Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-25960

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25734 by John Swinney on 3 June 2015, whether the "near future" means before the summer recess.

Question reference: S4W-25962

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25728 by John Swinney on 3 June 2015 and given that transactions may be seasonal, what the monthly breakdown is for the forecast revenue for the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax.

Question reference: S4W-25948

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to issue bonds under new borrowing powers devolved on 1 April 2015.

The Scottish Government will continue to evaluate each of the options for capital borrowing and will in due course take a decision on which method or methods to use based on the prevailing economic conditions. A revised fiscal framework and enhanced capital borrowing powers are currently subject to negotiation with the UK Government. Once the detail of the revised fiscal framework is known, and changes to Scottish Government borrowing powers are made clearer, a decision on the timing of any potential bond issue will follow.

Question reference: S4W-25912

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it considers the EU referendum will have on Scotland's (a) business confidence, (b) inward investment and (c) exports.

Membership of the EU provides the best international framework within which Scotland can make economic and social gains. The EU is the world’s largest economy and trading area, capable of competing with the most advanced economies in the world.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) from countries in the European Union is substantial – with 20% of Scotland’s FDI in 2014 from France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands. (Ernst and Young Attractiveness Survey 2015). Investors frequently cite access to European markets as a factor in their decision to invest in Scotland and any prospect of this access being removed could affect both business confidence and inward investment.

Exports from Scotland to the EU are also significant – in 2013 the Global Connections Survey estimated that just under half of all international exports from Scotland were destined for countries within the European Union (estimated at £12.9 billion, 46%).

Question reference: S4F-02888

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-25889

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 15 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is giving to private sector tenants affected by the so-called bedroom tax.

<>The bedroom tax applies to working age households in the social rented sector. The amount of housing benefit or housing element of universal credit paid to tenants in the private sector is determined by local housing allowance rates. Private sector households experiencing financial hardship may apply to their local authority for a discretionary payment from the Scottish Welfare Fund or for a discretionary housing payment.

Question reference: S4W-25888

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 15 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make up the shortfall in discretionary housing payments caused by the Department for Work and Pensions' announced 25% reduction in funding for 2015-16.

<>There has been a 12% reduction (£1.9 million) in the overall funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for discretionary housing payments (DHPs) in Scotland in 2015-16. The element of funding for the bedroom tax has not been reduced and the Scottish Government has added a further £35 million in DHP funding to cover all bedroom tax losses in 2015-16. There is no commitment to cover the DWP’s reductions in the other elements of DHP funds i.e. core, local housing allowance and benefit cap.

Question reference: S4O-04477

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-25821

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4F-02821 by Nicola Sturgeon on 28 May 2015 (Official Report, c. 20), what assessment has been made of the cost of forestalling in relation to the land and buildings transaction tax and the specific sum sought from the UK Government.

Scottish Government officials continue to work with the UK Government colleagues to estimate the likely impact of forestalling on UK Government revenues from Stamp Duty Land Tax in 2014-15 and on Scottish Government revenues from the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in 2015-16. The Scottish Government’s estimates will be subject to review by the Scottish Fiscal Commission. This analytical work will form the basis of a negotiation and agreement between Scottish and UK Ministers on the additional funding to be transferred to the Scottish Budget in 2015-16.

Question reference: S4W-25783

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish and distribute printed copies of the recent joint statement signed by the Scottish Ministers, the Lord Advocate and Police Scotland opposing female genital mutilation as awareness-raising material.

This month the Scottish Government will be printing 2000 copies of the joint female genital mutilation statement, some of which will be used for Police Scotland’s ‘Operation Atlas’ commencing 26 June 2015. Others will be distributed to service providers and community-based organisations.

This statement is also available to download at: www.fgmaware.org, www.onescotland.org and a number of local authority and violence against women partnership websites, as well as Police Scotland and a number of NHS intranets. Police Scotland has also distributed electronic copies to all Scottish airports to download and print off as part of the planned ‘Operation Atlas’.

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