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-26949

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will identify the specific research findings within the article in the Journal of LGBT Youth of July 2017, "The restroom and locker room wars: Where to pee or not to pee", which is cited on page 174 of its consultation paper on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

That is not the general approach in Impact Assessments. Instead, the approach is to outline the information and the sources. Paragraphs 10 and 11 of the section on sex in the draft Equality Impact Assessment refer to this research to specifically associate that research with what is stated in paragraphs 10 and 11. The current consultation asks a specific question on the draft Impact Assessments. We welcome comments on the drafts and information consultees have on any other relevant research.

Question reference: S5W-26957

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it will define the circumstances in which someone fraudulently claims to be transgender, should the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill be passed, not including issues concerning official documentation.

There is provision in section 9 of the draft Bill that an application can be made to the sheriff court to revoke a gender recognition certificate on the ground that the application for the certificate was fraudulent. There is already provision in section 8 of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (which would be replaced for Scotland by the provision in section 9 of the draft Bill) which enables the courts to quash a gender recognition certificate on the ground that it was secured by fraud. It would be for the courts to determine whether or not an application was fraudulent, as has been the position under the 2004 Act. Some non-exhaustive situations which might result in a suggestion that an application was fraudulent could include the spouse or civil partner of the applicant saying they believe the application to be fraudulent; information being passed to the Registrar General suggesting the application was fraudulent; and the applicant boasting they had made a false declaration or application to test the system.

Question reference: S5W-26951

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the sources it consulted before reaching the conclusions at paragraphs 10 and 11 on page 174 of its consultation paper on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S5O-03997

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the performance of the rail services in the South Scotland region that are regulated by the Department for Transport.

Question reference: S5O-03951

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many gender recognition certificates it expects to be issued under its proposed system of self-declaration, and how this compares with the current system.

Question reference: S5W-26587

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what help is available for people requiring surgery to treat lipoedema.

Question reference: S5O-03897

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been done of the impact that ending freedom of movement for EU citizens after Brexit will have on the NHS.

Question reference: S5O-03826

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle loneliness and isolation among older people in the South Scotland region.

Question reference: S5O-03687

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the Equality Act 2010’s single-sex exemptions that allow for women-only spaces and services based on biological sex when this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

Question reference: S5O-03606

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to protect the forestry industry from the threat of tree diseases and pests, such as oak processionary moths and bark beetles.