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-13668

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact in Scotland of the UK Government’s decision to extend the freeze on alcohol duty rates until 1 August 2023.

Alcohol duty is a reserved tax which is set and administered by the UK Government. We are not aware of the UK Government having made any assessment of the impact of the extended six-month freeze on alcohol duty on Devolved Administrations, nor did they consult with us on this decision.

We believe the UK Government must provide long-term clarity for the alcohol sector beyond the six-month rates freeze. Businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the freeze which was announced, cancelled, then re-announced, all in a three-month period.

When setting alcohol duty rates following the freeze, the Scottish Government would strongly recommend that the UK Government considers public health as part of this. We remain committed to reducing alcohol related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

Question reference: S6O-01756

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6F-01649

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the First Minister what impact the Self-Isolation Support Grant has had on low-income workers who have contracted COVID-19.

Question reference: S6W-12509

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 November 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 23 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the recruitment of a permanent chair of the board of Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow).

The Scottish Government is pleased to announce that as of 1 December 2022 Andrew Miller will be appointed as the new Chair of the Board FMPG.

Andrew brings a wealth of experience from previous senior positions, including Chair of the Board of Prestwick Airport, and is clear on the strategic and commercial issues for the yard. I am confident his experience will help to deliver Ministerial priorities.

Question reference: S6O-01608

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what guidance is available to MSPs regarding undertaking party political activity on the parliamentary estate.

Question reference: S6W-11860

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding providing Evusheld on the NHS.

Question reference: S6O-01549

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is tackling antisocial behaviour, including on the railway network.

Question reference: S6O-01533

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported reduction in the number of childminders working in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-01483

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what role the autumn/winter COVID-19 booster vaccination programme will play in its Covid Recovery Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-11304

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what dialogue it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact on Scotland of the decision to send the Energy Bills Support Scheme discount to electricity accounts instead of gas accounts.

The majority of Scottish domestic consumers have contracts with energy suppliers for their electricity consumption and are therefore automatically eligible to receive support through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Thousands of households across the country that are off the gas grid and rely on electric heating, heating oil, LPG and other alternative fuels would miss out on this support if it were delivered through gas accounts instead of electricity accounts. This would also be true for the equivalent support for alternative fuel users introduced through the Energy Price Guarantee.

We will continue to engage with the UK Government on ways to ensure that all consumers receive at least the equivalent to the £400 support delivered through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.