- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 2 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Retail industry recommendations for the 2025-26 Scottish Budget paper, that increases in income tax rates should be ruled out.
Answer
Scottish Income Tax policy for 2025-26 will be announced during the annual Budget process.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 2 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Retail industry recommendations for the 2025-26 Scottish Budget paper, that spending restraint rather than tax rises should form the bulk of the measures to plug the projected gap in devolved government finances.
Answer
Prolonged Westminster austerity, the economic damage of Brexit, a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the cost of living crisis have all placed enormous and growing pressure on the public finances.
For example, Brexit has reduced the size of the UK economy by 2.5 per cent, equating to a £2.3 billion annual cut in revenue in Scotland.
Decisions for 2025-26 will be published as part of the 2025-26 Scottish Budget on 4 December. Scottish Income Tax policy for 2025-26 will be announced during the annual Budget process.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Retail industry recommendations for the 2025-26 Scottish Budget paper, that following the 2014 Regulatory Reform Act, a Primary Authority system for devolved regulation should be introduced.
Answer
The Scottish Government committed to review and improve our process of developing, implementing, and reviewing devolved regulation to meet our economic, environmental and societal aims within the National Strategy for Economic Transformation. While there are no current plans to implement a Primary Authority system for devolved regulation, we will consider the merit of Primary Authority provisions with business and regulatory stakeholders in line with the NSET commitment and New Deal for Business Group recommendations.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 25 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion in its Retail industry recommendations for the 2025-26 Scottish Budget paper, that no ratepayer in Scotland should be liable for a higher business rate than counterparts in England.
Answer
The Scottish Budget 2024-25 ensures that over 95% of non-domestic properties continue to be liable for a lower property tax rate than anywhere else in the UK.
Decisions on non-domestic rates for 2025-26 will be considered in the context of the Scottish Budget.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 19 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take over the next four years to ensure that it fulfils its duties under article 23 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in relation to disabled children under 12 years old.
Answer
The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 places legal duties on public authorities and provides legal protection for children’s rights that was not previously available in Scotland, and is not available in any other part of the UK.
The Scottish Government expects public authorities to ensure that they fulfil their duties within the Act, including under Article 23, to ensure all rights under UNCRC are respected, protected and fulfilled. We have supported public authorities with their approach to implementation through: non-statutory guidance; a children’s rights guide for senior leaders; an introduction to Children’s Rights e-learning and guidance on Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessments. We have also provided funding to the Improvement Service and NHS Education Scotland to assist local authorities and health boards to fulfil their UNCRC duties. Statutory guidance will be published this month and a Children’s Rights Skills and Knowledge Framework will be available before the end of the year.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 July 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 25 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates it made payments to lead partners under the European structural and investment funds between September 2019 and 31 December 2023, and to which lead partner each payment was made.
Answer
As the information requested runs over several pages, a copy of the table listing those Lead Partners paid between September 2019 and 31 December 2023 has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre BIB number 65192 .
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 July 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government who was responsible for any audit failings that meant that proposed projects in Scotland, to be paid for with European structural and investment funds, could not go ahead.
Answer
At no time were payments to those Lead Partners who submitted a fully compliant and verifiable claims paused. All audit findings were resolved with both programmes being successfully lifted from suspension by the European Commission.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 July 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the reportedly remaining 118.1 million euros of the European Regional Development Fund, not committed by the end of 2023, will be spent by lead partners.
Answer
The final European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) expenditure figures and reimbursements will not be known until the second half of 2025 when the figures will be published.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 July 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the reportedly remaining 17.9 million euros of the European Social Fund, not committed by the end of 2023, will be spent by lead partners.
Answer
The final European Social Fund (ESF) expenditure figures and reimbursements will not be known until the second half of 2025 when the figures will be published.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 July 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it paused European structural and investment fund payments to lead partners in November 2019, and, if so, when any such pause was lifted.
Answer
No claims were paused to any Lead Partner who submitted a fully compliant and verifiable claim for payment.