Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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: S4W-12667

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have benefitted from the small business bonus scheme in (a) East Lothian, (b) Midlothian and (c) Scotland.

Official Statistics published on 24 October 2012 show that 89,087 business properties across Scotland are benefitting from the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) in 2012-13. This is an increase of almost 4,000 from the previous year.

In East Lothian 1,556 and in Midlothian 1,127 business properties are benefiting from the SBBS.

In 2012-13 it is estimated that the SBBS has saved small businesses in East Lothian and Midlothian £4.5 million.

The Scottish Government has committed to maintain the SBBS for the lifetime of this Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-12236

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 31 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted of any potential water pollution as a result of unconventional gas exploration and extraction and whether it is considering commissioning further research.

Following the investigation of two seismic tremors experienced near Preese Hall, Lancashire during fracking operations in 2011, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society conducted a wide ranging and authoritative review of the scientific and technical evidence on the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing for shale gas, and published a report in June 2012. Their overall conclusion is that the risks can be managed effectively in the UK as long as operational best practices are implemented and enforced through current regulation, a position shared by The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

Whilst we and SEPA believe that the current regulatory tools provide a high level of protection, it should be noted that shale gas activity, including hydraulic fracturing, is only exploratory and there is no experience of production operations in the UK as yet. Therefore we will monitor any future activity to ensure that the current tools are effective in protecting the water environment and if not will look at further measures at that point.

Question reference: S4O-01796

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what events it will hold to promote the Year of Natural Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-12238

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 29 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the updated National Flood Risk Assessment will be published.

The first ever National Flood Risk Assessment (NFRA) for Scotland was published in December 2011 and is only the first step in a new risk-based approach to managing the impacts of floods, where the focus of plans and actions to manage flooding are targeted on where the need and benefits are greatest. The next step is for SEPA to publish new flood risk and flood hazard maps in December 2013. The NFRA will form a regular part of the new Flood Risk Management Planning Cycle, and will be updated by 22 December 2018, as required by the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Question reference: S4O-01724

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the results of the Bank of Scotland’s December 2012 survey of purchasing managers.

Question reference: S4W-10999

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its policy on fuel poverty, what its position is on claims by Ignacio Galan of Iberdrola that Scottish Power is the only energy utility company in the UK losing money.

The Scottish Government is working to tackle fuel poverty and protect Scottish consumers. We are tackling fuel poverty through a range of initiatives, including working with each of the big six energy supply companies, and a range of other key interests, to maximise support for Scottish households, particularly those who are vulnerable. In addition, the Scottish Government is committing £65million per year to the National Retrofit Programme to ensure maximum support to hard-pressed households to install energy efficiency measures and help them manage their energy consumption more efficiently. The scheme aims to make Scotland as attractive as possible for energy companies to meet their environmental obligations and help vulnerable households.

Ofgem, the independent UK energy regulator, is responsible for regulation of the energy markets in England, Scotland and Wales. To ensure Scottish consumers can get the best possible energy deal, the Scottish Government is pressing Ofgem and energy companies to deliver a simpler, clearer, fairer and more competitive energy market for all consumers. In doing so, we believe energy companies must strike the right balance between profit, investment in improving Scotland’s grid network infrastructure, ensuring Scottish consumers get the best deal and helping to tackle fuel poverty. We are also pressing the UK Government to deliver its recent commitment to legislate to ensure companies move customers onto the lowest tariff.

Question reference: S4W-11000

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 20 November 2012

To ask Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the correlation between increased expenditure for the personal care of older people in their own homes and quality of care provision.

Question reference: S4O-01473

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to prevent outbreaks of Norovirus in care homes.

Question reference: S4W-09917

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reduce or increase funds for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in 2013-14.

The Scottish Government has agreed indicative funding with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) of £422,977 for 2013-14. This is broadly in line with the initial £430,070 that was agreed for this year.

We have also provided a further £80,000 in 2012-13 to extend the CRTs Community Futures Programme and agreed with acknowledgement to consider a similar extension to this programme in 2013-14, depending on the outcomes and other budget demands.

Question reference: S4W-09817

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 17 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that free university education will be sustained in the long term.