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: S4W-30547

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 22 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much money each college has transferred to arms-length foundations in each year since 2011.

Question reference: S4W-30545

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 22 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce its decision on planning application (a) PPA-320-2092 for residential development and associated uses in Wishaw and (b) PPA-320-2093 for residential development and associated works in North Lanarkshire.

The appeals in respect of a residential development at Weymysshill Farm, Overtown, Wishaw, and at land west of Morningside, Newmains, North Lanarkshire are currently with reporters at the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government.

The appointed reporters in both these appeals have undertaken inspections of the sites relevant to the appeals. In both cases the reporters are considering whether they have enough information to submit a report with recommendations to Scottish Ministers or if they will require to obtain further information from parties involved in the appeals.

The reporters are making every effort to conclude the information gathering stage and to prepare their reports for Scottish Ministers. It will then be for ministers to consider the reporters’ recommendations made on the appeals. Ministers focus on efficient decision making and will endeavour to issue decisions on the appeals as quickly as possible, and within two months of planning and architecture division officials receiving the reports from DPEA.

Question reference: S4T-01367

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on negotiations to save the steel plants at Dalzell and Clydebridge.

Question reference: S4W-30548

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 21 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been claimed against the Scottish Ministers with regard to damage to personal property or personal injury caused by defects on trunk roads in each year since 2010-11, also broken down by the amount it paid in (a) compensation and (b) legal costs.

Question reference: S4W-30542

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether construction of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements project is still scheduled to be completed in March 2017 and, if not, how many months it is behind schedule.

Question reference: S4W-30543

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the anticipated costs of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements project have risen and whether delayed completion will result in further increases in costs and penalties for the contractor.

Question reference: S4W-30544

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether revisions to the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements project lighting plans have been considered and, if so, what impact proposed revisions will have on (a) cost and (b) public safety.

Question reference: S4W-30304

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it would take action against trustees who have not submitted accounts for a period in excess of the six months stipulated by the Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Act 2014 and, if so, how long it would wait before doing so.

The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) is appointed by Scottish Ministers and authorised by law to supervise trustees of bankruptcies to ensure compliance with their statutory duties. The Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, as amended, makes provision for a trustee to obtain permission to waive the statutory timescale to submit accounts. This permission must be obtained in advance of submitting any accounts to the AiB for determination after the statutory timescale. The AiB will not determine a trustee’s accounts if they are submitted outwith a statutory timescale and this would result in the trustee being unable to draw their fees for work undertaken in the administration of the bankruptcy.

Question reference: S4W-30305

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Accountant in Bankruptcy, in acting as commissioners to support trustees, carrying on the sequestration of an individual for 20 years at a cost to their estate in excess of £300,000, while providing no return for the creditors.

The Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985, as amended, clearly sets out the position in relation to the audit and determination of trustees’ fees and outlays and the power that any interested party has to appeal the determination or challenge any act, omission or decision of a trustee, in the Sheriff Court. This legal provision ensures the actions of the AiB and a trustee can be subject to independent judicial scrutiny.

Question reference: S4W-30303

Asked by: John Pentland, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it would take if the Accountant in Bankruptcy was found to be pursuing cases in court based on affidavits that were known to be false.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any instances where the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) has pursued a case in court based on affidavits that were known to be false. The AiB adopts a rigorous process in taking forward any court procedure. Such procedures are handled by its contracted legal agents.

If the Scottish Government or the AiB became aware that the AiB had lodged a false document in any court proceedings, this would be reported to the sheriff. An appropriate investigation would take place and any subsequent action would be determined by the outcome of the investigation.