Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-19894

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government further to its paper, Currency - Transaction Costs to UK Businesses, whether it considers that an impact of around 1% of GDP in transaction costs for "small open economies" would apply to Scotland in the event of the country leaving the sterling zone.

The Scottish Government position is to retain sterling within a formal monetary union with the rest of the UK. We are confident this will be delivered as it is in the overwhelming interests of both Scotland and the rest of the UK. There will therefore be no currency transactions costs in trade between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Scottish Government analysis illustrates a range of potential costs to businesses in the rest of the UK of both importing from and exporting to Scotland in a separate currency.

Question reference: S4W-19896

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its paper, Currency - Transaction Costs to UK Businesses, what methodology it used in calculating the value of UK exports to other countries in the EU.

The Scottish Government position is to retain sterling within a formal monetary union with the rest of the UK. We are confident this will be delivered as it is in the overwhelming interests of both Scotland and the rest of the UK. There will therefore be no currency transactions costs in trade between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Scottish Government analysis illustrates a range of potential costs to businesses in the rest of the UK of both importing from and exporting to Scotland in a separate currency. Data includes HMRC trade statistics between the UK and the EU and corresponding transaction costs.

Question reference: S4W-19892

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its paper Currency - Transaction Costs to UK Businesses, what methodology it used in calculating the distribution of costs between exporters and importers in the event of Scotland leaving the sterling zone.

The Scottish Government position is to retain sterling within a formal monetary union with the rest of the UK. We are confident this will be delivered as it is in the overwhelming interests of both Scotland and the rest of the UK. There will therefore be no currency transactions costs in trade between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The Scottish Government analysis illustrates a range of potential costs to businesses in the rest of the UK of both importing from and exporting to Scotland in a separate currency.

Question reference: S4W-19895

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its paper, Currency - Transaction Costs to UK Businesses, how much it calculates the transaction costs to Scottish businesses would be if the country left the sterling zone.

Question reference: S4W-19893

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons its paper, Currency - Transaction Costs to UK Businesses, estimates the transaction costs arising from a separate Scottish currency as 0.1% of GDP, given that the paper cites a range of possible impacts of 0.1% to 1.0%.

The Scottish Government position is to retain sterling within a formal monetary union with the rest of the UK. We are confident this will be delivered as it is in the overwhelming interests of both Scotland and the rest of the UK. There will therefore be no currency transactions costs in trade between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Scottish Government analysis illustrates a range of potential costs to businesses in the rest of the UK of both importing from and exporting to Scotland in a separate currency.

The paper makes clear the evidence points to a range of possible impacts, and figures are therefore used to illustrate the effects.

Question reference: S4W-19659

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Board on its decision not to hold a public consultaton on the closure of fire control rooms.

Question reference: S4O-02870

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost is of upgrading the east coast railway line between Aberdeen and the central belt at Montrose.

Question reference: S4O-02819

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to local authorities to address the risk of flooding.

Question reference: S4O-02786

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council regarding a new exhibition and conference centre.

Question reference: S4W-18768

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 8 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what changes were made to NHS Grampian's budget to achieve NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee parity in each year from 2007 to 2015.

The NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula was introduced in 2009-10. For the years 2009-10 to 2013-14, additional funding was provided to NHS Grampian to support movement towards NRAC parity.

2013-14	£10.6 million
2012-13	£7.4million
2011-12	£4.7million
2010-11	£1.8million
2009-10	£2.1million

It is the approach of the Scottish Government that those boards that are behind NRAC funding parity will receive additional funding each year to bring them closer to parity, whilst not destabilising other boards.

The 2014-15 Budget Bill is currently being scrutinised by Parliament and NHS boards will be informed of their 2014-15 allocations following the approval of the Bill.

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