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: S5O-02696

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the clear-up rate for housebreakings is.

Question reference: S5W-20097

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the report by the Auditor General, The 2017/18 audit of the Scottish Police Authority, that, during 2017-18, Police Scotland spent (a) £4.3 millionon consultancy fees and (b) £4 million on agency staff, and what ministerial involvement there was with the decisions that led to this expenditure.

Scottish Ministers allocate funding to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to allow it to maintain policing in Scotland.

It is for the Scottish Police Authority to prioritise its financial resources, ensuring this is done in line with guidance contained within the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Auditor General’s view that the SPA and Police Scotland must have arrangements in place to monitor spend against these contracts, and ensure that the planned benefits and knowledge transfer and the desired contribution to the organisation’s strategic objectives are achieved, to enable spend on consultancy and agency staff to reduce in future years.

Question reference: S5W-20099

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the report by the Auditor General, The 2017/18 audit of the Scottish Police Authority, regarding the BTP merger that "Given the range of transformational challenges facing the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland there is a risk that the ongoing uncertainty continues to absorb resources at the expense of wider strategic objectives".

On 27 August, I announced that we would re-examine all options for the devolution of railway policing, recognising the pressing need to fully examine appropriate interim arrangements. I explained to the Justice Committee on 18 September and I announced during that meeting that I would update Parliament on progress before the Christmas recess.

We will continue to support the SPA and Police Scotland to deliver transformation and to ensure strong financial planning going forward.

Question reference: S5W-20096

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the report by the Auditor General, The 2017/18 audit of the Scottish Police Authority, that there has been “a lack of clarity about how the £298 million required to implement the [Police Scotland digital, data and ICT] strategy will be funded” and that this presents "a risk to both the timing of its implementation and the future financial sustainability of the Scottish Police Authority".

The Scottish Government welcomes the work undertaken to date to develop the Police Scotland Digital, Data and ICT (DDICT) Strategy. Moving forward, it is for the Scottish Police Authority to scrutinise the delivery of that strategy, ensuring that proposals are affordable and deliver best value.

Funding of transformation activity across policing is being considered in the context of setting the 2019-20 Scottish Budget which will be published in December 2018.

Question reference: S5W-20095

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the report by the Auditor General, The 2017/18 audit of the Scottish Police Authority, that there has been “insufficient progress” in developing Police Scotland’s workforce and estates strategies.

While this is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), the Scottish Government notes the Auditor General’s view and welcomes the work underway to address the issues highlighted.

The Police Scotland Estates Strategy was approved by the SPA Board in June 2015 and is currently being revised and updated to ensure alignment with wider transformation taking place across the service. This work is expected to be completed by the end of March 2019.

The Police Scotland People Strategy was presented to the SPA Board in August 2018 and the service is expects to consult key stakeholders on a draft Workforce strategy by the end of March 2019.

Question reference: S5W-20100

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the report by the Auditor General, The 2017/18 audit of the Scottish Police Authority, that "The lack of progress in developing [the workforce, estates and ICT] strategies will constrain the Scottish Police Authority’s ability to achieve long-term financial sustainability".

The Scottish Government welcomes the Auditor General’s view that progress has been made in key areas, with many of the concerns highlighted in previous audit reports now being addressed.

The Scottish Police Authority’s three year financial plan and ten year financial strategy were approved in May 2018. The three year plan sets the context for the delivery of the Policing 2026 strategy, outlining plans to eradicate the service’s budget deficit. The ten year strategy sets out the range of financial impacts that could arise as a result of longer term trends.

The Scottish Government recognises that these financial plans will become increasingly robust, supporting the delivery of long-term financial sustainability, as underpinning strategies are developed.

Question reference: S5W-20008

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact on Aberdeen of the 2014 oil and gas sector crash, what consideration it gave prior to April 2017 of how the proposed business rates revaluation that year could impact on the city's (a) businesses and (b) economy.

The valuation of all non-domestic property, including the revaluation, is a matter for the Assessors who are wholly independent of central and local Government. The Scottish Government has no locus to intervene in that process.

The Scottish Government undertook a thorough analysis ahead of April 2017 to estimate the effects of the revaluation for business properties across the country, including in Aberdeen. In response the Scottish Government put in place a transitional relief from 2017-18 to cap the annual year on year increase in rates bills at 12.5% real terms, for all but the largest hospitality across Scotland and Aberdeen city and Shire offices. This relief is expected to save businesses over £15 million for this year alone. I recently confirmed that transitional relief would be maintained for the next three years, to the next revaluation in 2022. This will deliver an annual year on year real terms cap of 12.5% on rates increases for eligible properties for the full five-year period between the 2017 and the 2022 revaluations.

In addition, we are doing all we can to support the Scottish economy, including the economies of cities like Aberdeen, by maintaining a competitive non-domestic rates regime and the most competitive rates relief package in the UK, worth around £720 million. This includes the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which according to official statistics lifts over 2,200 recipients in Aberdeen city out of rates altogether. Since the Small Business Bonus Scheme was introduced, by this government, it has saved premises in Aberdeen City around £48 million. That £48 million that would have otherwise been paid in tax has been freed up for investment and growth. We have also created powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to allow Councils the ability to offer their own bespoke local business rates relief schemes to reflect the local needs.

Question reference: S5W-20017

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the 2017 business rates revaluation has impacted on Aberdeen's (a) businesses and (b) economy.

Question reference: S5W-20049

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the multi-agency public protection arrangements report on the Robbie McIntosh case will be published.

The report commissioned by Angus Council on behalf of the Tayside MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group is in the very initial stages of being finalised. There is a necessary process of factual accuracy checking and consideration of comments from all partner agencies prior to a final report being presented by the independent reviewer. The report will then be formally considered by the Tayside MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group and the Angus Protecting People Chief Officers Group. Following this, further decisions about the report, including in relation to publication, will be made on a multi-agency basis by local partners.

Question reference: S5O-02647

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported problems with teacher recruitment.