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: S6O-00396

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the "20-metre rule" within eligibility criteria for disability benefits is dignified, fair, respectful and consistent with the values of Social Security Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00398

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to reported calls for licensees to be required to provide alcohol sales data to their local licensing board.

Question reference: S6O-00401

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with trade unions regarding the impact of winter pressures on the NHS workforce.

Question reference: S6O-00403

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers to be the underlying strengths of any economic growth in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-04328

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its draft Hydrogen Action Plan.

The Scottish Government published its Draft Hydrogen Action Plan for consultation today. This follows the publication of the Hydrogen Policy Statement in December 2020 which outlined the Scottish Government’s policy position on hydrogen and our vision for Scotland to become a Hydrogen Nation.

Draft Hydrogen Action Plan

This Draft Hydrogen Action Plan sets out what the Scottish Government will do and how we will work with others over the next five years to support the development of the hydrogen economy in Scotland which will further our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our energy system, industry, homes and transport, while ensuring a just transition to net zero.

We are seeking views on the Draft Hydrogen Action Plan and the accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment and Partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment. Responses are invited by 19 January 2022 and can be submitted at the Scottish Government's consultation platform, Citizen Space:

Hydrogen Action Plan consultation platform

The Scottish Government will review responses to the consultation to inform development of the final version of the Hydrogen Action Plan.

Question reference: S6W-04057

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many school pupils in Scotland have paid for music tuition, provided by their local authority, since April 2021, broken down by local authority.

The Scottish Government does not hold this data for the 2020-21 academic year. Data on local authority instrumental music services is collected by the Improvement Service and their report on the 2020-21 academic year will be published shortly at www.improvementservice.org.uk .

Since the start of the 2021-22 academic year, no charges have been levied on pupils for instrumental music tuition following agreement between Scottish Government and local authorities as part of the implementation of the Scottish Government's 100-day manifesto commitments.

Question reference: S6W-03885

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people aged 70 to 79 who are eligible for their COVID-19 booster vaccine have received this dose, and by what date all eligible people aged 70 to 79 will have received their COVID-19 booster vaccine.

Booster vaccinations in Scotland started as soon as possible once the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided their advice on boosters, which stated that the booster dose should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course.

627,898 people have received a booster to 29 October, and we are working as quickly as we can, prioritising those most vulnerable.

Data on boosters by JCVI priority group is not yet published. We continue to work closely with Public Health Scotland to develop the vaccination data to provide robust statistics that enhance public understanding.

Question reference: S6W-03757

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of its funding for the delivery of its Human Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy is ring-fenced for improving identification and recovery of potential victims.

National Referral Mechanism (NRM) First Responder organisations play a key role in the identification and recovery of potential victims of human trafficking and exploitation. First Responders in Scotland include Police Scotland, UK Visas and Immigration, Border Force, Home Office Immigration Enforcement, National Crime Agency, local authorities, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), Migrant Help and the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance.

In March this year, we launched a toolkit for NRM First Responders which aims to improve the formal identification of victims in Scotland. We are also establishing a working group to ensure the ongoing consideration of training and awareness raising resources.

Grant funding of £2million was awarded in the current financial year to organisations providing support for recovery to adult and child victims. It is not possible to accurately cost the wide range of activity undertaken by the Scottish Government and partners to improve identification and recovery, or to express this as a percentage of overall activity to deliver the Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-03741

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging the retrofitting of cars with electric engines by (a) incentivising individuals and businesses to have cars retrofitted with electric engines and (b) providing support for businesses specialising in retrofitting.

There are currently no funding programmes which support the retrofit of cars with electric powertrains.

However, there are a range of programmes which support retrofit to other fuel sources and vehicle types, including a recent initiative that supports the trial and demonstration of electrifying a vehicle platform using Hydrogen (H2) fuel cell technology.

We have also supported Glasgow City Council a refuse collection vehicle to operate as a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle. This project is in its final stages and the vehicle is planned to be operational in Glasgow from early 2022.

We will continue to monitor the retrofitting market so that the right support is available for the consumer and businesses.

Question reference: S6W-03727

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, within Control Period 6 of the East Kilbride Corridor Enhancement project, whether it still plans to deliver (a) double-tracking of the single-line section between East Kilbride and Busby railway stations, (b) the relocation of Hairmyres railway station to a new location approximately 600m to the west, (c) enhanced passenger facilities at East Kilbride railway station, including a new station building and improved passenger circulation space and (d) a four trains per hour, eight-car, zero-emissions service during peak times between East Kilbride and Glasgow Central.

Within the current control period, 2019 – 2024, it is the intention to (a) deliver the full electrification of the existing single track route between East Kilbride and Glasgow central and b) to deliver the relocation of Hairmyres railway station approx. 600 m to the west transforming it into an active travel hub.

In addition the project will c) enhance passenger facilities and circulation at East Kilbride with a new station building and d) continue to operate a four trains per hour service at peak times using cleaner, greener trains offering a zero-emissions service between East Kilbride and Glasgow Central.