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: S6O-00937

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to tackle homelessness.

Question reference: S6W-07242

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide additional funding for schools that take refugee children from Ukraine.

Scotland has a proud history of welcoming displaced people and people seeking asylum. The Scottish Government and Scotland’s local authorities stand ready to welcome and support people with the safety and security they need to rebuild their lives.

The Government is actively working with a wide range of partners, including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, councils and the Scottish Refugee Council, to ensure effective coordination of plans to address the practical challenges of resettling those coming to Scotland.

The UK Government have committed to providing £10,500 in additional funding to local authorities for each resettled Ukrainian to support access to services. We understand that an additional sum will be provided for children of school age, and we are seeking further clarity from UK Government on the specifics of this.

Question reference: S6W-07243

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-06819 by Keith Brown on 4 March 2022, how many of the (a) 403 cyber-attacks that were reported under sections 1 and 2 and (b) 72 cyber-attacks that were reported under section 3 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 originated from Russia.

The data the Scottish Government receives from Police Scotland is a general count of the number of crimes and offences recorded by the police, split by local authority. We do not receive further details on the characteristics of these cases and so are unable to provide a further breakdown for the offences recorded under Sections 1 and 2 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 (which relate to unauthorised access to computers, with the intent to commit or facilitate the commissioning of further offences). In terms of Section 3 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, police records for all cases in 2020-21 were manually reviewed as part of producing a new chapter on the estimated volume of recorded cyber-crime in Scotland (included within the 2020-21 recorded crime National Statistics). Section 3 relates to unauthorised acts which impair the operation of computers, including preventing or hindering access to programs, data etc. At the time these cases were reviewed, a majority of them did not have a confirmed country of origin for the perpetrator. For those that did, none of them originated from Russia.

Question reference: S6O-00894

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the future of the COVID-19 certification scheme.

Question reference: S6W-07044

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 16 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to require homeowners to improve their property's energy performance certificate (EPC) rating.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce, subject to consultation, regulations requiring Scotland’s homes to meet EPC Band C, or an equivalent standard, where that is technically feasible and cost effective from 2025. We plan to consult over the next year on our proposals for such regulations, and this will include details of any exemptions including those linked to cost and availability of finance, clarity on the burden of responsibility, and matters relating to compliance and enforcement.

Question reference: S6F-00901

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 14 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-07027

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 14 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the system under which council tax bandings are designated.

The valuation bands for council tax are part of the wider council tax system set out in the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and associated secondary legislation. We are committed to reforming council tax to make it fairer, working with the Scottish Green Party and COSLA to oversee the development of effective deliberative engagement on sources of local government funding, including Council Tax, that will culminate in a Citizens’ Assembly. This will be established and completed in this Parliament, with a response to its recommendations debated and agreed within 6 months of them being provided.

Question reference: S6W-06691

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost is of (a) oil and (b) gas imports to Scotland from Russia, and what its position is on how much Scotland's economy relies on these imports.

Using official statistics, which are at a UK level, in 2020 indigenous gas production met more than half of UK demand with the remainder supplied via imports of gas, of which 5% came from Russia. In 2020, UK demand was met by imports of approximately 80% of crude oil and 47% of Petroleum products. Russian imports met an estimated 7.8% and 7.7% of UK demand.

In 2020, of the Petroleum products, Russian imports were predominately diesel, accounting for 33% of total UK Diesel imports.

In 2020, total gross trade in goods in 2020 (Imports and Exports) between the UK and Russia was £10.3 billion, which included the following imported from Russia: Refined oil (£2.3 Billion), Crude oil (£1 Billion) and Gas (£0.5 Billion).

Question reference: S6W-06535

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the trial in nine schools in North Ayrshire in October 2021, and the answer to question S6F-00388 on 28 October 2021, during which the First Minister stated that the use of such technology in schools "does not appear to be proportionate or necessary”, whether it is aware of any further plans to use facial recognition technology in schools in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any further plans to use facial recognition technology in schools in Scotland however, as the First Minister stated in her response question S6F-00388 on 28 October 2021, she is clear that the use of facial recognition in schools to be neither a proportionate nor a necessary measure. I can confirm this remains the position, although the decision on whether to introduce biometric identification systems into schools is ultimately a matter for local authorities and individual schools to consider for themselves. I also understand that North Ayrshire Council no longer use facial recognition technology and have reverted back to using Personal Identification Numbers for pupils to collect their school lunches.

I would like to be clear in stating our position, which is that prior to introducing biometric systems education authorities should carry out a privacy impact assessment, or a proportionate equivalent, and consult with pupils and parents. Information should also be provided on data protection; how to opt out; consent; and about alternative systems that can be used. Schools and education authorities will also pay due attention to the Information Commissioner’s Office requirements that organisations that are using facial recognition technology should comply with data protection law before, during and after its use.

Question reference: S6W-06692

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made any plans to receive any refugees from Ukraine.