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-14527

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received from local residents and business owners on future transport options for the Corran Narrows, including the possibility of a fixed link.

The Scottish Government has received representations from local residents and MSPs regarding transport options for the Corran Narrows, however, Scottish Ministers have no locus in this decision.

Transport links across the Corran Narrows is wholly the responsibility of The Highland Council and as such, any decision to replace ferries or deliver a fixed link and funding of this, would be a matter for the Local Authority.

Question reference: S6W-14549

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support mental health services in (a) NHS boards and (b) the third sector in mitigating any detrimental impact of the cost of living crisis upon mental wellbeing.

We know that poverty is a key driver of poor mental health, and that those already struggling with poor mental health and money worries are likely to be amongst the hardest hit.

It is vital, therefore, that people can access the right practical advice and support to help them cope with the cost of living crisis and that this is accessible to everyone who needs it, in a range of formats.

Officials routinely engage with individual NHS Boards, providing a platform for Boards to openly discuss any particular pressures they are seeing with government. These meetings include discussion around the impact the cost of living is having on systems, referral rates and severity of presentations. This helps inform government policy around this issue, and is routinely escalated to Ministers. We also provide Boards with access to professional advice to manage any impacts the cost of living crisis has on services.

We have invested £36 million over 2021-22 and 2022-23 through our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults which seeks to address the mental health inequalities made worse by the pandemic and the cost crisis. The Fund aims to build and develop capacity within community organisations and grass roots groups to support the mental health and wellbeing of individuals and has a particular focus on supporting at-risk groups including people facing socio-economic disadvantage. A range of community projects have been funded in 2021-22 which provide financial support and advice which can help provide a response to the cost crisis affecting communities across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has also launched a dedicated Cost of Living portal, signposting to helpful information across a range of subjects including energy and bills; debt and money; children and families; and health and wellbeing. Cost of living crisis - Cost of Living Support Scotland (campaign.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-14492

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the Public and Commercial Services Union industrial action, on 1 February 2023, on the work of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, as the operator of 11 airports across the Highland and Islands and Dundee, assessed the potential impact of the industrial action by the Public and Commercial Services Union on 1 February 2023 as part of their day to day business continuity planning. They concluded that there would be no impact on their operations and did not anticipate any disruption to passengers.

Question reference: S6W-14612

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to allow NHS Scotland patients to access their medical records online.

Scottish Government and COSLA will shortly set out a Data Strategy for Health and Social Care, which will articulate the first set of principles and deliverables needed to improve the access and use of data.

One of the core ambitions of the Data Strategy is to: empower the people of Scotland by giving individuals clear and easy access to, and the ability to manage and contribute to, their own health and social care data where it is safe and appropriate to do so. To achieve this, we will confirm data sources and data sets that are safe to be consistently shared. For individuals, data access will be enabled through the implementation of the Digital Front Door.

The Digital Front Door will be an iterative development and there will be a phased approach to implementation. As set out in our Digital Health and Care Delivery Plan . we expect the first version of the Digital Front Door being available for release in autumn/winter 2023 and this will be accompanied by an implementation plan.

Question reference: S6W-14505

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide (a) CalMac and (b) Serco NorthLink Ferries with any additional subsidy as a result of the decision to freeze fares for the first six months of 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-14525

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of the potential economic and social benefits of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken any assessments regarding the social and economic benefits of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.

The Scottish Government is aware of work carried out by HITRANS on behalf of The Highland Council to consider a range of options for the Corran Narrows. As any decision to deliver a fixed link would be a matter for Local Authority, it would not be for the Scottish Government to undertake a socioeconomic assessment.

Question reference: S6W-14504

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether a ministerial direction was issued to Transport Scotland officials to freeze ferry fares for (a) CalMac and (b) Serco NorthLink Ferries.

Question reference: S6W-14493

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any airports will be forced to close as a result of the Public and Commercial Services Union industrial action, on 1 February 2023, and, if so, which ones.

Question reference: S6W-14454

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains its plan to hold a citizens’ assembly on local government funding in the current parliamentary session.

The Programme for Government 2021 committed to establishing a working group with representation from the Scottish Green Party, and engagement with COSLA, to oversee the development of effective deliberative engagement on sources of local government funding, including Council Tax, that culminate in a Citizens’ Assembly. The commitment states that this should be completed in this Parliament, with a response to its recommendations debated and agreed within 6 months of being provided. Scottish Ministers have convened a Joint Working Group, which met on 8 December 2022, and has representation from Scottish Greens and COSLA, to oversee the development of effective deliberative engagement.

Question reference: S6W-14524

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the viability of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken any assessments regarding the viability of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.

The Scottish Government is aware of work carried out by HITRANS on behalf of The Highland Council to consider a range of options for the Corran Narrows. As any decision to deliver a fixed link would be a matter for the Local Authority, it would not be for the Scottish Government to undertake an assessment of viability.