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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: S5W-10973

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 August 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 29 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the revised indicative SRDP scheme budgets that are included in the latest SRDP modification are.

We have taken a range of circumstances into account in determining whether to make any modifications to the Scottish Rural Development Programme between now and 2020. These include the expectation that Scotland’s overall discretionary budget is expected to be 9.2% lower in real terms in 2019-20 compared to 2010-11 and the failure of the UK Government to transfer £160 million convergence funding which rightly belongs to Scottish farmers, despite repeated requests to do so. Moreover, despite our best efforts, we still do not have certainty about the future of the SRDP beyond a commitment from the UK Government to maintain Pillar 1 payments to farmers until 2022. Just one example of this is the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) 2019, for which I have been seeking guarantees from the UK Government since November last year.

The Scottish Government remains determined to take a strategic approach to maintaining the SRDP 2014-2020 budget, ensuring that we maximise the EU funds, while continuing support for key government priorities. That approach means we do not intend to modify current indicative budgets for providing direct support for farmers and crofters, that we will increase SRDP funding to support new and young entrants and will maintain planned support for forestry grants to help deliver the 10,000 hectare tree planting target.

With regard to other changes, we have also taken account of spend to date in some schemes which has been lower than expected and adjusted future budgets accordingly.

The revised indicative budgets, which we are seeking approval from the European Commission for SRDP period 2014-2020 are:

Less Favoured Area Support Scheme - £419 million

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme - £308 million

Forestry Grant Scheme - £266.8 million

Beef Efficiency Scheme - £25.4 million

New Entrants - £22 million

Crofters Agricultural Grant Scheme - £12 million

Small Farmers Grant Scheme - £2 million

Food Processing, Marketing and Cooperation Grant Scheme - £66 million

Environmental Co-operation Action Fund - £4 million

Advisory Services - £19.5 million

Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund- £6 million

LEADER - £82 million

Broadband - £9 million

It is important to note that these are indicative budgets, and we will continue to monitor scheme performance and demand, along with the impact of future Spending Reviews, to ensure that the SRDP continues to deliver towards our commitment to build growth all across rural Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-01177

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it can ensure that organisations in the third sector are able to have their voices heard.

Hearing from the third sector is a vital part of our civic society and we value the experience and insight charities bring to public policy development as well as their willingness to speak truth to power. The third sector is making a real difference to the lives of individuals and communities right across Scotland on a daily basis, which is why we have protected funding to the sector for 2017-18 at the 2016-17 level of £24.5 million. This investment will not only allow the third sector to continue to deliver real change on the ground, but it will also support them to have their voice heard at a local and national level.

Question reference: S5F-01453

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2017

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to close the gender pay gap.

Question reference: S5O-01134

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consideration it has given to reducing the portion size of food served in the Garden Level Restaurant.

Question reference: S5F-01340

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2017

To ask the First Minister what recent discussions the Scottish Government has had with local authority directors of education concerning the quality of newly-qualified teachers.

Question reference: S5O-00998

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the outcome of the local government elections.

Question reference: S5O-00930

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how schools can encourage young people to select subjects in a way that is not along traditional gender lines.

The education system aims to provide all children and young people with a range of learning experiences that meet their individual needs and aspirations. Early careers information advice and guidance is in place to raise awareness of opportunities and support informed subject choices.

Encouraging diversity in the workforce by tackling gender stereotyping in career options such as STEM is central to the Developing the Young Workforce programme.

Question reference: S5O-00860

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact is of water charges on smaller organisations that operate in business centres in which they do not have their own water supply but share kitchens and toilets.

Question reference: S5O-00817

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle violence against women in prostitution.

Question reference: S5F-01017

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report by the chair of the Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland.