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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-20586

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide guidance on unconventional gas extraction and hydraulic fracturing.

Proposals for unconventional gas extraction in Scotland will be studied on their merits. Each proposal will be considered through the normal planning process and the appropriate regulatory regimes including the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency’s guidance on the regulation of shale gas and coal bed methane published December 2012.

There are no proposals which involve the use of hydraulic fracturing techniques in Scotland at this time. The Scottish Government will follow a rigorous, evidence-based approach in the development and deployment of this technology.

Question reference: S4F-02071

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2014

To ask the First Minister, in light of the reported 162% increase since 2004 in the cost of providing free personal care, what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that local authority social work budgets can meet demand.

Question reference: S4O-03154

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the NHS Lothian board.

Question reference: S4F-02015

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2014

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the Audit Commission report, An overview of local government in Scotland 2014.

Question reference: S4O-03033

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what contribution it considers that housing can make to tackling poverty.

Question reference: S4W-19828

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what alternative funding sources it is investigating for the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland in the event that funding from the energy company obligation declines.

The Scottish Government is currently working closely with local authorities, obligated energy companies and other delivery partners to assess the impact of the changes to the energy company obligation (ECO) on the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS).

There is a fixed budget within Government and we are unable to compensate for the decline in ECO caused by Westminster policy changes. However, we will attempt to meet the challenge by exploring all possible routes of funding including Green Deal, Scottish Government funding streams for community renewables, European funding and other relevant public and private sources of finance.

Longer term, we have set out our commitment in Scotland’s Future about what we would do in an independent Scotland. We plan to remove certain obligations from energy bills and maintain current funding levels from central resources.

Question reference: S4W-19826

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 10 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it has engaged with stakeholders in Scotland to assess the impact of changes to the energy company obligation.

We have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders to discuss the energy company obligation (ECO) and to work closely with delivery partners on the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland. Stakeholders with whom we engage regularly include, amongst others: local authorities, registered social landlords, the National Insulation Association, energy companies, the Fuel Poverty Forum and its energy company obligation (ECO) sub-group. We also keep stakeholders up to date on ECO activity through our regular Scottish Government ECO newsletter and we encourage stakeholders to join the newsletter’s mailing list.

These contacts will inform our response to the UK Government’s consultation on their proposed changes to the ECO.

Question reference: S4W-19829

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the likely impact of changes to the energy company obligation on its ability to (a) tackle fuel poverty and (b) meet the emissions targets set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

On fuel poverty: the UK Government’s proposed changes to the energy company obligation (ECO) will have implications for the delivery of our Home Energy Efficiency Programme (HEEPS). We are working closely with delivery partners to better understand their likely impact. We will continue to use our HEEPS funding to maximise leverage under ECO and have relaxed the criteria for accessing Scottish Government funding to ensure support for those in fuel poverty continues.

On emissions targets set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009: we expect the policy framework we have developed, as set out in the second Report on Proposals and Policies will allow us to meet our targets. Its flexibility allows us to deliver more where we can and we will continue to seek additional ways in which we can maximise the impact of the investments we make. Scottish households have received a greater than pro-rata share of the measures delivered under ECO.

Question reference: S4W-19839

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill will make it easier for local authorities to engage local SMEs as installers for the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland initiative.

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 3 October 2013 will establish a national legislative framework for sustainable public procurement that supports Scotland’s economic growth through improved procurement practice. It will help tackle unnecessary inconsistencies for suppliers doing business with the public sector and will help ensure that doing business with the public sector can be simple, transparent and more accessible to suppliers, especially SMEs.

Funding for the area based element of our Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) is distributed to local authorities. It is for them to determine the most suitable means of procuring the work. However, as part of the criteria for accessing HEEPS funding we are clear that projects should support the local economy as much as possible. Councils are requested to provide details on how their proposed schemes support local economic activity, small businesses and provide opportunities for apprenticeships. This information is considered as part of our assessment of requests for HEEPS funding.

Question reference: S4W-19840

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 10 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the energy efficiency standard for social housing.