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 MSPs 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: S5W-01001

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 1 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it will create parity in relation to the calculation of kinship carers allowance.

In her programme for government statement in September 2015, the First Minister announced additional funding to ensure that eligible kinship carers receive improved allowances to bring them up to the same level as those received by foster carers in their local authority. The Minister for Children and Families confirmed that £10.1 million funding had been agreed with COSLA for this purpose on an annual basis and this funding was put in place from 1 October 2015.

Some kinship carers will be eligible for child-related benefits, which are intended to cover accommodation and maintenance. If a kinship carer is in receipt of any child-related benefits, then the local authority may deduct these (actual amounts) from the amount of allowance that it pays to the kinship carer. In this situation, any additional payment to bring the allowance rate up to that of a foster carer is to be considered a wellbeing payment – the kinship carer is already receiving payment from the state for accommodation and maintenance and the additional money is to ensure that the kinship child is able to benefit from opportunities that many children have but that they would otherwise be unable to access.

Question reference: S5W-01040

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the reason is for the delay in the publication of its final implementation strategy for the storage of higher activity nuclear waste; what assessment it has made of the effect of this delay on nuclear sites in Scotland, and what contact it had with experts and relevant stakeholders in the industry during the consultation period.

The draft implementation strategy is being revised following the public consultation. Scottish Government officials have continued contact with the nuclear decommissioning authority, the committee on radioactive waste management, nuclear site managers and stakeholder groups. There is no material effect on radioactive waste management, with Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste arising continuing to be placed into safe storage.

Question reference: S5W-00373

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to applying business rates relief for mobile phone mast sites in rural areas with no coverage or where there is a clear developmental need.

Telecommunications, including mobile telephony, is a reserved matter for which the UK Government has responsibility to ensure adequate coverage and to fund improvements and developments. The Scottish Government is committed to using devolved levers where appropriate such as business rates relief to improve the commercial case for investment.

With effect from 1 April 2016, the Scottish Government launched a scheme offering non-domestic rates relief for new mobile masts in certain non-commercial areas for a period of five years. This initial pilot covers parts of Arran and the Cairngorms, and it is our intention to widen the scheme across Scotland if the pilot is successful and once an intervention area can be accurately defined.

Maps showing the pilot areas eligible for relief can be found at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Economy/digital/Publications/NDR-maps

Question reference: S5W-00389

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the benefits to consumers of increasing competition in the mobile backhaul market.

Competition in the mobile backhaul market is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator.

Wider assessment of enhanced connectivity, its usage, and the socio economic benefits arising - which assumes the availability of sufficient backhaul – has been undertaken by the Scottish Futures Trust on behalf of the Scottish Government. This report, published in July 2015, suggests that a fully digitised Scotland could see GDP growth of £13 billion by 2030: http://www.scottishfuturestrust.org.uk/files/publications/Impact_of_digitalisation_in_Scotland.pdf

We continue to engage with UK Government Ministers and Ofcom to make the case for improved investment in mobile infrastructure in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-00374

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include the south of Scotland and, in particular, Dumfries and Galloway in any proposed pilot of business rates relief for mobile phone mast sites in areas with poor mobile coverage.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00373 on 13 June 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

It is our intention to widen the scheme across Scotland if the pilot is successful and once an intervention area can be accurately defined.

Question reference: S5W-00210

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic benefits of upgrading the A75.

Question reference: S5W-00208

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to dual the A75 between Dumfries and the M74.

Question reference: S5W-00209

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out a feasibility study into the dualling of the A75 between Dumfries and the M74.

The National Transport Strategy (NTS) Refresh, published in January 2016 makes reference to the consideration of a full NTS review in the next parliament, to tie in with the next National Planning Framework and followed by a refresh of the Strategic Transport Projects Review which was published in 2008.

This will enable the Scottish Government to take a comprehensive review of national infrastructure priorities including projects within Dumfries and Galloway.

In addition, Mr Swinney and I plan to host a transport summit in Dumfries and Galloway and I will provide the member with further details in due course.

Question reference: S5T-00010

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of financial difficulties at Police Scotland following the departure of its Director of Financial Services.

Question reference: S5W-00212

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government on the possible extension of the Borders Railway route to Carlisle.