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-18210

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Co-op regarding the use of rail infrastructure to service its new £6 million distribution depot at Dalcross Industrial Estate by Inverness Airport.

Whilst the decision to use rail freight is a commercial matter for the freight service provider and customer, we welcome all interest in modal shift to rail and would be happy to discuss opportunities to move goods by rail with interested parties. To date the Scottish Government has not had any discussions with the Co-op regarding the use of rail infrastructure to service its distribution depot at Dalcross.

Question reference: S5W-18104

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it no longer publishing the report, Racist Incidents Recorded by the Police in Scotland, whether (a) it will begin publishing the report again and (b) any new publications will provide details of racist incidents recorded by the police, including (i) location and time, (ii) crimes and offences recorded, (iii) characteristics of victims and complainers, (iv) characteristics of perpetrators and (v) supporting contextual information.

When the Scottish Government last published statistics on Racist Incidents Recorded by the Police in Scotland, we outlined for users our plan to scope out the replacement of this information with a new and broader product on police recorded incidents with a hate element.

Since that point, Scottish Government independent statisticians have been working with Police Scotland to assess whether their data systems adequately capture hate-related incidents reported to the police. We have now completed this work and are in a position to publish a new report later in 2018. This report will include information on incidents with a race element, as well as information on incidents related to religion, sexual orientation, disability and transgender identity.

Whilst statisticians are continuing to work on the final content of the report, in collaboration with Police Scotland, it will include statistics and further contextual information on the characteristics of hate-related incidents, the associated crimes, victims and perpetrators.

Question reference: S5O-02314

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the Tyndall Centre and Uppsala University report, Quantifying the implications of the Paris Agreement: What role for Scotland?, and its implications for the economy.

Question reference: S5W-18044

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 22 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are taken to alert the public to potentially toxic algae blooms, and whether it plans to review the process.

The process for alerting the public to potentially toxic algal blooms is outlined in the 'Cyanobactera (Blue-Green Algae) in Inland and Inshore Waters: Assessment and Minimisation of Risks to Public Health' guidance document ( https://www.gov.scot/Publications/2012/04/6625/downloads ) and includes leaflets, warning notices and letters to stakeholders. The alert process will be reviewed as part of a wider review of the guidance document being carried out by the Scottish Health Protection Network's Environmental Public Health Group and is due for publication at the end of 2018.

In addition to this The Bloomin' Algae app was created in 2017 to allow members of the public to record the location of potential blue-green algae blooms for further investigation by officials.

Question reference: S5W-18045

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 22 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how frequently it reviews multi-agency responses to reports of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in inland and inshore waters.

Multi-agency reports of blue-green algae are managed via the Scottish Environmental Incident Surveillance System (SEISS), which Health Protection Scotland reports on anually, the most recent report is available at https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resourcedocument.aspx?id=6506 .

Guidance on multi-agency responses to reports of blue-green algae is contained in The ‘Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae) in Inland and Inshore Waters: Assessment and Minimisation of Risks to Public Health’ guidance document ( https://www.gov.scot/Publications/2012/04/6625/downloads. A review of this guidance is currently being undertaken by the Scottish Health Protection Network's Environmental Public Health Group and is due for publication by the end of 2018.

Question reference: S5W-17747

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with UK Government regarding Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA) and sites of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designations in north west Sutherland.

Question reference: S5W-17943

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the proposed spaceport on the A'Mhoine peninsula.

Paul Wheelhouse, the then-Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy highlighted to Sam Gyimah, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, his support of the small satellite launch opportunity for Scotland and the benefits of a spaceport to our burgeoning small-satellite manufacturing industry. The Scottish Government supports all Scottish bids, including those who submitted a proposal to the UK Space Agency. Once the UK Government had made its decision on shortlisted sites, Mr Wheelhouse emphasised to the UK Minister, the key strengths of the two shortlisted sites in Scotland who were still in the running for UK Space Agency funding at that time: A’Mhoine and Prestwick.

Question reference: S5W-17646

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 3 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place in the Highlands and Islands for families affected by long-term mental illness.

Nationally, support for people experiencing low mood, depression and anxiety is available through NHS 24, the Samaritans, Breathing Space and NHS Living Life. That support applies across Scotland, including Highlands and Islands.

Other local provision of support for long term mental health conditions in the Highlands and Islands area is the responsibility of the local NHS Board. The Scottish Government is clear that all NHS Boards must ensure that their services are planned efficiently so that patients have swift and safe access to the full range of services they need.

Question reference: S5W-17749

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 31 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recently published report by the Chief Medical Officer for England, Cannabis scheduling review part 1: The therapeutic and medicinal benefits of cannabis-based products - a review of recent evidence.

Question reference: S5W-17748

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 31 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government on the issue of medicinal cannabis.

Scottish Government officials regularly meet with representatives of the UK Government and other devolved administrations on a wide range of medicine policy issues including those around cannabis-derived products for medicinal purposes. Officials will continue to work closely with their counterparts further to the UK Government’s decision to reschedule these products within the terms of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.