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-20469

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) design capacity, (b) number of occupants and (c) occupancy rate was in each prison in July 2023.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following table details the average occupancy, the design capacity and the average occupancy rate of each prison for July 2023:

Establishment	Average Occupancy	Design Capacity	Average Occupancy Rate
Addiewell	724	702	103%
Barlinnie	1379	987	140%
Stirling	62	100	62%
Dumfries	193	176	110%
Edinburgh	930	867	107%
Glenochil	739	668	111%
Grampian	454	552	82%
Greenock	227	224	101%
Inverness	116	93	125%
Kilmarnock	547	501	109%
Low Moss	798	784	102%
Open Estate	152	284	54%
Perth	678	631	107%
Polmont	280	758	37%
Shotts	536	537	99%
Bella	8	16	50%
Lillias	11	24	46%

Question reference: S6W-21091

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a breakdown of how it spent any Barnett consequential funding in the Scottish Budget 2023-24.

Barnett consequentials are not ring-fenced for a particular purpose or allocated on an individual basis, rather the totality of funds available to the Scottish Government are considered for allocation in the Scottish Budget and subsequent revisions. The 2023-24 Scottish Budget document, which was laid before parliament on 15 December 2022 provided detail of all commitments funded from within that overall Budget envelope.

In-year changes to budgets, including allocation of any additional Barnett consequentials that have accrued since the Budget was laid will be set out in forthcoming Budget Revisions documents.

Question reference: S6W-21045

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 12 September 2023

Question reference: S6W-20994

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total (a) number and (b) value is of contracts that it has awarded to consulting companies in each of the last five fiscal years.

A full breakdown of the total number and value of contracts awarded to consulting companies covering the last five fiscal years for the Scottish Government only, is provided in the following table.

Fiscal Years	No of Awards to Consultant Suppliers ‎ (in period)	Total Contract Award Value
2017-18	66	£ 3,256,129
2018-19	57	£ 6,051,465
2019-20	93	£ 12,790,879
2020-21	65	£ 1,900,295
2021-22	89	£ 30,127,792
Total	370	£ 54,126,560

Question reference: S6W-21048

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to mitigate any risks posed by the reported removal of four fire appliances in Fife.

Question reference: S6W-21063

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has budgeted for the establishment of a new Small Business Unit, as proposed in its Programme for Government 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-20814

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in developing a domestic recycling infrastructure for (a) electric vehicle and (b) other types of batteries.

Since 2018, the Scottish Government, through Zero Waste Scotland, has supported 4 companies with an interest in battery reprocessing/recycling through the European Regional Development Fund at a total cost of around 67500. Through the Just Transition Fund, we have also invested £626,734 in Ripcell, based in Aberdeen, to deliver an innovative pilot scheme using their patented BiCircular process which uses waste to recycle EV batteries.

Question reference: S6W-20658

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19662 by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2023, and in light of the reported commitment by the former Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training in 2022 to look at changing the recording of those not completing the college courses on which they were enrolled, what work has been done to fulfil this commitment.

In line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, Scottish Funding Council (SFC) publications including those reporting on college withdrawals, undergo systematic and periodic reviews on the strengths and limitations of the data.

As an example of the continuing work in this area, the SFC has initiated collection of students’ reasons for withdrawal from colleges. Experimental data has previously been collected, and SFC will be working with Colleges Scotland and College Development Network to improve the capture of student withdrawal data for publication in future years.

The SFC is also progressing an internal review of the definitions of college student outcomes metrics, to ensure that they provide the most appropriate measures of success for students.

Question reference: S6W-20760

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the accident investigation study on the Garvald junction on the A702 will be concluded.

Transport Scotland undertakes an annual assessment of the safety performance of the entire trunk road network, including the A702. Whilst accident patterns and rates in the form of Route Accident Reduction Plans (RARP) are considered, all locations where three or more personal-injury accidents have occurred in a three year period are screened. Further investigations are then carried out and, where appropriate, mitigation measures are prioritised for delivery.

Through this assessment, the Garvald junction, north of Dolphinton on the A702 has been identified for further investigation. The Operating Company, BEAR Scotland, has been instructed to carry out an accident investigation and prevention study. Road safety engineers will review recorded injury accidents and the operation of the junction, with recommendations for improvements being made as appropriate. The study is expected to be complete by the end of this financial year. Any recommendations for improvements will be considered thereafter and prioritised for delivery alongside other casualty reduction commitments in the South East Unit.

Question reference: S6W-20793

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how islands and remote communities can best engage with the Scottish Government in the early stages of infrastructure investment and strategic transport planning to explore the potential to build more fixed links and reduce their reliance on ferries.

The second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) was published in December 2022 and will inform the Scottish Government’s transport investment programme over the next 20 years and help to deliver the National Transport Strategy. STPR2 recommends a potential Sound of Harris/ Sound of Barra fixed links as well as another between Mull and the Scottish mainland.

STPR2 included a considerable programme of engagement activities at a national and regional level with participation from local stakeholders, communities and businesses throughout the process. All of Scotland’s local authorities with island and remote communities were represented on at least one regional transport working group which helped to inform STPR2.

The STPR2 Delivery Plan is currently being progressed and will provide further insight on the programming and delivery of all 45 recommendations including the potential for the 3 fixed links. In the preparation of the Delivery Plan, Transport Scotland officials are currently considering how best to consult and engage with all stakeholders including islands, remote communities and other interested parties.