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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: S5W-24331

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations tendered for the service design of the Social Security Scotland (a) desk-based and (b) face-to-face healthcare professional assessment function.

Question reference: S5W-24091

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether the estimated cost of £180 million for the Scottish Child Payment for 2023-2024 includes delivery costs.

The estimated cost of £180 million refers to the demand-led costs of the Scottish Child Payment – the total amount of payments which are expected to be made to recipients in 2023-24. The total establishment cost of the new payment to the end of this parliament, including implementation and administration, is estimated to be in the region of £32.5 million (across 2019-20 and 2020-21).

These costs and further details were set out in a letter to the Convenor of the Social Security Committee, issued at the same time as the announcement on the Scottish Child Payment. A copy of this is available on the Scottish Parliament’s website:

https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Social_Security/General%20Documents/
20190626_CabSecSSOP_to_Convener_on_Scottish_Child_Payment.pdf .

Question reference: S5W-24090

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether the calculation that 30,000 children will be lifted out of poverty by the Scottish Child Payment is based on 100% take-up.

The modelling undertaken to assess the expected impacts of the Scottish Child Payment was based on an assumed take-up rate of 83% to allow us to make a more realistic assumption on take-up for the payment when an application is required. This is the take-up rate of Child Tax Credits, and used as the closest comparator to the Scottish Child Payment.

This information was set out in a Scottish Child Payment position paper, published alongside the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan first progress report, and is available on the Scottish Government’s website:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/publication/2019/06/
scottish-government-position-paper-scottish-child-payment/documents/
scottish-government-position-paper-scottish-child-payment/
scottish-government-position-paper-scottish-child-payment/govscot%3Adocument/
scottish-government-position-paper-scottish-child-payment.pdf

As a wholly new benefit, take-up will depend on a number of factors. In keeping with our duties under the Social Security (Scotland) Act, we will ensure we promote and maximise take-up of the Scottish Child Payment, and it will be referenced as part of our forthcoming benefit take-up strategy.

Question reference: S5W-23863

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs will be (a) directly and (b) indirectly created through (i) supply chain benefits, (ii) local employment opportunities and (iii) other means by the Ardochrig super-battery project near Whitelee Windfarm, also broken down by how many will be located (A) in South Lanarkshire, (B) in the rest of Scotland, (C) elsewhere in the UK and (D) overseas.

ScottishPower Renewables Limited applied to Scottish Ministers on 12 February 2019 for consent to construct and operate the electricity generating station the member refers to under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. The generating station was granted consent on 10 th June 2019. Information on the matters taken into consideration by Scottish Ministers are contained within the application documents and the decision notice published on the Scottish Government Energy Consents website at www.energyconsents.scot with application reference number ECU00000729.

It is noted the generating station is located in close proximity to Whitelee Windfarm and will be designed to support the flexible operation of the National Grid and decarbonisation of electricity supply to support EU targets and national planning policy.

The procurement, construction and operation of the generating station equipment will now be completed by ScottishPower Renewables Limited, who may be contacted at The Soloist, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast, United Kingdom, BT1 3LP should the member require any further information. ScottishPower Renewables will also be able to provide further information in relation to the operation of the generating station and how this will be managed in association with the existing Whitelee Windfarm generating station.

Question reference: S5W-23868

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration (a) the Just Transition Commission and (b) Scottish Enterprise has made of the economic impact of the Ardochrig super-battery project near Whitelee Windfarm.

The Just Transition Commission has not made any assessment of the economic impact of this project. The Commission works independently from Government and is tasked with providing practical advice to Ministers on how to make the transition to a net-zero economy in a way that is fair for all.

Scottish Enterprise has not conducted an evaluation of the economic impact of the development proposed by the application. Scottish Enterprise were not involved in the project at stages where this would be appropriate.

Question reference: S5W-23864

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to (a) supply chain benefits and (b) local employment opportunities during the process of consent for the Ardochrig super-battery project near Whitelee Windfarm.

Question reference: S5W-23865

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what local employment Scottish Power has committed to create during the manufacture, construction, installation and operation of the Ardochrig super-battery project near Whitelee Windfarm.

Question reference: S5W-23866

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the infrastructure of the Ardochrig super-battery project near Whitelee Windfarm it will establish using UK capital content.

Question reference: S5W-23867

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which elements of the Ardochrig super-battery project near Whitelee Windfarm will be imported, and what assessment it has made of the project's international supply chain.

Question reference: S5W-24477

Current Status: Withdrawn