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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: S3W-20936

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of the Scotland Rural Development Programme by Peter Cook will investigate how many crofters and farmers have encountered difficulties in making their online applications for support from the scheme and how many did not apply or did not complete an application because applications could only be made online.

The only element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme that is currently exclusively on line is the Rural Priorities (RP) delivery mechanism. We are very encouraged with the uptake of RP thus far with over 5,100 Statements of Intent received and a total of £57.2 million of funding approved to a variety of eligible groups, not just farmers and crofters.

In recognition that Rural Priorities, a competitive scheme, is very different to previous support programmes, and to assist potential beneficiaries, a series of workshops and surgeries have been undertaken by Scotland''s Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS) staff and organisations such as the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) to provide an initial introduction to Rural Priorities.

Other assistance we have put in place to aid applicants includes:

Identifying liaison officers in every Region to develop local solutions to internet access;

Working with BT to extend broadband coverage across rural Scotland;

Providing IT helpdesk to assist with login problems;

Providing applicants with information about alternative local internet access points;

Providing training material to NFUS for use in one-to-one surgeries across the country;

Part-funding for applicants who choose to use agents'' services;

Funding SCVO and the Crofters'' Commission to provide assistance for community groups wishing to submit applications, and

Exploring the possibility of providing computer access within local SEARS offices.

Nonetheless if the review produces evidence that the Rural Priorities application process could be made easier for applicants, then this is something we would want to address.

Question reference: S3W-20940

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any changes to the terms of the Scotland Rural Development Programme that could be made as the result of the review by Peter Cook will include the introduction of a scheme for crofters with small agriculture units.

The SRDP already includes a specialist scheme for crofters, namely the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme (CCAGS). In addition to CCAGS, substantial financial support to crofters is available from the SRDP through the non-competitive Less Favoured Area Support Scheme and Rural Development Contracts, Land Managers Options delivery mechanisms. All of these mechanisms will be considered as part of the SRDP first stage review.

Question reference: S3W-20938

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many stages will follow the first stage of the review of the Scotland Rural Development Programme by Peter Cook; whether it will provide details of the work to be undertaken in those stages, and what the expected duration is of each stage.

The Scottish Government has recently issued an on-going evaluation contract which will assist the statutory Programme Monitoring Committee in its work in monitoring progress of the programme to ensure the SRDP delivers on its objectives.

The Rural Development Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 requires a mid-term evaluation to be undertaken in 2010. This evaluation will be able to propose measures to improve the quality of the SRDP and its implementation if necessary.

Question reference: S3W-20941

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether applicants to the Scotland Rural Development Programme whose applications are turned down, either by a Regional Proposal Assessment Committee (RPAC) or by Scottish ministers, will receive a full written explanation setting out the detailed reasons for rejection of their applications and copies of all documentation considered by the RPAC or by ministers.

Question reference: S3W-20935

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 March 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) by Peter Cook will include a survey to assess the percentage of crofters and farmers who employed an agent to prepare their applications for support from the scheme and will compare that percentage with the percentage that used agents to prepare applications for support under the agricultural support schemes that the SRDP replaces.

Statistical information on whether applicants made use of an agent will be taken into consideration by the SRDP first stage review. I can confirm however that as at February 2009, from a total of 5,100 Statements of Intent received through Rural Priorities, 72% had been prepared with the help of an agent. I should point out the figure covers all eligible applications under Rural Priorities and not only from farmers and foresters.

The only comparator data available relating to any of the previous agricultural support schemes is for the Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) where just over 93% of applications were prepared with the help of an agent.

Question reference: S3F-01502

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 March 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Salmond on 5 March 2009

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S3F-01474

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Salmond on 26 February 2009

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S3W-20021

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 February 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19510 by John Swinney on 19 January 2009, what criteria are considered when deciding whether to admit to the civil service pension arrangements the chair of a non-departmental public body (NDPB) or government agency who performs an executive function; who or what body is responsible for making that decision, and how many chairs of NDPBs or government agencies in which the Scottish Government has a direct or indirect interest have been admitted to the civil service pension arrangements in the last 10 years.

Matters relating to the Civil Service pension arrangements are reserved and responsibility for decisions on admission to the scheme lies with Cabinet Office.

In reaching a view on whether to support the admission of a chair of a non-departmental public body (NDPB) or Government agency to the Civil Service pension arrangements, the Scottish Government must comply with HM Treasury guidance. This guidance provides that chairs can only be offered admittance to the Civil Service pension arrangement where they are already a member of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme or where they have the title of chair but their remit is similar to that of a Chief Executive or Executive Director.

Where the Scottish Government considers that there is a strong case to allow an NDPB/Agency Chair access to Civil Service pensions arrangements, the matter is referred to Cabinet Office for a final decision. In reaching a decision, the Cabinet Office takes account of certain criteria that includes whether the individual''s remuneration is paid directly from central government funds, that they are likely to remain in post for at least two years (the minimal qualifying period for a pension) and that the person will be performing an executive function.

Our current records indicate that one chair of an NDPB was admitted into the Civil Service pension arrangements in the last 10 years.

Question reference: S3F-01448

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Salmond on 12 February 2009

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Question reference: S3F-01427

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2009
Current Status: Answered by Alex Salmond on 5 February 2009

To ask the First Minister what issues will be discussed at the next meeting of the Cabinet.