Chamber and committees

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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-12177

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce alcohol harms, in light of them being described in the Scottish Budget 2022-23 as a "public health emergency".

The Scottish Government takes a whole population approach to tackling alcohol-related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

The Scottish Government’s Alcohol Framework sets out our priorities for preventing alcohol-related harm. It contains 20 actions building on existing measures to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, including our world-leading minimum unit pricing (MUP) policy.

We are evaluating the impact of MUP at the current price of 50 pence per unit and will assess what level MUP should be set at going forward, if MUP is to continue. If our overall evaluation supports a continuation of MUP, we will lay Orders in Parliament in late 2023 to continue MUP beyond the initial six year period and if the evidence supports a change in price, to set a new unit price.

On 17 November we launched a consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion. This sets out a range of potential proposals including prohibiting alcohol advertising outdoors, phasing out alcohol sponsorship and reducing the promotion of alcohol in-store.

We are working on initiatives that will support people across Scotland to reduce alcohol consumption. These include the review of alcohol brief interventions, the managed alcohol programme pilot and supporting the UK Government on reviewing and updating clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment.

Question reference: S6W-12178

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the Emergency Budget Review on tackling alcohol harms, in light of it reportedly stating that budget savings will mean that the work that can be taken forward to develop alcohol treatment targets and reviewing how alcohol brief interventions are delivered across Scotland will be delivered at a slower pace.

The Emergency Budget Review is about supporting those who need most help, whilst also managing the nation’s budget. This has meant making hard choices to further prioritise spending and find savings.

The Scottish Government, in collaboration with Public Health Scotland (PHS) is undertaking a review of alcohol brief interventions (ABIs). Initial recommendations are expected in Spring 2023, which will determine subsequent work and funding required to further develop ABIs in Scotland.

Work is underway on the development of alcohol treatment targets. An expert working group will provide recommendations to Ministers in 2023, which will determine subsequent next steps.

Question reference: S6W-12176

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the Sandford principle, as expressed through section 9 (6) of the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, is applied.

Paragraph 9(6) of the National Parks (Scotland) 2000 Act states that, if it appears to the National Park Authority that there is a conflict between the National Park aim set out in section 1(a) (i.e. to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area) and other National Park aims, the Authority must give greater weight to the aim set out in section 1(a).

The National Park Authorities in Cairngorms and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs are required by the Scottish Ministers to prepare a National Park Plan setting out how they will deliver the aims of the National Park collectively in relation to their area. The National Park Plan is approved by the Scottish Ministers.

For example, the current Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan 2022-2027 is the strategic management plan for the area and provides a strategic policy context for decision making within the National Park. Section 9 (6) of the National Parks (Scotland ) Act 2000 is embedded in the Park plan and its subsidiary documents and it guides decision making within the Park. The National Park Authority can also apply section 9 (6) to individual decisions if it feels the aims are in conflict and greater weight should be given to the first aim.

Question reference: S6W-12129

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) it and (b) Transport Scotland has considered establishing a separate freight-only service to and from Islay.

Transport Scotland has no plans to establish a freight-only service. We understand that there are commercial operators who have considered such a proposal and it would be for them to consider further. Were a commercial operator to provide any specific proposal for the route, then future deployment and timetables would be reviewed for the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Service Islay route.

The Scottish Government meets with the whisky sector regularly to discuss current issues. We recognise the important contribution that Scotch Whisky industry makes to the Scottish economy.

Scottish Ministers are investing in the Islay route with the construction of two purpose-built vessels underway, providing a combined 40% increase in vehicle and freight capacity on the Islay routes.

Question reference: S6W-12032

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times since 2016 it has met with COSLA to progress the introduction of a national minimum allowance for foster carers, and whether it expects to be able to introduce a minimum allowance before the end of the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-12084

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the results of its consultation on dualling the A96.

Question reference: S6W-12130

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) it and (b) Transport Scotland has had any recent discussions with the Scotch whisky industry about establishing a separate freight-only service to and from Islay.

Question reference: S6W-11891

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid in subsidies to (a) Barra, (b) Benbecula, (c) Campbeltown, (d) Dundee, (e) Inverness, (f) Islay, (g) Kirkwall, (h) Sumburgh, (i) Stornoway, (j) Tiree and (k) Wick John O'Groats Airport in each year since 2017-18, broken down by capital and revenue allocations.

The following table provides the information requested in relation to capital allocations. For completeness, HIAL Head Office figures are also included. Figures include both grant and loan funding.

Airport	2017-18 (£)	2018-19 (£)	2019-20 (£)	2020-21 (£)	2021-22 (£)
Barra	183,481.08	108,483.61	457,063.78	353,902.34	867,883.49
Benbecula	779,393.75	627,447.75	135,974.70	600,168.73	1,690,104.96
Campbeltown	193,284.51	131,895.32	615,854.76	286,619.78	4,776,933.08
Dundee	207,058.60	367,727.00	184,316.62	1,394,046.70	965,679.77
Inverness	3,082,271.52	2,759,966.51	4,726,100.48	9,406,498.54	11,645,971.05
Islay	100,276.74	125,036.04	170,835.64	470,970.26	735,028.98
Kirkwall	620,656.50	1,654,164.92	354,782.05	1,556,529.87	4,673,773.88
Stornoway	2,802,889.70	433,188.33	291,442.76	2,187,427.27	4,028,778.43
Sumburgh	1,069,276.36	1,018,554.48	2,787,491.56	3,404,861.35	1,912,617.76
Tiree	170,282.71	667,049.27	269,461.82	582,983.03	630,003.17
Wick John O’Groats	341,024.96	269,639.44	400,068.75	315,326.56	530,130.34
Head Office	339,733.76	224,446.02	3,690,673.05	3,241,700.54	4,445,809.64

The Scottish Government does not provide HIAL with revenue allocations on an airport by airport basis. Revenue funding is provided to HIAL as a Group with HIAL then allocating funding across the company, including on Head Office functions, on an as needed basis in order to achieve a breakeven position in any given period. The following table shows the revenue funding provided to HIAL in each year since 2017-18.

Year	Revenue Allocation (£)
2017-18	20,431,303.22
2018-19	21,617,923.68
2019-20	24,304,094.00
2020-21	38,009,537.28
2021-22	38,086,473.99

Question reference: S6W-11594

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11363 by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022, what its position is on appointing a privately owned company to operate the Caledonian Sleeper franchise from June 2023.

In accordance with the requirements of the Railways Act 1993 and the Scottish Ministers’ Franchising Policy Statement, consideration is being given to the successor arrangement for the continued provision of Caledonian Sleeper services.

The Scottish Ministers have to work within the relevant current legislation, principally the Railways Act 1993, which neither they nor the Scottish Parliament have powers to change.

I will of course update Parliament on my decision on the successor arrangement once the required statutory process has been completed.

Question reference: S6F-01572

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the First Minister how much the Scottish Prison Service has spent on providing free mobile phones to all prisoners.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

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