Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-28404

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4O-04551 by John Swinney on 9 September 2015 (Official Report, c.5), whether it will provide an update on (a) the progress that is being made with the Office for National Statistics regarding the EU accounting requirements and (b) when funding will be released for the Newbattle High School project.

The Scottish Government has sought a view from the Office for National Statistics on proposed changes to the contractual arrangements that apply to the Scottish Government’s hub programme of infrastructure investment, through which a number of projects including the Newbattle High School are to be delivered.

The proposals, developed by the Scottish Futures Trust, are aimed at responding to recent changes in relevant EU accounting guidance. As indicated on 9 September 2015 in my answer to question S4O-04551, the Office for National Statistics had indicated that it expected to be able to respond in October or November 2015 and I therefore hope to be in a position soon to provide a further update to Parliament.

Question reference: S4O-04857

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the HS2 rail project coming to Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-04809

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding planning for winter.

Question reference: S4O-04766

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact on its climate targets is of the UK Government’s energy policies.

Question reference: S4O-04718

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many local authorities use the Water Direct scheme to deduct water and sewerage charges, and whether this includes Midlothian and East Lothian councils.

Question reference: S4O-04675

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it will work with further and higher education institutions to ensure that students in receipt of employment and support allowance will not find their education disrupted when universal credit is rolled out.

Question reference: S4O-04663

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what changes it expects to make to personal independence payments following their devolution.

Question reference: S4W-27520

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26951 by John Swinney on 31 July 2015, whether it will provide an update on the progress that is being made with regard to the EU accounting requirements, and what information it has regarding when funding will be released for the Newbattle High School project.

Question reference: S4O-04612

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Court of Session's recent decision not to overturn NHS Lothian’s withdrawal of prescriptive homeopathic medicine to a Midlothian resident.

Question reference: S4O-04597

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact on its policy will be of reports that Germany, Latvia and Greece are to opt out of growing genetically modified crops.

The fact that Germany, Europe’s largest country, Latvia, Greece and others are going to opt out of growing EU approved genetically modified (GM) crops shows the continuing concern that exists across the EU about the cultivation of GM crops and confirms that we were right to lead the way in exercising the new powers to opt out.

Scotland’s decision was based on the societal and economic consequences that growing GM crops might have for Scotland and that, as consumer surveys continue to show, there is little demand for GM food.

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