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: S6F-02885

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02884

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-25845

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work on inclusive business models.

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) announced an Inclusive Business Models review. The review is ongoing and is led by a representative stakeholder group. The independent review group is chaired by Neil McInroy, Global Lead for Community Wealth Building, The Democracy Collaborative and chair of Economic Development Association of Scotland (EDAS).

The review group is drawing on learning from both national and international experience. It is anticipated that the work will complete, with findings and recommendations published, in Spring 2024.

Question reference: S6W-25774

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to decarbonise the Fife Circle rail route.

Question reference: S6W-25726

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason transcripts of court cases are reportedly not provided to those involved in the case, free of charge, on request.

The provision of court transcripts to those involved in the case, other than a person convicted at the trial, is governed by Section 94(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 which allows for, on payment of the relevant costs, and subject to the Transcripts of Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Order 1993, the Clerk of Justiciary to direct that a transcript be made and sent to the person who requested it. A cost is therefore incurred whenever a transcript is prepared, and in common with other parts of the UK, unless in specific circumstances, those costs currently require to be met by the requester as opposed to the wider public finances.

That having been said, we have listened to campaigners and survivors on a number of concerns that have been raised about the financial challenges associated with the access to transcripts for rape and sexual offences complainers.

From 1 March 2024, the Scottish Government will be in the first in the UK to launch a pilot which will allow complainers in High Court cases involving charges of rape or sexual assault to have free access to transcripts of their court cases.

The pilot will improve our understanding of the reasons why applications are being made in these particular cases. This will include understanding the potential volume of applications and the extent to which cost has been a barrier for applying previously.

The pilot and associated evaluation process will help inform future policy and operational development, including how the criteria for accessing free transcripts may develop, the potential implications on the public finances, and whether there is a need for a change to existing legislation.

Question reference: S6W-25732

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether any consideration has been given to expanding the referrals criteria that are used by healthcare professionals in primary care to refer patients to Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.

Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services are a useful addition to how cancer can be diagnosed in Scotland. They provide primary care with access to a new fast-track diagnostic pathway for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer, such as weight loss and fatigue.

The University of Strathclyde published a final evaluation report on 29 February 2024 reflecting on the first two years of RCDSs operating in NHS Scotland. This work was commissioned to inform roll-out, including optimal components. Following its release, we’ll work with Boards across Scotland to consider the findings and ensure learning is embedded.

Meanwhile, a clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer is underway to help ensure those with symptoms suspicious of cancer are put on the right pathway at the right time. These guidelines have been developed for primary care clinicians to aid clinical decision making and support. Referrals are closely monitored to ensure capacity and support is available for those on an Urgent Suspicion of Cancer (USC) pathway.

Question reference: S6W-25695

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Thermo Fisher Scientific has recently announced a high number of staff redundancies in Scotland after having received substantial sums of public money, and what its position is on whether any companies that move jobs overseas to reduce costs should be disqualified from applying for future public grants and funding.

I was concerned to learn of potential job losses at Thermo Fisher Scientific. I am due to speak with the company in the near future to discuss the situation. Additionally, officials in Scottish Enterprise are actively engaging with Thermo Fisher Scientific to ensure that the business explores available options to retain as many jobs as possible. In the unfortunate event that any individuals should be facing redundancy, the Scottish Government will provide support through our initiative for responding to redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment, PACE.

Grants and loans entered into by Scottish Ministers and any public body subject to the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) are subject to the principles set out in the manual and have appropriate terms and conditions applied to protect public resources.

Question reference: S6W-25737

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to brachycephalic dog breeds, what steps it has taken to enforce the condition in Annex B of its publication, Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021: guidance for dog breeders, which states that "No dog may be kept for breeding if it can reasonably be expected, on the basis of its genotype, conformation, behaviour or state of health, that breeding from it could have a detrimental effect on its health or welfare or the health or welfare of its offspring".

Enforcement of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 is the responsibility of local authorities in Scotland. The Scottish Government has provided detailed guidance to local authorities to assist them to deliver this enforcement function, including guidance on the checks required when a licence application is received from a breeder breeding, or proposing to breed, a category 3 breed as recognised by the Kennel Club, which includes brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs and Bulldogs. Where an inspector appointed by a local authority is not satisfied that a breeder has sufficient knowledge of the breed and/or is failing to apply robust selection and health screening procedures to minimise the risk of extreme conformations, then the local authority can refuse to license the breeder.

Question reference: S6W-25728

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Court of Session reportedly charges £129.29 per hour to have audio recordings of court cases transcribed.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service outsource the provision of Audio Transcription Services and the provider offers a number of turnaround service levels depending on urgency of the requirement. The standard service used costs £91.23 per hour or £1.52 per minute of audio, plus VAT, and has a turnaround time of 15 days. The figure of £129.29 per hour is for a turnaround of 24 hours and would therefore only be used where a transcript is required urgently.

Question reference: S6W-25703

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to end all non-residential social care charges in the current parliamentary session.