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-32393

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it records the number of gas leaks that occur on offshore installations.

Question reference: S6W-32394

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30508 by Gillian Martin on 18 October 2024, whether future regional marine plans, adopted under section 5 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, will be required to set out detailed marine spatial plans for all economic and nature restoration activities within the relevant Scottish marine region.

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 requires that regional marine plans (RMPs) state policies for and in connection with the sustainable development of the area. RMPs must also set economic, social and marine ecosystem objectives and objectives relating to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change. RMPs must be developed in accordance with any adopted National Marine Plan (NMP) and are subject to the agreement of Scottish Ministers.

Responsibility for regional marine planning is devolved to marine planning partnerships (MPPs). The current NMP provides guidance to support the development of regional marine plans but specifies that the precise approach and coverage of the regional plan, including the level to which certain activities are spatially represented, will be for MPPs to determine based on local priorities and alignment with other local plans.

Question reference: S6W-32381

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that it has frozen the funding for the national mission to reduce drug-related deaths and harms at £60 million in its draft Budget 2025-26, and that this represents a real-terms reduction, which rehabilitation services in the Glasgow region will be impacted by this.

The funding for Drugs and Alcohol in the 2025-26 draft budget is £80.9m. This includes £60m as part of our commitment to provide £250m in additional funding over 5 years to reduce drug deaths and improve the lives of people who use drugs and alcohol.

£19.1m of funding has moved to baselined funding which ADPs have highlighted as important for sustainability and recruitment.

Overall funding for Alcohol and Drugs, including Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) has been maintained at the record levels set in 2023-24.

No rehabilitation services will be directly impacted as a result of this budget.

Question reference: S6W-32276

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour will publish its report setting out its findings and recommendations, and whether the group has made specific enquiries into young people's behaviour on public transport as part of its investigation.

The Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour is reporting to Ministers, Cosla and Police Scotland by the end of 2024. Its remit was to: Consider the effectiveness of current approaches to understanding, preventing and tackling antisocial behaviour and if, and how, these could be improved to develop a holistic long term strategic approach which will help to improve the lives of communities across Scotland. This should include consideration of whether a preventative approach would be appropriate and how victims of antisocial behaviour are supported and whether this could be improved.

As part of its engagement work it met with a number of representatives from the transport sector who had also been invited to respond to a national data survey commissioned by the Working Group. This report will be published in the first quarter of 2025 and will be considered by Scottish Ministers, Police Scotland and Cosla prior to a formal response.

Question reference: S6W-32229

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20143 by Mairi McAllan on 15 August 2023, whether it anticipates any further delays to the implementation of fisheries management measures for both offshore and inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Priority Marine Features.

Fisheries management measures for offshore MPAs were subject to public consultation, which ran from 19 August to 14 October 2024. The responses are currently being analysed, and final measures will be implemented in 2025.

Ensuring that we develop evidence-based and effective fisheries management measures for the large number of inshore sites is a complex and challenging process. Fisheries management measures for inshore MPAs and Priority Marine Features (PMFs) are currently going through a Sustainability Appraisal, and other statutory impact assessments are being undertaken in preparation for the inshore consultation. The consultation will be undertaken in line with the commitment in the current Programme for Government. Final fisheries management measures will then be implemented as soon as possible once the consultation responses have been analysed and a final decision on the measures taken.

Question reference: S6W-32208

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for carrying out the Scottish Climate Survey, which aims to assess public awareness and understanding of the heat transition, and by what date this will be published.

Question reference: S6W-32087

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on the number of Scottish animals slaughtered in England and vice versa, and what assessment it has made of any impact of its proposal to adopt ultra-high frequency electronic identification technology.

Question reference: S6W-32084

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of any impact of adopting ultra-high frequency electronic identification technology on the trade of Scottish cattle and beef with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scottish Ministers are considering all the available information on bovine EID and technology use across the UK. This includes the ScotEID pilot findings into UHF, the results and analysis of the consultation held on Cattle ID and Traceability earlier this year and ongoing close discussions with the livestock sector. All potential impacts, including those on trade, will be fully considered before a final decision is made.

Question reference: S6W-32358

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last met the (a) chair, (b) chief executive and (c) board of NHS Grampian.

Both Ministers and Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with senior representatives of all NHS Boards, including NHS Grampian.

The Scottish Government has been working very closely with NHS Grampian in relation to the recent pressures on local services. I attended a meeting with the Board leadership team, including the Chair and Interim Chief Executive, and local elected representatives on 29 November 2024 to discuss the Board’s operational resilience plan and cover the actions underway to resume business as usual at the earliest opportunity.

Question reference: S6W-32207

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its draft Budget 2025-26, whether it has reached its target of allocating at least £1.8 billion to support the Heat in Buildings programme over the current parliamentary session and, if not, what the allocation is.