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-02872

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations outlined in the STUC's report, Raising taxes to deliver for Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02864

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is planning any new infrastructure investments in the next financial year in connection with City and Regional Growth Deals.

Question reference: S6W-23611

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its report, NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 Annual Progress Update 2023.

I am pleased to confirm that the report ‘NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 Annual Progress Update 2023' is being published today.

NHS Recovery Plan: annual progress update 2023 - https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835214251

We remain committed to delivering on the actions set out in the NHS Recovery Plan, and this report sets out the significant progress we have made. However, it is also important to recognise how much has changed since it was first published, and we are also supporting the ongoing recovery of our health and social care services with refreshed commitments as set out in the First Minister’s “Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership - A fresh start” which was published in April this year, and our ‘Programme for Government 2023/24’.

Looking ahead, in the coming months we will be working with partners across the health and social care system, Local Government and wider stakeholders, to set out our shared long term planning for population health and integrated health and social care services development.

Question reference: S6W-23610

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill and Future Generations Commissioner.

We have today launched our consultation on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill, including the potential role of an Independent Commissioner for Future Generations. The consultation will run until 14 February 2024 and can be accessed at https://consult.gov.scot/national-performance-framework-unit/wellbeing-and-sustainable-development-scotland .

We committed in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Programmes for Government to explore the development of a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill, and we are now at the stage of seeking views on how this legislation could best ensure that wellbeing and sustainable development are embedded into public sector decision making and that future generations are considered in decisions made today.

We are seeking views on providing legislative definitions of “sustainable development” and “wellbeing”, strengthening duties on public bodies to consider the National Outcomes in decision making, and extending these duties to Scottish Ministers. We are also asking for views on how best to ensure that the necessary accountability and support for these duties is in place, including the potential role of an Independent Commissioner for Future Generations. I look forward to receiving a range of views on these matters.

I have also written to the Finance and Public Administration, Net Zero and Transport, Economy and Fair Work and Rural and Islands Committees to inform them of the consultation launch.

Question reference: S6W-23272

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to change the current funding mix to Creative Scotland to enable it to introduce a capital programme to support the refurbishment of cultural assets.

Support for the refurbishment of cultural assets, such as small-scale building renovations, accessibility improvements or installing fixed assets, can be accessed by individuals and organisations applying to Creative Scotland’s Open Fund.

On a select case-by-case basis, a Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) by Creative Scotland may also be authorised to use some of its regular funding towards refurbishment costs. This would require the organisation to demonstrate to Creative Scotland how the refurbishment represents value for money, public benefit and supports the delivery of their overall creative programme.

Question reference: S6W-23262

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of all the stakeholder groups that it engaged with when producing its paper, Our marine sector in an independent Scotland.

The Scottish Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders on the future of the marine sector on a very regular basis. This has included, for example, detailed engagement with Scottish seafood stakeholders on Brexit and the new costs and barriers it has created for exporting to the EU, and our shared concerns about post-Brexit UK immigration policy, and how these can be mitigated or overcome.

“Our marine sector in an independent Scotland” is informed by our continuous engagement with the marine sector.

Question reference: S6W-22506

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering alternatives to the current methods of tagging fish, which involve inserting tags into them.

The Scottish Government uses a range of techniques to monitor and study fish populations which is critical to inform the management actions put in place to protect species. Internal tagging is used when there is no appropriate alternative method available to answer the specific question being addressed. It is a regulated procedure covered by the Animals (Scientific procedures) Act 1986 and is performed under licence from the Home Office. Alternatives to this method are examined and adopted where possible by the Scottish Government following the principles of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) embedded in the act.

Question reference: S6W-23280

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the diversification test used to determine eligibility for the Scottish Enterprise Regional and SME Investment Subsidy Scheme is unduly restrictive and unfair to long-established manufacturing businesses that are seeking to invest in and grow their operations in Scotland.

Scottish Enterprise uses the Scottish Enterprise Regional and SME Investment Subsidy Scheme (the Scheme) to provide RSA grant funding. The Scheme includes a requirement that, to be eligible for support, large companies must be opening a new establishment or diversifying the activity at an existing site. There is no such requirement for SMEs. This requirement is consistent with the general approach to regional investment funding across the UK and Europe.

RSA is not the only mechanism Scottish Enterprise uses for funding eligible projects within the manufacturing sector. Scottish Enterprise has a wide range of subsidy schemes for which diversification is not a requirement for funding. The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise consistently review support mechanisms in place and welcome feedback on how to support companies within the rules set out by the Subsidy Control regime.

Question reference: S6W-23240

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of all engagements that (a) cabinet secretaries, (b) ministers and (c) civil servants have had with representatives of Ineos and/or Petroineos in 2023 to date.

Ministers and civil servants engage regularly with INEOS and Petroineos as a matter of course, given the strategic importance of the assets at Grangemouth.

Recent engagements include two site visits in at Grangemouth to discuss INEOS’ net zero roadmap, which were attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition and both the Energy Minister and myself in April and June.

I also met representatives of Petroineos’ Joint Ventures Partners in June 2023 as part of the Scottish Government’s regular engagement with the business.

The First Minister and I also spoke to senior management at the refinery on 23 November 2023, during which we outlined our expectation that the business should explore every possible option to extend refining operations beyond the conclusion of import terminal infrastructure construction.

Question reference: S6W-23364

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure scrutiny of Education Scotland and the Race Equality Action Plan, in light of the recommendations of the report of the public inquiry into Islamophobia in Scotland.