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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-11467

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether a new IT system will be required to deliver its new welfare system in 2020 and, if so, what the procurement process will be; what timescale it has set, and how much it will cost.

New IT systems will be required to deliver the new social security powers in Scotland. We are taking account of Audit Scotland’s recommendations in their ‘Principles for a Digital Future’ report that implementation should not be ‘big-bang’ but must be broken down into manageable stages. Our phased approach to the design of the technology we need mirrors our phased approach to the devolution of social security; this means that different elements of digital/IT systems will go live at different times. For benefits within the first wave - Best Start Grant and Funeral Expense Assistance - we expect to appoint a supplier shortly who will support our agile development of the technology required. Future procurement activity will follow on from work underway just now to design the other benefits. We estimate a high level cumulative IT implementation cost of £190 million over a period of four years.

Question reference: S5W-11012

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of summary criminal cases were dealt with from caution and charge to verdict within the 26 week target in each month since April 2015, broken down by sheriff court.

Question reference: S5O-01318

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the NHS resource allocation formula.

Question reference: S5W-11306

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 27 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the 2016-17 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service annual report and accounts will be published.

Question reference: S5W-11135

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS has spent on legal and related costs defending litigation and threatened litigation in each year since 2007, also given as a percentage of each year’s NHS budget contribution from the Scottish Government, and what information it has on time lost by NHS employees dealing with such matters in the same period.

Question reference: S5W-10379

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many contractor-limited company oil and gas workers in the (a) North East Scotland parliamentary region and (b) rest of the country have had their contract for services terminated in each year since 2014.

The Scottish Government does not have access to data on the number of contractor limited company oil and gas workers who have had their contract terminated in each year since 2014. The Scottish Government holds information on the number of registered businesses and estimates of number of self-employed workers, but these data sets are derived from databases generated by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The Scottish Government holds data from the Annual Population Survey, which is published by ONS, which provides estimates of overall numbers in employment in Scotland who report themselves as being self-employed. However estimates from this source are limited to the total number of the self-employed in Scotland and are published each month by ONS in ‘Regional labour market statistics in the UK’ in ‘Table HI11-3 Full-time, part-time and temporary workers’. https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/headlinelabourforcesurveyindicatorsforscotlandhi11

It is not possible to obtain estimates for self-employed workers specifically working in the Oil and Gas industry in the North East of Scotland, or Oil and Gas industry in Scotland as a whole, from this source and this data source does not present information on numbers having had their contracts terminated.

Question reference: S5O-01274

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the tourism sector in the north east.

The latest data shows that, since 2008, the number of registered businesses, employment and the Gross Value Added associated with the Sustainable Tourism sector has increased in the North East region.

Registered businesses grew by four per cent from in 2008 to 2016. Employment grew by 11 per cent and the Gross Value Added in current prices has grown from £348 million in 2008 to £578 million in 2015.

Question reference: S5W-10977

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the methodology is for determining which businesses are liable to pay non-domestic rates on shooting rights.

Question reference: S5W-10978

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many businesses have been affected by the introduction of non-domestic rates on shooting rights, and how many of those exercise their shooting rights and how many do not.

Question reference: S5W-10975

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have been sent a Return of Information Form by their local assessor’s office following the introduction of non-domestic rates on shooting rights.

Rating valuation of shootings and deer forests is undertaken by independent assessors appointed by local government, in line with the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016.

The issuing of return of information forms and any other engagement in respect of rating valuation is for the local assessors, as is the valuation methodology. Valuation notices will be issued by assessors shortly, and an appeal can be made each against each valuation within six months. Any enquiry or appeal regarding the valuation should be made to the local assessor in question.

Separately non-domestic rates bills will be issued by local authorities. Many shootings will be eligible for rates relief up to 100 per cent under the Small Business Bonus Scheme. Any enquiry regarding the rates bill should be made to the local authority in question. The Scottish Government will continue to work with the sector to support implementation.