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: S6W-27206

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what process exists for the certification of cells in prisons and custody suites.

Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has confirmed that Cell Certification is conducted in all prison establishments. This process involves all prison cells across the estate being regularly checked a minimum of 3 times per week, with any issues being reported and acted upon immediately. Additionally, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons Scotland (HMIPS) conduct routine inspections of all prisons in Scotland, which includes inspecting decency standards within prison cells.

With regard to the management of the police custody suites, this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government also supports His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland ( HMICS ) and Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) to undertake joint inspections across Police Scotland’s network of custody suites to ensure the safety of these facilities.

Where recommendations have been made, Police Scotland, working with health partners as appropriate, work to address these quickly and effectively.

Question reference: S6W-27131

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects island residents under 22 years old to have access to free ferry travel to the mainland.

The draft Islands Connectivity Plan Strategic Approach, published for consultation on 1 February 2024, said that we would take forward detailed consideration of proposals for under 22 year old island residents to provide free foot passenger travel on inter-island ferries within the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Island groups and extend the existing National Ferry Concessionary Scheme.

The online consultation concluded on 6 May 2024 and responses will now be collated and analysed. Further detail on next steps and timescales will be confirmed in due course.

Question reference: S6W-27132

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its timeline for the introduction of free ferry travel for island residents under 22 years old.

Question reference: S6O-03435

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its engagement with stakeholders in the legal sector regarding the provision of legal aid.

Question reference: S6W-27081

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide any modelling, or other assessment undertaken, to estimate any reduction in (a) car kilometres travelled and (b) CO2-equivalent emissions as a result of the extension of free bus travel to (i) under-22s, (ii) over-60s and (iii) disabled people.

As outlined in the draft route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030, achieving this commitment relies on a package of over 30 interventions.

The route map does not apportion a specific reduction in car kilometres, nor in CO2-equivalent emissions, to any single intervention such as the extension of the concessionary travel scheme, which is one of a number of route map interventions which aim to encourage the use of public transport and reduce car use.

Question reference: S6W-27080

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what degree of impact it expects the extension of free bus travel to (a) under-22s, (b) over-60s and (c) disabled people to have on its emissions reductions targets.

The Scotland-wide free bus travel schemes aim to make sustainable travel more available, affordable and accessible to those aged 60 and above, aged under 22 and eligible disabled people.

As set out in our report on proposals and policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions following annual target for 2019 not being met ( www.gov.scot ) , published in 2021, the Scottish Government committed to building upon our commitment in the updated Climate Change Plan to extend National Concessionary Travel Schemes to include under 22s as part of our additional policies and proposals to deliver the amount of emissions reduction required. However, it does not apportion emissions reduction to any single additional policy.

Question reference: S6W-27212

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is an equivalent standard to "certified normal accommodation" or "uncrowded capacity" for prison cells in Scotland, as required for cells in England and Wales, and, if so, how many prison cells in Scotland currently exceed this capacity.

Question reference: S6W-27214

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to redirect young people remanded for, or convicted of, an offence to secure accommodation where there is capacity available.

Question reference: S6W-27211

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many cells in prisons and custody suites currently exceed their maximum capacity.

Question reference: S6W-27181

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to remove existing plastic pollution from seas and waterways.