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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-08219

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00632 by Keith Brown on 28 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 5) and the vote in the Parliament on motion S5M-03438, what plans it has to review its decision to abolish the board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Question reference: S5W-08364

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of all costs associated with the consultation regarding the proposal to move the Arran ferry's home port.

Question reference: S5O-00844

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact would be on the economy of a second independence referendum campaign.

The Scottish Government believes the people of Scotland should be given the right to choose their own future. A choice between the hard Brexit being advocated by the UK Government, and the risk we know that this poses to our economy of around £11 billion a year by 2030 and 80,000 jobs over a decade, and becoming an independent country and having the opportunity to pursue policies designed to grow the economy and invest in public services.

Question reference: S5W-08215

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to help people from islands meet transport costs when attending NHS appointments on the mainland.

Question reference: S5W-08218

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of homes with dampness.

There is a statutory minimum tolerable standard for all housing which includes that homes must be substantially free from rising damp or penetrating damp. Local authorities have a statutory duty to address housing which falls below the tolerable standard. Section 85 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 requires local authorities to ensure that houses which do not meet the tolerable standard are closed, demolished or brought up to the tolerable standard within such period as is reasonable. Local authorities have powers to require owners to carry out work needed to bring a house up to standard, and discretionary powers to provide advice and assistance to property owners where it is needed.

Question reference: S5W-08121

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the value is of Scotland's exports to each member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

The value of Scotland's exports to each member of the European Free Trade Association for 2015, drawn from Export Statistics Scotland are as follows:

Switzerland - £785 million
Norway - £1315 million
Iceland - Less than £50 million
Liechtenstein - No data held.

The most recent published Scottish export figures are available via the Export Statistics Scotland publication available at:http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/Exports/ESSMaps and are for 2015. The report highlights figures by the millions except where levels fall below £50 million.

Question reference: S5F-01107

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2017

To ask the First Minister whether Police Scotland plans to increase the number of armed officers.

Question reference: S5W-08159

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-06777 and S5W-07788 by John Swinney on 17 February and 15 March 2017 respectively, what progress it is making in drafting its written response to the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign, and on what date in spring 2017 it will publish this.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with key stakeholders to fully consider the important issues raised by the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign. A new stakeholder working group is being formed to bring together key interests to consider these important issues together. The Scottish Government will write to TIE shortly once the working group remit and membership has been agreed.

Question reference: S5W-08179

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 22 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what further steps it will take to provide relief to businesses in North Ayrshire, which will be impacted by the increase in business rates.

The Scottish Government has introduced a package of measures for 2017-18 which will benefit businesses in North Ayrshire, including a 3.7% reduction in the poundage rate; an increase in the rateable value threshold that the large business supplement becomes payable from £35,000 to £51,000; an increase in the Small Business Bonus Scheme threshold for 100% relief from £10,000 to £15,000; and a bill rise cap of 12.5% on bill rises for hotels, pubs, cafes and restaurants.

Additionally all local Councils in Scotland have powers under the Community Empowerment Act to create their own local business rates relief schemes.

Question reference: S5W-08176

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 22 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to release the 2017 update to Scotland's Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland, which was published in 2011.

The refreshed digital strategy, “Realising Scotland’s Full Potential in A Digital World” was published on 22 March 2017. This paints a picture of our country as a vibrant, inclusive and outward looking nation with a successful digital economy, comprehensive access to connectivity, an education system focussed on digital skills and a public sector based on modern, digital ways of doing business. It provides not just a vision, but a platform where collective action from the public, private and third sector is needed to pursue our digital ambitions, ensure that nobody is left behind, and that we all remain safe, secure and confident about the future.

It also recognises the challenges that digital presents to our society, particularly changes to the nature of work and concerns about protecting our rights and privacy.

The strategy document is available at http://beta.gov.scot/policies/digital