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.

Question reference: S5W-01730

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 July 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 August 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that inspections of claimants by its Agriculture, Food and Rural Communities Directorate and any subsequent issue of sanctions for non-compliance are carried out on a legal basis.

The management of expenditure under the common agriculture policy is shared by the member state and the commission with aid paid by the designated national authority the so called paying agency which in Scotland is the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate who are then reimbursed by the commission. The final recognition of expenditure by the commission is determined through a procedure called the ‘clearance of accounts’.

The purpose of this procedure is set out in the financial regulations applicable to the general budget of the European communities and its implementing rules. Article 53b (4) of the financial regulations states that the objective of the procedure is to ensure the funds are used in accordance with the applicable rules to enable the commission to assume final responsibility for the implementation of the budget. The Scottish Government (as a paying agency) is subject to various audit scrutiny including internal audit, Audit Scotland and commission audit reviewing the compliance with the above regulation thus ensuring that the functions of the paying agency are undertaken on a legal basis.

Question reference: S5O-00004

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will review the referral pathway that results in cancer patients in Stranraer having to travel to Edinburgh via Dumfries rather than to cancer services in Glasgow.

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