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-00160

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 7 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, what action it is taking to support businesses that rely on tourism.

We are doing everything we can with the limited powers available to us to support the tourism sector.

We have extended 100% NDR relief, which is more generous than the equivalent rates reliefs available in other UK nations, for all retail, leisure and hospitality premises for all of 2021-22. In addition, Tourism businesses on Non Domestic Rates have been supported by the Strategic Framework Business Fund.

We also launched a £129 million package of business support measures over December and January as part of our short term response to the Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce recommendations and followed engagement with industry to target support where it was needed the most.

We also invested £14 million in the Hotel Support Programme to secure up to 3,000 jobs in the hotel sector, and through the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund we awarded over £8.9 million to hotels and other accommodation last year – there was no equivalent fund in England.

Over the past year we have worked closely with sectoral organisations like the Scottish Tourism Alliance on support for the tourism and hospitality sectors and we will continue to do so. This includes £25 million, which we announced in March, to implement the Phase 1 recommendations of the Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce.

This fund will support domestic and international marketing to rebuild visitor demand, leadership and skills training, development of a net zero pathway for tourism, and social tourism and days out vouchers.

Development of phase 2 recommendations (years 2 through 5) is underway by the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group and proposals will be considered by the Scottish Government very shortly.

Question reference: S6O-00003

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin and conclude its review of the role of incineration in Scotland’s waste hierarchy.

Question reference: S6W-00167

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, following the mass disruption in George Square on 15 May 2021, what support is available to businesses who were advised to close due to concerns for their welfare.

Operational policing decisions are matters for the Chief Constable, however Police Scotland confirmed that dialogue was maintained with business premises in the relevant locations contacted prior to 15 May 2021 where details of any threats, risks or potential harm were shared with business owners and operators. The decisions were then made by those businesses as to whether or not they remained open.

The Scottish Government worked closely with Rangers Football Club, Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council to prepare and provide appropriate communications and support ahead of the proposed march by Rangers supporters following the football club’s Scottish Premiership title win.

Question reference: S6W-00159

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the forecast by Audit Scotland that Scotland’s colleges face a £54 million funding gap.

Question reference: S6W-00161

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details, including minutes, of all dealings between its ministers and/or officials and Mr Sanjeev Gupta.

The Scottish Government is committed to openness and transparency and updates Parliament regularly on discussions relating to Gupta Family Group companies.

On 11 February 2021, Fergus Ewing the then Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy updated the Finance and Constitution Committee on the contingent liability arising from the Lochaber guarantee. The Cabinet Secretary made a statement to Parliament and answered questions on 24 March 2021 on the administration of Greensill Capital UK Limited and its implications for businesses in Scotland, including GFG companies. The former Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy also briefed a cross-party meeting of MSPs and MPs alongside the relevant trade unions on the financing challenges facing the GFG Alliance on 16 April during the election period.

The GFG Alliance is currently in a process of refinancing and restructuring its global businesses in the wake of the collapse of Greensill Capital UK. This is a sensitive commercial matter and Scottish Ministers are duty bound to maintain commercial confidences and not to fuel speculation or prejudice commercial processes.

The Scottish Government will continue to publish details of all Ministerial engagements via its website ( https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ ) and take opportunities to update members and Committees of Parliament where appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-00134

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people who are on frontline placements with the NHS or other public sector organisations, and who require to drive to carry out their duties, will be able to access driving tests and driving theory tests, in light of the reported backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK government`s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is responsible for the delivery of driving tests in Scotland, however the Scottish government works closely with the DVSA to ensure that waiting times to access a driving test are minimised as much as possible. In collaboration with the DVSA we secured delegated authority earlier this year for some transport operators and the emergency services to undertake driving tests for their own staff, thereby reducing the numbers of people awaiting tests at DVSA test centres. In advance of driving tests resuming when Scotland moved to Protection Level 3 on 26 April 2021, we engaged with DVSA on their remobilisation plans and the development of communications materials to ensure that candidates were “test ready” when they presented for a test. We continue to meet regularly with the DVSA to discuss ways in which we can expedite access to driving tests.

Question reference: S6W-00062

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle and reduce any waste and pollution caused by the clothing and fashion industry.

The Scottish Government recognises the need to tackle our throw-away culture, which includes so-called ‘fast fashion’. For example, the Revolve Programme run by Zero Waste Scotland already seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of responsible consumption by promoting the environmental benefits of second-hand over new clothing purchases, as well as directing consumers to the network of over 100 certified stores: What is Revolve? | The first choice for second-hand shopping (zerowastescotland.org.uk) .

SEPA has identified that Textiles and Apparel Manufacture will be the subject of a forthcoming Sector Plan. This will set out how SEPA will regulate and engage with the industry to tackle and reduce the environmental impacts from the textile sector: Plans in development | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) .

The Scottish Government is committed to bringing forward a Circular Economy Bill to advance Scotland's ambitions to promote an economy where materials remain in use for as long as possible, rather than being thrown away, and to establish a fund based on the success of the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund for innovation in tackling textile pollution and throw-away culture.

Question reference: S6W-00083

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will align with Global Travel Taskforce arrangements simultaneously with other nations, to ensure that travel agents and the wider travel industry can resume business operations in line with the four nations approach.

The Scottish Government will take decisions on international travel in the best interests of Scotland at the right time and based on the scientific evidence available. The Global Travel Taskforce and its recommendations are for the UK Government, but where possible we will continue to seek an aligned four nations approach to international travel restrictions.

Recently, this has included alignment on the traffic light system for international travel which came into effect on 17 May 2021. Officials are in regular contact with the Department for Transport and the other devolved administrations on this issue as we make progress in responding to the pandemic.

Question reference: S6W-00020

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 27 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many fatalities have resulted from house fires in the last 12 months.

According to Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Performance Data analysis for the year 2020-2021 the total number of dwelling fire fatalities stands at 46, with a further 7 in non-dwelling property types. As further information may yet come to light, for example from coroners reports, the figures are subject to change. SFRS Fire and Rescue Incident statistics are published annually and include figures on fire fatalities and trends. These can be found here https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/about-us/fire-and-rescue-statistics.aspx .

Question reference: S6W-00026

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish the Women’s Health Plan.