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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-12092

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place for anyone who may have been targeted and harassed by individuals connected to a branch of the Chinese police service that is reportedly operating in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-12094

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what contact it has had with former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland following reports of the existence of a branch of the Chinese police service in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-12172

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met with former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland to discuss their experiences since moving to Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-12049

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Carnegie UK publication, Five steps to put wellbeing at the centre of policymaking in Scotland, which was published in 2022.

I welcome the recently published briefing from Carnegie UK and the five recommendations to put wellbeing at the centre of policymaking in Scotland. I look forward to their engagement as part of the forthcoming review of the National Outcomes.

The National Performance Framework is Scotland’s wellbeing framework. Increasing wellbeing is central to its purpose, with the 11 National Outcomes setting out the type of country that we want to be. The development of the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill will consider the best way to ensure the interests of future generations are taken into account in decisions made today.

Question reference: S6W-11834

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any significant case review into the murder of Esther Brown, as referred to by the First Minister in the Scottish Parliament on 18 November 2021.

If a person managed under Scotland’s Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) commits a further offence which results in the serious harm of another person, a Significant Case Review (SCR) must be undertaken. This SCR process is designed to examine the actions or processes employed by the agencies involved to ensure that all reasonable steps had been undertaken to minimise risk and to capture any learning.

I can confirm that in this case it is the Glasgow MAPPA Strategic Oversight Group (SOG) who are responsible for ensuring that an SCR is carried out. I understand that the report commissioned by the SOG is entering its final stages. There is a necessary process of factual accuracy checking and consideration of comments from all relevant partner agencies prior to a final report being presented by the independent reviewer. The report will then be formally considered by the Glasgow SOG and their Chief Officers Group.

We are unable to comment in any more detail as to timing or content at this time as this is a report commissioned and overseen by the Glasgow SOG.

Once published, we will carefully consider, along with our MAPPA partners, any review recommendations at organisational and national level.

Question reference: S6W-12174

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of any threat to former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland from the Chinese police service, which is reportedly operating from Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-12091

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Chinese Consulate regarding the reported existence of a branch of the Chinese police service in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-12173

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the number of any attacks by members of the Chinese Communist Party on former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-12089

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of any threat to former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland from the Chinese police service that is reportedly operating in Glasgow.

As the First Minister acknowledged in Parliament on 27 October, the allegations of the existence of such establishments are concerning and she made clear any foreign country that operates in Scotland must abide by Scottish law.

In your questions, you rightly use “reportedly”. As the FM also made clear in her answer, these are matters for the police to consider in terms of any investigation or action. Police Scotland has said they are currently reviewing these reports to assess any criminality in conjunction with local and national partners.

If anyone feels that they have been the victim of unlawful activity, they should report the matter to Police Scotland. Equally if anyone feels threatened, they should report the matter to Police Scotland.

Beyond that, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further. We have not engaged with the Chinese Consulate on this issue. This would not be appropriate while a Police review is underway.

You have asked what whether Scottish Government has met with former members of the Hong Kong community in Scotland to gain knowledge and understanding of their experiences since resettling in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to upholding and advancing the rights of those that choose to make their life here in Scotland, including former Hong Kong residents.

The Scottish Government has worked closely with the UK Government, COSLA, Police Scotland and third sector partners to understand the needs and requirements of former Hong Kong residents to support their integration into our communities.

You ask what assessment has been made of the number of any attacks that have taken place in Scotland on former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland by members of the Chinese Communist Party.

You also ask whether a policing assessment has been made of any threat to former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland from individuals acting in the interests of the Chinese state. These are also matters for the police and it would not be appropriate for me to comment.

Question reference: S6W-12090

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure that former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Glasgow feel safe and protected, in light of the reported existence of a branch of the Chinese police service in the city.