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-05168

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it plans to put in place to reduce the reliance on incinerators for the purpose of waste disposal, in light of SEPA household waste data for 2020 that reportedly shows that waste managed by incineration increased by 33.6% since 2019.

In Scotland, it is already illegal to send waste collected separately for recycling to incineration or landfill. However, we need to make sure that how we treat residual waste, which cannot be reused or recycled, aligns with our emissions reduction targets. That is why we have appointed an independent chair to review the role incineration plays in the waste hierarchy.

We also have a range of measures in train to reduce the amount of waste produced and increase the proportion of waste recycled across Scotland. These include laying Regulations before Parliament that ban some of the most problematic single use plastic products; a £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund for local authorities; and implementation of Scotland’s ambitious deposit return scheme.

Question reference: S6O-00608

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent actions it has taken to support the rural economy on Arran.

Question reference: S6O-00550

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the Hunterston PARC development.

Question reference: S6W-04671

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish a revised work schedule for the implementation of the provisions of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.

Question reference: S6W-04514

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last issued guidance to local authorities on measuring low-frequency noise.

Question reference: S6W-04513

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out regarding developing a method by environmental health officers for assessing low-frequency noise.

Question reference: S6W-04515

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it collates the complaints about low-frequency noise that are made to local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-04368

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Scottish Police Authority regarding how much Police Scotland has spent on dealing with cases of (i) sexual harassment and (ii) discrimination.

The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with Police Scotland, or the Scottish Police Authority, regarding how much Police Scotland has spent on dealing with cases of sexual harassment and discrimination.

It is a matter for the Chief Constable, with oversight by the Scottish Police Authority, to consider all cases of sexual harassment and discrimination reported to Police Scotland. If any cases result in severance payments the severance payment costs will be set out the SPA Accounts, such as those for 2020-21, set out in the following SPA Annual Report and Accounts: https://www.spa.police.uk/spa-media/zn3niyle/35372-spa-annualreport-2021_fa-1-1.pdf .

Question reference: S6W-04120

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the anticipated delivery date is for the new hydrogen-powered vessel in Orkney.

Question reference: S6W-04118

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make a direct award to local authority operator, Orkney Ferries, for the new hydrogen-powered vessel in Orkney.

I met with the Orkney Islands Council in Kirkwall recently and heard about their plans to introduce low-emission ferries. I welcome these plans but made clear – as local representatives well know – that the responsibility for their inter-island ferry services including the procurement of replacement vessels, related infrastructure and crewing arrangements, sits with the local authority.

We recognise the pressures this brings which is why the Scottish Government’s 2021-22 Budget includes £19.2m for local authorities operating ferries, an increase of £7.7m on last year.