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-10329

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many thrombectomy procedures have been performed since 2020 across the three pilot centres.

Question reference: S6W-10319

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 13 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government where plastic grass can be recycled in Scotland.

The majority of synthetic grass is a mix of polymers that can be recycled but are difficult to separate, which makes them difficult to recycle.

While there are some options for recycling synthetic grass in Scotland, the Scottish Government is not currently involved with projects to recycle plastic grass directly. However, through our Route Map we set out to significantly increase reuse and recycling rates and modernise and improve recycling services.

Question reference: S6W-10337

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 13 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ban plastic use in textiles.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to ban plastic use in textiles. Microfibre shedding from textiles containing plastic is a complex problem which adds to microplastic pollution in our environment. Fibres are shed at every stage of the product’s lifespan, from manufacture, through use, laundering and end of life.

Considerable research is being undertaken by industry to better understand this problem. We are working with the academic community and others to better understand the effect of these fibres on the environment and consider feasible solutions for reducing their loss during the product’s lifespan.

We take an evidence-based approach on all forms of microplastic pollution, with a ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products already in place, and significant ongoing work with the plastics industry to reduce plastic pellet (nurdle) pollution, the second biggest contributor to global microplastic pollution.

Question reference: S6W-10334

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the challenges facing wool farmers and what targeted support it plans to provide to them.

We are aware that the wool prices have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with limited sheep farmers now reliant on their wool cheque.

We have committed to support active farming and food production with direct payments - which provides certainty to the industry - and we delivered 2021 Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) payments to schedule with over £564 million issued to date. In addition, this year, to support crofters and farmers with the cost of living, the Scottish Government has brought forward the advance payment start date to as early in the year as is practicably possible. The intention is to support businesses, as far as possible, with immediate cash flow challenges.

In addition the 2022 Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme (SUSSS) opened for applications on 1 September. The scheme provides additional support to help maintain sheep flocks in farm businesses reliant on poorer quality rough grazing found in Scotland’s Basic Payment Region three. These payments help farmers and crofters maintain the social and environmental benefits that sheep flocks bring to these areas.

Question reference: S6W-10308

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 12 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many journeys have been completed by young people using a free bus pass through the Young Persons' (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, based on the latest information available.

Question reference: S6W-10318

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the new Musculoskeletal (MSK) pathway that it is currently developing to be in operation.

Question reference: S6W-10489

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) it and (b) local authorities have drawn up a list of potential (i) church halls, (ii) village halls and (iii) community centres to be used as temporary accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, and, if so, whether it can confirm each location.

Question reference: S6W-10488

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm whether it has advised local authorities to create temporary accommodation in (a) church halls, (b) village halls and (c) community centres, in light of this being reported in the media.

No it has not. The Scottish Government continues to explore all options to ensure that there is sufficient and safe accommodation for any displaced people from Ukraine arriving in Scotland. This includes contingency plans for emergency accommodation as well as increasing temporary accommodation, by for example getting the second ship, which has now docked in Glasgow, prepared to safely host displaced people from Ukraine.

Question reference: S6W-10490

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how long it estimates Ukrainian refugees will be temporarily housed on board the (a) MS Victoria I and (b) MS Ambition before permanent housing is secured.

The Scottish Government is clear that we do not want to see people spending more time in temporary accommodation than is absolutely necessary, including on our two passenger ships.

Our priority is to ensure that people who have already arrived, and will arrive from Ukraine, are able to stay in appropriate temporary accommodation and get the right support, then move into safe, sustainable longer term accommodation.

Question reference: S6W-10740

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what documentation and proof of identity are required in order to be issued a visa under its Super Sponsor scheme.