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-16134

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to “phasing out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel boilers in off gas properties from 2025”, as set out in its Heat in Buildings Strategy, whether it plans to offer support to help people move to zero or low emissions heating systems rapidly at points of distress, such as the sudden unexpected failure of a fossil fuel boiler.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce legislation (subject to consultation) prohibiting the use of direct emission heating systems in Scotland’s homes by 2045. We plan to introduce such requirements from 2025 and are developing approaches to phasing in these regulations across the housing stock. As committed to in this year’s Programme for Government, we will consult on our proposals for this legislation this year.

We offer a range of delivery programmes, provide advice and financial support for householders looking to install zero emission heating systems or make their buildings more energy efficient and affordable to heat. This package of support will evolve over the course of the decade to meet the scale of change required and align with any regulations we introduce.

Question reference: S6W-15387

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15004 by Richard Lochhead on 23 February 2023, whether it will work with Glasgow City Council to examine the technical feasibility of leasing or selling the air rights above the M8 in central Glasgow for commercial and/or residential development, as an alternative business model to financing the capping or decking over of the west flank of the motorway between St George's Cross, Charing Cross and Anderston Cross (at junctions 17 to 19).

I am aware of Glasgow City Council’s ambitions for a proposed M8 ‘garden cap’. Given that this proposal is about the wider public realm and land-use within the city it is more appropriate that this work is led by the City Council.

Transport Scotland will continue to engage constructively with the City Council where proposals or projects are considered to have a potential impact on transport assets and services owned and or provided by Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-15970

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the £26 million of additional funding for colleges, as announced in the Scottish Budget 2023-24, will become core funding in future years.

Question reference: S6W-15859

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Transport Scotland's target for rail freight.

Question reference: S6W-15745

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact on bus services in (a) Orkney, (b) the Highlands and Islands and (c) Scotland that may result from the Network Support Grant Plus coming to an end at the end of March 2023.

The Network Support Grant Plus was always intended to be time limited COVID recovery funding. I have extended it on two occasions; in June 2022 and October 2022 and operators agreed to the extension being dependent on an end point in March. Operators are also being supported by a marketing campaign from Scottish Government, to encourage users back to bus where we have seen a decline in patronage since the pandemic.

As part of the terms and conditions for the Network Support Grant Plus, my officials have been working with bus operators throughout the scheme's duration on monitoring as patronage levels increase, recognising that the majority of bus services are run by private companies due to deregulation. It is clear that the cost of living crisis, coupled with ongoing Brexit impacts, is making it challenging to deliver bus services in many local communities. I continue to collaborate with bus operators through the Bus Taskforce to address the immediate challenges to help bus operators move to a more sustainable footing and ensure the sector is supported by wider policies to improve services.

Question reference: S6T-01294

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to recent reported analysis by Health Equals, which shows that poverty-driven health inequalities are reducing life expectancy among people who live in the most deprived areas.

Question reference: S6T-01299

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on targeted counsellor funding for colleges and universities.

Question reference: S6F-01996

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential impact of the anticipated 1 April rise in energy bills on household finances in Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-01981

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the poverty statistics published last week in the report, Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22.

Question reference: S6F-01962

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.