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-12803

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on heating the swimming pool at its Victoria Quay building in each of the last five years.

The gas and electric used for the swimming pool at Victoria Quay is not sub-metered. The figures in the following table are estimates based on assumed operating times.

The costs reflect that the heating was turned off to the pool in April 2020 and has remained off since . Pumps have remained operational to maintain water quality, and the structural integrity of the pool . The operating times for the ventilation to the pool space have been reduced, this is reflected in the reduced electrical load.

The costs in 2019-20 are lower as a result of the pool being closed for refurbishment between June and August 2019.

	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23 YTD (Apr- Nov)
Annual Electricity Cost	£8,126	£7,115	£8,310	£8,096	£6,125

Annual Gas Cost	£11,348	£10,471	£0	£0	£0

TOTAL UTILITIES COST	£19,474	£17,586	£8,310	£8,096	£6,125

Question reference: S6W-13019

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) urgent, (b) high and (c) medium-term recommendations in the British Academy of Audiology Independent Review into the Paediatric Audiology Service at NHS Lothian, which was published in December 2021, have been implemented.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with NHS Lothian in relation to their current status on the NHS board performance escalation framework, this involves the Board working through and reporting progress against a formal Recovery Plan that covers all the BAA recommended actions.

Of the 36 BAA recommendations that NHS Lothian are progressing 81% have been completed. The remaining recommendations are well in progress with NHS Lothian ensuring that these are fully embedded with the evidence to support that prior to considering them as completed. All of the urgent recommendations are complete, over 70% of the high status recommendations are complete and almost 80% of the medium status recommendations are complete.

The Scottish Government continue to work to support and monitor the progress towards the completion of the remaining recommendations.

Question reference: S6W-13020

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to support the implementation of the recommendations in the British Academy of Audiology Independent Review into the Paediatric Audiology Service at NHS Lothian, which was published in December 2021.

Question reference: S6W-12742

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12165 by Tom Arthur on 28 November 2022, whether it will provide a breakdown of the £191 million of "reductions to previously unfunded pressures".

Question reference: S6W-12642

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any backlogs within Disclosure Scotland in processing PVG checks, leaving prospective carers unable to start their job.

There are no backlogs or delays at Disclosure Scotland in processing PVG disclosure checks. During this calendar year, and on a week-by-week basis, Disclosure Scotland has completed over 95% of all types of disclosure applications in under 7.5 working days. Most adult social care PVG checks are prioritised by Disclosure Scotland as part of a Scottish Government initiative. Disclosure Scotland publish their performance weekly.

Question reference: S6W-12805

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many days the swimming pool at its Victoria Quay building has been operational in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-12804

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on maintenance for the swimming pool at its Victoria Quay building in each of the last five years.

The costs for maintenance of the swimming pool at the Scottish Government's Victoria Quay property in each of the last five financial years is:

2018-2019 - £31,365 - inclusive of Facilities Management planned preventative maintenance costs and sub-contractor specialist costs.

2019-2020 - £31,365 - as above.

2020-2021 - £30,345 - pool closed to staff for part of the year due to COVID and ppm maintenance reduced.

2021-2022 - £26,945 - pool closed for entire year and ppm maintenance reduced.

2022-2023 - £20,862 - pool closed for entire year and maintenance paid to date in the current financial year.

Question reference: S6W-12806

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many lifeguards are currently employed for the swimming pool in its Victoria Quay building.

Question reference: S6W-12330

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a full list of active groups and sub-groups within the Finance and Economy portfolio.

The list of active groups and sub-groups within the Finance and Economy portfolio includes:

Apprenticeship Approval Group (AAG)
Business Support Partnership
Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan - Implementation Steering Group
Clyde Mission Strategy Group
Community Wealth Building (CWB) Bill steering Group
Creative Industries Leadership Group
Developing the Young Workforce Employers Forum
Digital Collaborative Governance Group
Economic Leadership Group
European Structural and Investment Funds Programme Board
European Structural and Investment Programme Monitoring Committee
European Structural and Investment Programme Monitoring Committee Working Group
European Structural and Information Technology Board
Financial Services Growth and Development Board
Flexible Workforce Development Fund Senior Strategic Group
Foundation Apprenticeship Enhancement Group
Green Freeports Programme Board
Industry Leadership Chairs Group
Innovation Strategy Steering Group
Input-Output Expert Users Group (IOEUG)
Lifetime Skills Offer Steering Group
Life Sciences Scotland Group
Ministerial Trade Board
National Strategy for Economic Transformation Delivery Board
National Strategy for Economic Transformation Portfolio Board
National Strategy for Economic Transformation Skilled Workforce Programme Board
Public Sector Network Steering Group
Regional Economic Policy Advisory Group
Retail Industry Leadership Group
Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Group Board
Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Standards And Frameworks Group
Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Employer Engagement Group
Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Employer Equalities Group
Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) Apprentice Engagement Group
Scottish Business Growth Group
Scottish Cities Alliance Chief Executive Officers Group
Scottish Cities Alliance Delivery Group
Scottish Cities Alliance Leadership Group
Scottish City Region and Growth Deal Delivery Board
Scottish Economic Statistics Consultation Group
Scottish Government and Business Organisations Meeting
Scottish Government Labour Market Evidence Programme
Scottish Taskforce for Green and Sustainable Financial Services
Skills Ministerial Group
Strategic Leadership Group for Advanced Manufacturing
Sub-Scotland Economic Statistics Group
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group
Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo)
Young Persons Guarantee Equalities Subgroup
Young Persons Guarantee Employer Advisory Group
Young Persons Guarantee Implementation Planning Group

Please note these groups will be kept under review.

Question reference: S6W-12332

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is its policy to exit the integrated UK electricity market, the current subsidy regime and transmission arrangements in the event of Scotland becoming independent.