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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 573 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-35650

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it gives to local authorities to ensure that an existing householder's supply of water, whether private or otherwise, is protected, particularly in relation to planning applications.

Question reference: S5W-35649

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it gives to local authorities regarding how they can protect private water supplies of existing householders in relation to planning applications that require an additional private supply or water being taken from an existing supply.

Question reference: S5W-35810

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding its agencies provided regarding the proposed Scottish stock exchange, and whether this has been reimbursed.

Question reference: S5W-35789

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how much it has invested in Burntisland Fabrications (BiFab) since 2016, also broken down by how much it expects to be returned.

Since 2016 the Scottish Government has committed £37.4 million, which was converted to a 32.4% equity stake and a loan facility of up to £15 million was provided, which supported not just the Beatrice but also the Moray East Pin Piles and First E&P contracts creating over a 1000 jobs across the 3 yards. However, I am aware that funding has been provided by Scottish Enterprise and, to be helpful, I have asked them to respond to you in writing.

In terms of returns against this investment, it is too early to estimate the amount of any return to the Scottish Government from the Administration process. We will continue to work closely with the Administrators as they progress their administration strategy.

Question reference: S5W-35786

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when private individual swimming lessons for children will be allowed to resume under its revised COVID-19 Strategic Framework.

Question reference: S5W-35693

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to raise tree-planting rates from 10,000 hectares to 15,000 hectares per year by 2025, how many hectares of trees were planted in (a) 2019 and (b) 2020.

Forest Research publishes National Statistics on the area of new woodland creation, which can be found at the following website: Forestry Statistics and Forestry Facts & Figures - Forest Research

In Scotland in (a) 2018-19, 11,210 hectares and (b) 2019-20, 11,050 hectares of new woodland were created. Provisional National Statistics which will include figures on woodland creation in Scotland for 2020-21 are scheduled to be published on 17 June 2021.

Question reference: S5W-35661

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic impact of the recent closures of the Queensferry Crossing.

Question reference: S5W-35665

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost to date is, including consultancy fees, of establishing the proposed publicly-owned energy company.

Question reference: S5W-35765

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum potential penalty is that the EU Commission can impose on it as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.

Question reference: S5W-35768

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been informed of any penalties that are payable as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.