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-16186

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that only 15% of S4-S6 pupils answered questions on relationships and sexual health in the Health and Wellbeing Census, what its position is on what role the Census can play in addressing such issues.

The Health and Wellbeing census provides a dataset of just over 25,000 records from S4 to S6 pupils on relationships and sexual health. For the 16 local authorities who collected data, 39.1% of S4 to S6 pupils responded.

Before the introduction of the Health and Wellbeing Census in 2021, local authorities used a variety of approaches to gather the evidence they need to meet their duties to support pupil wellbeing, such as commissioning surveys at their own cost. Data gathered continues to cover issues relating to food and nutrition, sleep, relationships, bullying, sexual health, substance use and physical activity, as well as social media use and mental and emotional health and wellbeing.

Question reference: S6W-16177

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15482 by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023, what correspondence it has had with Scottish Water regarding The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre; what observations were made, and how these were addressed.

Question reference: S6W-16190

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what conclusions it has drawn from the recent Health and Wellbeing Census.

Conclusions drawn from the Health and Wellbeing Census are available on the Scottish Government's website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/health-and-wellbeing-census-scotland-2021-22/ .

It is essential that public services have a robust understanding of the issues affecting children and young people, so that appropriate support is put in place for them and their families. The Census data provides schools, education authorities, health and social care partners, as well as national Government, with the best source of evidence on children and young people’s health and wellbeing. The data collected in this first Census will provide a robust benchmark to measure future Census data collections against.

We will now work with local authorities to learn from their experiences of having undertaken the Census both to understand fully the benefit to them, and whether there are areas for improvement in the process.

Question reference: S6W-16187

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to (a) local authorities and (b) schools on determining the materials used in the Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) curriculum for different school year groups.

Guidance for local authorities and schools on teaching relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education is available on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/conduct-relationships-sexual-health-parenthood-education-schools/.

A summary of resources available to schools and teachers to support delivery of RSHP education is available on Education Scotland's National Improvement Hub at https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/a-summary-of-rshp-resources/. However it is for education authorities and schools to decide which resources they use in supporting their teaching, and it is recommended that schools involve parents and pupils in their consideration of resources .

Question reference: S6W-16707

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm what guidance is in place for NHS boards regarding Freedom of Information requests.

NHS Boards are each distinct Scottish public authorities for the purposes of FOI legislation and each one is responsible for its own compliance with its statutory obligations under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

The Section 60 Code of Practice, produced by the Scottish Ministers, provides guidance for all Scottish public authorities on discharging their functions under the legislation. Additionally, as the independent public official responsible for promoting and enforcing FOI law, the Scottish Information Commissioner encourages Scottish public authorities to develop good FOI practice, providing guidance and support materials on his website: https://www.itspublicknowledge.info/law-and-guidance .

Question reference: S6W-16668

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to introduce a three-mile fishing limit around the coast of Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02118

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of households that have received the Winter Heating Payment in Aberdeenshire.

Question reference: S6W-16264

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of Mowi Scotland's continuation of its current open-net farming operations in Scotland, in light of Mowi’s decision to end open-net farming in Canada and Norway due to the impact on wild fish.

The Scottish Government is not aware of a decision by Mowi to end open-net farming in Canada and Norway due to impacts on wild fish.

The Scottish Government is committed to a programme of work to protect and restore wild Atlantic salmon populations. The Wild Salmon Strategy and accompanying Implementation Plan, published in February this year, set out a suite of actions to be taken to mitigate against the wide range of pressures which impact wild fish populations.

There is a presumption against open cage fish farming development on the North and East costs of Scotland in the National Marine Plan and National Planning Framework to protect wild migratory species.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is preparing for a further consultation on a new sea lice risk assessment framework to protect wild fish for implementation in the aquaculture zone.

Question reference: S6W-16265

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement a similar model to the Norwegian mobile seal capture unit in order to manage seal populations in Scotland.

Translocation of seals is not a regularly used tool for seal population management within Scottish waters. Where sick or injured seals are taken to rehabilitation centres, they will be returned to the wild within the same seal management area that they were found. This ensures that population levels and the genetic diversity of seal management areas are maintained. Advice received from the Special Committee on Seals is that rehabilitated seals typically behave like wild seals shortly following release.

Question reference: S6W-16263

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government by (a) what area covered and (b) how many cameras the CCTV coverage at the State Hospital, Carstairs, has increased since 2018.