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-00372

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the anticipated timescale for the publication of the independent public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00361

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider local government reform in relation to the redrawing of local authority areas, in light of the reported issues associated with new boundaries for the Highland Council area.

Question reference: S6O-00296

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support social housing providers in the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S6W-02637

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will provide data, including any estimates, on the number of deaths related to COVID-19 that have occurred in home care settings since the start of the pandemic, and whether COPFS will consider investigating these deaths.

Certain categories of death require to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal. At the start of the Pandemic, my predecessor issued a direction that COVID-19 (or presumed COVID-19) deaths did not require to be reported to COPFS, unless there was another substantive reason for doing so. That position was kept under review and he made a statement to this Parliament on 13 May 2020 to advise that two categories of COVID-19 (or presumed COVID-19) deaths must be reported to COPFS - those in which the deceased might have contracted the virus in the course of their employment or occupation and those in which the deceased was resident in a care home when the virus was contracted.

In addition, deaths (or presumed deaths) from COVID-19 must be reported to the Crown if they fall within any of the other established categories of death which require to be reported. These include deaths where there is the possibility of fault by another or where the circumstances surrounding the death may cause public anxiety.

COPFS accordingly does not hold data on the number of deaths related to COVID-19 that have occurred in home care settings as not all will have been reported. In relation to those that have been reported, the extent of the investigation will be determined by the particular circumstances surrounding each death and matters are being kept under constant review.

Question reference: S6O-00222

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Scotland on Tour fund will play in aiding the recovery of the arts sector.

Question reference: S6W-02638

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the COVID-19 Inquiry will assess possible errors and criminal negligence that may have been made in the care of COVID-19 victims in home care settings.

Public inquiries under the Inquiries Act 2005 do not determine civil or criminal liability. Those are matters for the courts.

The Lord Advocate is responsible for the investigations of deaths. This function is wholly independent of the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government is currently inviting views from the public on aims and principles for the Covid public inquiry, to help shape the terms of reference for the inquiry. A mailbox where views can be shared has been set up and will remain open up to 30 September. We are also arranging meetings with key stakeholders, including representatives of those bereaved during the pandemic, who remain at the centre of our engagement.

Question reference: S6O-00161

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support it can provide to people undertaking managed quarantine at Scottish airports who are unable to afford the costs but not in receipt of any welfare benefits.

Question reference: S6T-00104

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Home Office regarding the reported backlog in processing applications for the EU settlement scheme.