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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 3470 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-06805

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following table details the average number of purposeful activity hours per week for convicted prisoners across the prison estate, in each financial year that incorporates 2019, 2020 and 2021: -

Year	April 2018 – March 2019	April 2019 – March 2020	April 2020 – March 2021	April 2021 – January 2022
Establishment	Average PA hours	Average PA hours	Average PA hours	Average PA hours
Barlinnie	14	12	10	10
Cornton Vale	19	20	20	26
Dumfries	18	15	8	10
Edinburgh	12	13	9	10
Glenochil	17	16	11	11
Grampian	25	25	19	16
Greenock	20	22	19	22
Inverness	25	25	24	27
Low Moss	23	22	16	18
Castle Huntly	22	21	20	22
Perth	18	14	9	14
Polmont	21	18	14	19
Shotts	25	25	9	10

HMP Addiewell and Kilmarnock are privately operated prisons and are not required to provide PA hours on a monthly basis. The delivery of PA hours within these two establishments is monitored through contractual arrangements with SPS Controllers and Contract Managers to ensure compliance.

Question reference: S6W-06804

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many hours of purposeful activity prisoners had, on average, per week in each month between December 2020 and December 2021, broken down by each prison.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following table details the average number of purposeful activity (PA) hours that individuals in custody engaged in, within each public sector establishment, between December 2020 and December 2021.

SPS Establishment	Dec 20	Jan 21	Feb 21	Mar 21	Apr 21	May 21	Jun 21	Jul 21	Aug 21	Sep 21	Oct 21	Nov 21	Dec 21
Barlinnie	10	10	10	10	10	11	11	9	10	10	10	11	11
Cornton Vale	24	22	24	24	25	29	30	31	26	26	24	25	20
Dumfries	9	6	2	4	8	10	10	12	10	12	12	12	8
Edinburgh	11	10	11	10	11	11	12	10	10	11	11	9	10
Glenochil	12	9	9	11	10	11	13	11	12	12	10	12	11
Grampian	22	19	14	12	11	16	18	18	17	17	17	19	16
Greenock	21	17	19	20	21	21	24	23	20	21	19	25	24
Inverness	25	22	22	12	19	25	25	27	32	31	22	29	30
Low Moss	16	15	16	17	17	17	15	16	17	19	20	21	19
Castle Huntly	21	19	20	24	23	26	24	22	22	23	22	24	17
Perth	12	14	13	12	13	15	12	9	11	14	14	16	19
Polmont	16	13	14	20	22	22	22	20	18	18	16	21	17
Shotts	15	10	12	9	9	11	11	12	9	9	12	11	8

HMPs Addiewell and Kilmarnock are privately operated prisons and are not required to provide PA hours on a monthly basis. The delivery of PA hours within these establishments is monitored through contractual arrangements with SPS Controllers and Contract Managers to ensure compliance.

Question reference: S6W-06409

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00906 by Jamie Hepburn on 28 June 2021, whether it will provide an update on the proposed Scottish Education Exchange Programme.

The development of a Scottish Education Exchange Programme is a Programme for Government commitment and will help maintain Scotland’s place as an outward looking, internationally connected destination for work and study.

We are engaging with stakeholders from across the education spectrum including higher and further education, community learning and development, youth work and adult education, schools and sports and are developing the programme ensuring it is fit for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06097

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update building standards to ensure that, within the next five years, all new housing is built to Passivhaus standards, as recommended by Scotland's Climate Assembly in its report, Recommendations for Action.

Our response to the recommendation of the Climate Assembly agrees with the need for review of regulation to further improve energy and environmental standards for new homes. It noted the relevance of the current review of Scottish building regulations, due to be completed this year. It provides an assurance that the outcome sought by the recommendation will be reported on, as part of the current review of standards.

I can confirm that we are looking at opportunities to move to Passivhaus or an equivalent standard within the timescale indicated by the Assembly. I have asked that work on this topic be undertaken over the coming months, in support of the ongoing review of Scottish building regulations and for this be reported back to the Assembly as work progresses.

Question reference: S6T-00537

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government about using the sanctions regime to prevent Russian government-owned tankers entering ports in the UK, including in Orkney.

Question reference: S6W-06449

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects all of the provisions of the Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Act 2021 to be in force.

Question reference: S6W-06451

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when regulations will be laid to bring into force (a) section 1 (dealing with serious harm); (b) section 6 (dealing with publication on a matter of public interest), and (c) section 32 (dealing with the single publication provisions) of the Defamation and Malicious Publication (Scotland) Act 2021.

Question reference: S6W-06100

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the Islands Energy Strategy.

We will consult on the draft Islands Energy Strategy during the summer of 2022.

The Strategy will set out an approach to supporting island residents and communities to decarbonise, and to develop renewable energy solutions that can promote resilience, enhance sustainability, and meet their energy needs.

In developing the draft Strategy, we will engage with our island stakeholders, to ensure we reflect their differing needs and priorities and work alongside the Carbon Neutral Islands initiative to maximise impact and shared learning.

Question reference: S6W-06064

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it or its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have, in accordance with the document, Guidance on due diligence: human rights, undertaken human rights checks on organisations that have successfully bid for offshore wind projects under the ScotWind leasing round announced on 17 January 2022.

ScotWind leasing is administered by Crown Estate Scotland who are responsible for completing the process of due diligence in line with relevant guidance.

Crown Estate Scotland advises that all project partners were required to make a declaration providing Crown Estate Scotland with written assurance that they have not been convicted of unlawful activity in relation to a range of requirements, including aspects such as; corruption, bribery, fraud and human trafficking and exploitation, within the last five years. Only companies providing such assurances were allowed to proceed with bids.

The ScotWind terms and conditions make clear that Crown Estate Scotland reserves the right to void any application which is found to have provided false information. If any companies have been found to have made false declarations on these matters Crown Estate Scotland will take the appropriate action.

The Scottish Government is clear that both public authorities and private enterprises have a responsibility to ensure human rights are respected and protected in the workplace. Scottish Ministers remain committed to defending the vitally-important legislation which protects human rights in Scotland and in the UK – including both the Human Rights Act 1998 and the constitutional protections built into the Scotland Act 1998.

Question reference: S6W-06063

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies it expects, in accordance with the document, Guidance on due diligence: human rights, to have undertaken human rights checks on organisations that have successfully bid for offshore wind projects under the ScotWind leasing round announced on 17 January 2022.