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: S5W-35782

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcements on 7 and 9 February 2021 regarding the allocation of an additional £90 million to local authorities for the establishment of a Discretionary Fund with an increased value of £120 million, when it will publish a breakdown by local authority of the (a) number of grant applications (i) made, (ii) approved and (iii) declined and (b) value of payments made to date from the £120 million total.

Question reference: S5W-35784

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the First Minister on 17 November 2020 and subsequent announcements by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on 7 and 9 February 2021 regarding an additional £90 million for local authorities to establish a Discretionary Fund with an increased value of £120 million, how much each local authority has been allocated from the fund.

Question reference: S5W-36091

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a COVID-19 vaccine certificate system and, if so, how it will ensure that such a scheme does not discriminate against people who are unable to receive the vaccine for health reasons.

The Scottish Government is currently considering the role that a vaccination certificate/passport may have. However, this work is still ongoing and a final decision has not been reached on whether this will be introduced.

A key factor in the Scottish Government’s decision will be the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, their impact on transmission and the length of time for which each vaccine provides immunity. There is not enough information available yet.

We continue to monitor all developments in relation to COVID-19, including on the subject of vaccine certification. We continue to contribute to the World Health Organisation Safer Vaccination Programme on vaccine certification. This includes consideration of technical details, ethical and equality issues, and privacy standards. The outcome of those discussions will guide our work in this area.

A vaccination certificate could play a valuable role but there are various issues to work through, not least the significant equalities issues with allowing freedoms only to those vaccinated. Work, on a 4 nations basis, has started to scope and develop a technical solution to allow secure, authenticated access to Covid vaccination status.

This is to ensure technology is not the limiting factor should the work underway indicate it would be appropriate to introduce certification at the right time.

The Scottish Government’s main focus remains on our national vaccine programme and ensuring that this is rolled out as quickly and effectively as possible.

Question reference: S5W-36137

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 18 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether guidance on flying flags from its buildings changed in 2021; what any such changes were, and what the reasons were for any changes made.

It is normal practice for the Scottish Government to publish updated flag flying guidance at the beginning of each year. The main changes to the guidance in 2021 were:

Confirming specific flag flying dates;
The removal of the birthday of HRH The Duke of York as an official flag flying day;
Confirmation of the Government’s previously announced policy to fly the European Flag daily at St Andrew’s House and Victoria Quay, subject to other flag flying commitments; and
Advice about the possible effects the COVID-19 pandemic on scheduled flag flying days.

Question reference: S5W-35698

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact of the Crown Estate round 4 leasing process on the ScotWind Leasing process.

Question reference: S5W-35699

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that the delayed ScotWind Leasing process does not undermine the long-term employment prospects of workers in the offshore wind supply chain.

Question reference: S5W-35709

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding opportunities for (a) businesses and (b) offshore workers in light of Canadian Natural Resources (CNR) International's recent announcement of a decommissioning plan until 2025 at its (i) Banff, (ii) Kyle and (iii) other North Sea production assets.

The decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure at the end of its life presents the potential for Scotland to capitalise on a market that is forecast to reach £15.2 billion over the next decade.

The Scottish Government has not held specific discussions regarding this matter, however we are in regular contact with the UK government to ensure that we continue to support the oil and gas sector in the energy transition. For example, through the Oil and Gas, and Energy Transition Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) we will continue to work with the UK Government to take action in key reserved policy areas. This Group remains supportive of the actions underway through the OGA’s Supply Chain and Exports Taskforce which, as part of its activities, is looking to stimulate activity and work with operators on well plugging and abandonment campaigning.

We want to ensure that the world class Scottish supply chain continues to develop competitive capabilities in Scotland, becoming a centre of decommissioning excellence, and finds ways to export this expertise.

Question reference: S5W-35707

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement by Crown Estate Scotland on 11 February 2021 of an extension to the deadline for applications to ScotWind Leasing, when it expects the review of the options structure to be completed, and if it will outline the reforms that are under consideration.

Question reference: S5W-35701

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many option agreement applications Crown Estate Scotland has received since the first cycle of the ScotWind Leasing process was launched on 10 June 2020.

Question reference: S5W-35706

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Supply Chain Development Statements that were provided by successful applicants to the ScotWind Leasing process, and whether the extension to the deadline for ScotWind applications that was announced 11 February 2021 will have an impact on the (a) content or (b) requirement for Supply Chain Development Statements.

Crown Estate Scotland will publish the Supply Chain Development Statement commitments made by developers at a later date to be confirmed in due course, given the extension to the application process resulting from the current review. Once the review is concluded these processes will be outlined, as will any impact on the Supply Chain Development Statement mechanism. The review of the ScotWind option structure does not change our or Crown Estate Scotland’s ambition to see a viable and productive offshore wind sector in Scotland which supports a healthy supply chain here in Scotland