- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what measures in its draft Budget 2025-26 reflect the statement by the First Minister on 22 May 2024, in which he stated that one of his "priorities is to grow Scotland’s economy".
Answer
The Draft 2025-26 Budget invests in the long-term prosperity of Scotland’s people, places and businesses.
The expanded package puts money firmly behind the Programme for Government’s priorities for economic growth, investing:
- over £321 million for the enterprise agencies, a rise of £14 million compared to the 2024-25 Budget. This will facilitate their work to help businesses to start and scale, develop new products and enter new markets, and positively impact on their communities;
- a further £200 million (net) to the Scottish National Investment Bank as it continues to create jobs, support innovation and attract investment across the country;
- over £214 million made available to deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth across every region in Scotland through the City and Region Deals programme this year;
- a new fund of £2 million for VisitScotland to promote Scotland’s connectivity, internationally and to encourage visitors to consider lesser-known destinations, and a revitalised and expanded Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF), which will provide critical economic support to tourist hotspots across the country;
- over £2 billion in Scotland’s colleges, universities and skills system in recognition of their contribution to driving economic growth and to help ensure businesses have access to a skilled workforce;
- a £34 million uplift for culture to improve the resilience and sustainability of our cultural sector’s contribution to growing our economy;
- £15 million to fund the Government’s Enterprise Package to expand support for female entrepreneurs, boost the economic impact of universities, and to develop of business clusters in advanced manufacturing and deeptech; and
- over £7 billion investment in our total infrastructure package, almost tripling our investment in offshore wind to £150 million and investing £100 million for the continued rollout of our digital connectivity programmes across Scotland.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it will provide to the grassroots music venue industry regarding its plans for business rates relief in the years beyond the draft Budget for 2025-26.
Answer
Decisions on non-domestic rates for 2026-27 will be considered in the context of the Scottish Budget 2026-27.
The Scottish Budget 2025-26 announced a new 40% relief for hospitality premises, including grassroots music venues with a capacity of up to 1,500, which have a rateable value of up to £51,000, capped at £51,000 per business. Following the passage of the budget, the Scottish Government will update the available to provide information to applicants on this new relief.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the proposal in its draft Budget 2025-26 to reduce the consumer policy and advice budget.
Answer
The Scottish Government has taken the decision to realign funding for scams prevention and awareness, with the requisite funding reallocated from its consumer policy and advice budget to Consumer Scotland’s budget. Consumer Scotland also now receives and manages grant funding for Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) for its advocacy and education programme which was previously allocated from the consumer policy and advice budget.
Realigning these funding streams has had the effect of reducing the consumer policy and advice budget, while the Consumer Scotland budget has correspondingly increased.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s reported commitment to a permanently lowered tax rate for grassroots music venues in England and Wales from 2026-27, whether it will commit to implementing any such relief in full in Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31342 on 26 November 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s consultation on reforming its business rates system, whether it has any plans to undertake a similar consultation on potential changes to non-domestic rates in Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31342 on 26 November 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the 2025-26 draft Budget proposes reducing the digital budget of the portfolio of the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic by more than one half, and what areas of the digital budget this will impact on.
Answer
Following record investment in digital this financial year, the draft budget allocates £166 million for investment during 2025-26. This total includes income to the Scottish Government of around £68 million from legacy programmes and will support continued delivery of the Reaching 100% (R100) contracts and the Digital Strategy. The Scottish Government has also secured UK Government funding for investment in digital infrastructure through the Project Gigabit programme which will further increase planned digital spend in 2025-26.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ruth Charteris on 10 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the details of all expenditure that has been paid to contest concluded civil cases relating to prosecutions arising from the administration of Rangers FC.
Answer
The following table provides the details of all expenditure that has been paid to contest concluded civil cases relating to prosecutions arising from the administration of Rangers FC. Figures correct as of 27 October 2024.
Category | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | Total |
Staffing | 81,864.40 | 220,466.14 | 356,360.78 | 275,002.43 | 436,555.03 | 370,761.36 | 728,689.14 | 700,742.61 | 3,170,441.89 |
Legal Costs | 188,637.56 | 129,242.84 | 578,972.31 | 558,727.37 | 1,141,535.00 | 903,000.57 | 470,223.14 | 12,544.80 | 3,982,883.59 |
Legal advice for staff | | 36,473.13 | 95,807.29 | 166,860.29 | 255,855.12 | 148,440.26 | 63,875.10 | 16,349.60 | 783,660.79 |
Fees to Noters | | | | | | | | | - |
Judicial Docs | | | | | | | | | - |
Interpreters/Video/Satellite | | | 695.94 | | | | | | 695.94 |
Professional Services | | | | | | 1,491,639.55 | | | 1,491,639.55 |
Witness costs | | | | | | | | 0.00 | - |
Office costs | 211.11 | | 62.77 | | | | 56.09 | | 329.97 |
Total costs excl compensation | 188,848.67 | 165,715.97 | 675,538.31 | 725,587.66 | 1,397,390.12 | 2,543,080.38 | 534,154.33 | 28,894.40 | 9,429,651.73 |
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ruth Charteris on 10 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) has been and (b) is due to be paid to litigants from all concluded civil cases relating to prosecutions arising from the administration of Rangers FC, broken down by financial year.
Answer
The following table provides the details of how much has been paid to litigants from all concluded civil cases relating to prosecutions arising from the administration of Rangers FC, broken down by financial year.
Please note that the total sum to date which has been paid out in respect of all settlements and legal expenses for the Pursuers is £52.2m.
The action concerning Imran Ahmad v the Lord Advocate, settlement of £528,615 was paid out in 2024-25 however the matter of expenses to be awarded to Mr Ahmad is still pending. Accordingly, as this action is not deemed to be concluded, this payment has not been included in the table below. The final sum due to be paid is to Mr Ahmad in respect of expenses incurred as a result of the civil action. This matter is still currently being considered by Lord Harrower.
The final outstanding matter concerns expenses due to the Lord Advocate for the cost of defending the action raised by Mr Grier against the Lord Advocate. This matter is due to go to taxation to be considered by the Auditor in January 2025.
Compensation costs when paid out: | 2016-17 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | Total |
Civil Cases | 67,043.67 | 310,000.00 | 24,045,250.00 | 11,037,825.05 | 16,231,398.28 | 13,643.39 | | 51,705,160.39 |
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 5 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it will update the Parliament on its review of Creative Scotland.
Answer
On 4 December, I provided an update to the Constitution, External Affairs & Culture Committee on progress in relation to the Review of Creative Scotland as part of my response to their recommendations regarding the pre-budget scrutiny. I will send the Member a link to the report once it is published on the CEEAC Committee webpages.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 5 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of any engagement that it has had with Creative Scotland since the planned review of the organisation was announced on 4 September 2024.
Answer
The Scottish Government carry out regular engagement with Creative Scotland as part of the normal sponsorship relationship between the Scottish Government and public bodies and my officials have regular contact with Creative Scotland. The last formal meeting with the Chair and Chief Executive of Creative Scotland and myself took place on 26 September and we will next meet on 11 December.