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-24247

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22716 by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2019, how many times it has (a) requested and (b) accessed the data compiled by the SPFL on unacceptable conduct in Scottish football.

Question reference: S5W-24246

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22716 by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2019, which other stakeholders have had access to the data compiled by the SPFL on unacceptable conduct in Scottish football.

Question reference: S5W-24248

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22716 by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2019, how many times it has met the SPFL in the last two years; what was discussed on each occasion, and whether the (a) agreement for confidentiality outlined in its answer and (b) data compiled by the SPFL on unacceptable conduct in Scottish football was discussed.

We meet the SPFL – and other stakeholders in Scottish football – regularly and therefore do not have a record of how many times we have met in the last two years.

Unacceptable conduct – and the data provided by the SPFL in confidence – was discussed at a number of these meetings.

I wrote to SPFL chief executive Neil Donaster on 18 June 2019, reiterating our view that the SPFL should publish the data.

Question reference: S5W-24542

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 August 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the report required by section 29 of the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016.

Question reference: S5W-24070

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many confirmed cases of Lyme disease there have been in each NHS board area since June 2014.

The table shows the number of laboratory confirmed cases of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria which causes Lyme disease , reported to Health Protection Scotland (HPS) between June 2014 and May 2019.

NHS Board	Laboratory confirmed cases of Borrelia burgdorferi June 2014-May 2019
Ayrshire & Arran	17
Borders	8
Dumfries & Galloway	28
Fife	18
Forth Valley	10
Greater Glasgow & Clyde	70
Grampian	140
Highland	469
Lanarkshire	26
Lothian	72
Orkney	2
Shetland	0
Tayside	90
Western Isles	41
Total	991

* data for 2018-2019 is still provisional

Question reference: S5W-24051

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 24 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) improvements have been made to, (b) progress has been made with the purchase of new vessels for and (c) planning it has carried out for the future provision of internal ferry services in Orkney since September 2018, and what action it has taken over this period to ensure that the Parliament has been informed of this.

Orkney Islands Council (OIC) are, and remain, wholly responsible for the inter-island ferry services which they provide. Consequently, OIC remain wholly responsible for the vessels and their maintenance.

However, the Scottish Government understands the significant financial challenges that can fall on individual local authorities. This government has made clear its commitment to Orkney internal ferry services with the provision of additional funding to OIC totalling £10.8m in the last two years, comprised of £5.5m in 2018-19 and £5.3m in 2019-20.

Transport Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, will continue to discuss long term solutions with both OIC and Shetland Islands Council (SIC) through the existing Working Group. The remit of this Group includes the preparation of Outline Business Cases (OBC) being prepared by both councils. I have received presentations of the emerging findings and the final OBCs are all expected to be completed by the end of this summer.

As the Minister with responsibility for the Islands, I have, along with other Ministers, held numerous meetings with OIC Council Leader James Stockan to discuss these issues, with the most recent meeting being held on 20 June 2019.

In setting Scottish Budgets the inclusion of funding for OIC (and SIC) for their internal ferry services has been made clear. This matter has also been debated in the Scottish Parliament.

As is normal practice, Transport Scotland Press Releases were issued which contained full details of the additional support that the Scottish Government has been able to find for both Councils over the past two years, despite the very real fiscal challenges flowing from the UK Government settlement.

Scottish Ministers will take a view on future revenue and capital funding requests from OIC going forward as part of the Scottish Budget setting for 2020-21.

Question reference: S5W-24054

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the working group on internal ferry services in the Northern Isles has met over the last 12 months, and who chaired each meeting.

Question reference: S5W-24071

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 17 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action has been taken to improve testing and treatment for Lyme disease and associated tick-borne diseases since June 2014.

The Scottish Government, through Health Protection Scotland (HPS) is committed to working with experts to keep evidence and guidance relating to the diagnosis, testing and treatment of Lyme disease under constant review to ensure patients in Scotland receive care tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.

In April 2018 the Scottish Lyme Disease and Tick-borne Infections Laboratory at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness was granted Reference Laboratory status which will provide additional funding for research and development into new tests for tick borne diseases and will help improve our understanding of this complex infection.

With regard to testing, it is acknowledged that there are gaps in the effectiveness of the tests which are currently available and work is underway to address the lack of sensitivity surrounding testing for the early stages of Lyme disease infection.

On 14 June 2019 the Chief Medical Officer wrote to all NHS Health Boards and GP practices highlighting the availability of a series of resources to staff. The letter shares current sources of public facing advice and information about Lyme disease as well as links to current guidance on diagnosis and management.

Question reference: S5W-23980

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when its new fuel poverty strategy will come into effect, and what provisions will be included to tackle extreme fuel poverty in rural and island communities.

Once the new fuel poverty strategy has been prepared, it must be laid in draft before the Scottish Parliament. In the case of the first strategy, that will be done within one year of section 3 of the Bill coming into force. There is then a standstill period of 40 days during which the Scottish Parliament can consider the draft strategy before Ministers are allowed to finalise it.

As we move forward, we will look at how we target our support for those who are in extreme fuel poverty, as is outlined in the Bill as passed. We will continue to ensure that the needs of households in rural and island communities are taken into account and reflected in our approach.

Question reference: S5W-23836

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government in how many instances children have been used as covert human intelligence sources in Scotland in each of the last 10 years.

The authorisation of covert human intelligence sources, including any under 18 years of age, is an operational matter for the relevant public authorities.

The Scottish Government has not authorised the use of any person under 18 years of age as a covert human intelligence source. This information covers Marine Scotland, the Accountant in Bankruptcy and Transport Scotland, these being the areas of the Scottish Government provided for under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000.