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-13164

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any set criteria for a maximum travel time or distance that people should have to travel to access a reverse vending machine.

There is no set criteria on maximum travel time or distance. All retailers will be required to be a return point operator unless they are granted an exemption. The choice of whether to operate a reverse vending machine, or alternatively to operate a manual takeback service, is a commercial decision for individual retailers.

Scottish Ministers may grant an exemption from acting as a return point if they consider that there is an alternative return point located within reasonable proximity to the premises, and the operator of that return point has agreed to accept the return by consumers of items of scheme packaging on behalf of the retailer, and they consider that, if the exemption is granted, this will still provide consumers with reasonable access to a return point. The Scottish Government’s exemption application guidance states that a reasonably accessible distance is generally considered to be approximately 400 metres from an alternative return point.

Question reference: S6F-01586

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2022

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to build on the enduring legacy of Doddie Weir and support efforts to cure MND and similar neurological conditions.

Question reference: S6O-01632

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether current funding provisions will enable local authorities to meet the standards in its housing strategy regarding social housing, including energy efficiency.

Question reference: S6O-01583

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic benefit to Scotland of moving to a low-carbon economy and achieving net zero.

Question reference: S6O-01548

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of several high-profile cases of antisocial behaviour in Scotland, what its response is to reports of escalating instances of antisocial behaviour at Kilmarnock Bus Station.

Question reference: S6W-11368

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it is the case that the Deposit Return Scheme will be implemented on 16 August 2023, and, if so, what further steps are required to achieve this.

Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will launch on 16 August 2023.

In line with the polluter pays principle, and just like similar schemes around the world, Scotland’s deposit return scheme is being delivered by industry. It is for obligated businesses to ensure that they are fully prepared and ready for launch.

The Scottish Government remains engaged by meeting regularly with industry, the Scheme Administrator, and other stakeholders to ensure that implementation remains on track.

Question reference: S6W-11369

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to raise public awareness of the Deposit Return Scheme, and what form any public awareness campaign will take.

Question reference: S6W-11367

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it is the case that the Deposit Return Scheme will include glass.

Question reference: S6O-01468

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it anticipates meeting its target to have over 50% of buses running on hydrogen or electric by the end of 2023.

Question reference: S6O-01435

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how its housing strategy will support action to deliver the target of one million homes to be retrofitted with zero carbon heating systems by 2030.