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-00344

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many jobs are directly linked to the UK Government's contract for Type 31 frigates at the Babcock shipyard in Rosyth, and for how long those jobs are expected to be sustained.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00341 on 17th June 2021, which states details concerning contractual arrangements for UK MoD projects are a matter between the UK Government and Babcock.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-00587

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the £10 million Scottish Water investment for improvement works for Ayr Beach, what assurances it can provide that it will continue to work with (a) Scottish Water, (b) SEPA and (c) Keep Scotland Beautiful to ensure that the water quality is at an acceptable standard.

Question reference: S6W-00428

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, in light of 20% of all ultra low emission vehicles in Scotland being registered in Edinburgh, the city has the second worst ratio of electric vehicle charging devices per 100,000 people in Scotland, and what action it is taking to improve Edinburgh’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

We have invested over £45 million into electric vehicle infrastructure across Scotland. And through our funding programmes we have awarded £3.6 million to Edinburgh City Council to invest in EV infrastructure. The UK Government recently published data that demonstrates Scotland is well ahead of the rest of the UK with 43 chargers per 100,000 of population, compared to around 30 in England.

In addition, we have now made available additional funding to match the UK Government Office for Zero Emission Vehicles On-Street and Residential Charging Scheme, which has the potential to enhance the availability of charging for those without access to off-street parking. Once completed, EV infrastructure projects that are currently approved will see the number of chargers per 100,000 of population in Edinburgh City increase by over 50%.

We are also aware that vehicle registration data can be influenced by centralised registration of company car fleets and may not be a true reflection of where vehicles are ultimately located and used. In addition, fleet vehicles will be included in vehicle registration data but charger numbers relate only to publicly available charge points and do not reflect domestic or business charging units.

Whilst we work towards our net-zero transport targets, we will continue to align support with the vision and priorities set out in the National Transport Strategy 2 and Sustainable Transport Hierarchy. This represents a strong presumption towards enabling and promoting the use of active, sustainable and public transport modes over the use of private cars, regardless of their fuel type. Reflecting on the varied transport challenges and opportunities across Scotland’s urban and rural communities this means we would expect to see car use in our largest cities reduce.

Question reference: S6W-00454

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the minor ailments scheme in each of the last five years, and how many people have received support from the service.

Table 1 shows the Number of Items dispensed, Gross Ingredient Cost (GIC) of dispensed items, remuneration cost for provision of the service, and patient registration numbers for the Minor Ailment Service (MAS) in each of the last five financial years.

MAS data for April to June 2020, is due for publication by Public Health Scotland in the Dispenser Payments and Prescription Cost Analysis report, due for release on 21st September 2021. From 29 July 2020, MAS was replaced by NHS Pharmacy First Scotland.

Table 1. Minor Ailment Service, Items, GIC, Remuneration, and Registration Numbers by Financial Year

Year

Number of items

Gross Ingredient Cost (£)

Remuneration (Service Cost) (£)

Registration Numbers

2015-16

2,157,603

5,133,874

15,114,295

946,804

2016-17

2,036,677

4,882,579

15,077,548

879,628

2017-18

1,940,276

4,657,780

14,449,870

814,501

2018-19

1,877,902

4,600,135

14,218,011

795,965

2019-20

1,831,041

4,500,504

14,056,579

771,283

Source: Public Health Scotland

Question reference: S6W-00267

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what role it anticipates the oil and gas sector will have in a future (a) energy strategy and (b) economy.

The oil and gas sector continues to play an important role in Scotland's economy and energy mix, including in helping to ensure a secure energy supply. The Robert Gordon University Energy Transition Institute have estimated that while employment supporting oil and gas is expected to decrease as we transition to net zero, there will still be an estimated 70,000 UK offshore jobs supporting oil and gas in 2030. Importantly, 90 per cent of current oil and gas jobs have high or medium transferability to low-carbon offshore energy roles, which are expected to make up over 65 per cent of the 200,000 expected UK offshore workforce in 2030.

We are wholly committed to ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change and doing so in a way that is fair for all, ensuring a green recovery and a just transition that supports good green jobs, skills and expertise and leaves no-one behind. The new administration has committed to starting to refresh Scotland's energy strategy in 2021, reflecting our commitment to net zero and key decisions on the pathways to take us there.

Question reference: S6W-00217

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the SAGE recommendation that innovation funding should be provided to support the development, verification and deployment of high-quality air cleaning devices.

Work is due to start with the Office of Product Safety and Standards and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies’ Environmental and Modelling Group to consider air cleaners further as there is no recognised standard for their efficacy. This work is necessary before innovation funding could be provided to support the development, verification and deployment of high-quality air cleaning devices. Manufacturers who have approached NHS National Services Scotland have been directed to the Innovation Portals for NHS Scotland and NHS England.

Question reference: S6O-00052

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the economic recovery of town centres.

Question reference: S6O-00060

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to an NASUWT Scotland survey, which suggests that 53% of teachers have considered leaving the profession in the last year, feeling demoralised, unsupported and unrecognised.

Question reference: S6O-00061

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to schools to enable them to hold modified sports events that can be attended by parents and carers.

Question reference: S6O-00062

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the National Qualifications Group agreed on the appeals process for 2021 National Qualifications, and whether the decision was unanimous.