as announced by the Deputy First Minister in her statement on 23 October 2012 (Official Report, c.12408).

Question reference: S4O-01642

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the most recent discussions are that it has had with the UK Government to discuss the future of Remploy in Scotland.