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-09298

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) encourage applications and (b) make an application itself for Scottish sites to feature on a new tentative list of natural, cultural and mixed sites for potential nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Scottish Government recognises the great value of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, and the impact which this celebrated international recognition can offer to both individual sites, as well as to the wider national natural, culture and heritage sectors. Through our sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, advice and guidance is delivered to support many local organisations and groups across the country, to develop and deliver appropriate maintenance plans and sustainable business models for a wide variety of sites.

When the UK Government decided to review and invite new applications to the UK’s World Heritage tentative list, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Constitution and External Affairs wrote to Nigel Huddleston MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that there would be representation from all UK nations on the independent panel of heritage experts who will be reviewing the applications.

Expressions of interest were due to be submitted by 6 May, with a full application form due by 15 July so that the expert panel can fully assess each application for suitability for inclusion.

Question reference: S6W-09266

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact of industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions, what recent discussions it has had with representatives from the theatre and cultural sector.

Question reference: S6W-09267

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of planned industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions, what mitigation measures it is putting in place to reduce any impact on the theatre sector and the wider night-time economy.

I recognise that the industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions is having an impact on the culture sector at a time when it has been seeking to recover from the Covid19 pandemic.

Scottish Ministers and officials from the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland have been engaging closely with stakeholders in the culture and major events sectors on the impact of the industrial action.

The ScotRail planning team successfully managed to develop and schedule additional late night services specifically for Friday and Saturday nights across several key routes:

Edinburgh – Glasgow Queen St
Edinburgh – North Berwick / Kirkcaldy / Fife
Stirling – Edinburgh / Glasgow Queen St
Glasgow Central – Ayr / Gourock / East Kilbride / Neilston
Aberdeen – Inverurie

There is positive progress being made on pay negotiations with ASLEF in Scotland, and I am hopeful that additional services will be added in the near future.

Question reference: S6W-09268

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of planned industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions, what its current assessment is of the potential impact that any such action could have on theatres and the wider night-time and cultural economies.

I recognise the potential impact of industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions on the culture sector at a time when it has been seeking to recover from the Covid19 pandemic.

Officials are continuing to monitor the situation closely, including through engagement with organisations representing hospitality, cultural and events stakeholders.

There is positive progress being made on pay negotiations with ASLEF in Scotland, and I am hopeful that additional services will be added in the near future.

Question reference: S6W-09265

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will offer to the theatre, cultural and night-time industries in the event that the proposed industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions continues throughout the summer.

I recognise that the industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions is having an impact on the culture sector at a time when it has been seeking to recover from the Covid19 pandemic.

The Scottish Government has provided financial support to the culture sector to support their recovery from the pandemic. This includes £3.2m for a recovery fund for independent cinema and £20.8m for a recovery fund for cultural organisations.

Officials are continuing to monitor the situation closely, including through engagement with organisations representing hospitality, cultural and events stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-09297

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in Scotland chose (a) not to opt in and (b) to opt in to receive a copy of the Platinum Jubilee book, Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration.

Question reference: S6W-09183

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08830 by Keith Brown on 8 June 2022, how (a) many expert researchers were hired to help inform thinking on Scotland’s future Peace Institute and (b) much the Scottish Government has spent on these contracts to date.

Four authors, who are subject matter experts in peace processes and international law, are undertaking the necessary research to inform the thinking on Scotland’s Peace Institute. The research commission was put out to competitive tender at the start of the year and following assessment of the bids received we awarded the contract to the successful consortium of researchers. The total cost of the contract is £30,000.

Question reference: S6W-09115

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason, following registration not to be a donor on the Organ Donation Scotland website, confirmation correspondence indicates that the individual should let family and next of kin know of their decision not to donate.

Family and friends will always be involved in discussions about organ or tissue donation. If a person is in hospital and dies in circumstances where donation may be possible, a Specialist Nurse would check if the person has registered a decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR). The Specialist Nurse would then discuss any registered decision, or lack of one, with family and friends in order to ascertain the potential donor’s most recent views, which may have changed since the recording of any decision.

These discussions help to ensure that people don’t become donors if that would be against their wishes. This is why, as well as recording any decision on the ODR, individuals are encouraged to let family and friends know about their decision and latest views.

Question reference: S6W-09040

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many Ukrainian refugees have been refused a place through its Super Sponsor scheme due to (a) unspent convictions, (b) spent convictions, (c) unspent cautions and (d) sex offender notifications.

Question reference: S6W-08858

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07560 by Shona Robison on 19 April 2022, whether it will provide further details of the steps that it has taken to meet with former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland who (a) are asylum seekers and (b) hold British National (Overseas) visas, in order to collect feedback on their experiences.

Scottish Government officials have spoken with people seeking asylum as part of ongoing engagement and our work to deliver the New Scots refugee integration strategy. However, this is not done on the basis of people’s nationality but their experience living in Scotland while seeking asylum, wherever they are from. We also regularly engage with partners who provide direct support to people seeking asylum. Officials have ongoing engagement with people relocating to Scotland from Hong Kong, as part of wider stakeholder engagement.