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-23066

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many homeless people have been transferred to other local authority areas for emergency accommodation in each of the last 12 months.

Question reference: S6W-23081

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its Sperm and Egg Donation Campaign, what impact assessment it carried out in advance to assess the potential risks to vulnerable women.

Question reference: S6W-23036

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to source the anti-diabetic medication, liraglutide, which is used to treat type 2 diabetes, in light of reports that there are severe shortages of the medication across Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware that there are global supply issues with glucagon-like peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAs) products, which are licensed for treating patients with type 2 diabetes, including Victoza (liraglutide). It is anticipated that supplies of all GLP-1 RAs products will be limited and intermittent until at least mid-2024.

The global shortage of GLP-1 RAs has been largely driven by increased demand, including for off-label and private online prescribing of these medicines for weight-loss; this has led to shortages for patients with Type 2 diabetes.

The supply of medicines is currently a reserved matter for the UK Government. We continue to engage with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and we will continue to press for a lasting solution to the current shortages.

The Scottish Government recognises the impact of these global shortages on people living with type 2 diabetes and their families. NHS Scotland has robust systems in place to manage medicine shortages when they arise and anyone affected by this issue should speak to their usual clinical team.

Question reference: S6W-23129

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what work is being done to address long waiting lists, in light of reports that hip operation waits have tripled in six NHS boards.

Question reference: S6W-23113

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines "high-quality food" in relation to the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S6W-23495

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the next paper in the Building a New Scotland series will be published.

The Scottish Government continues to deliver on its commitment to give people the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, and I’m pleased to confirm that we are publishing Social security in an independent Scotland on 6 December 2023.

This is the ninth paper in the Building a New Scotland series. It explains why the UK approach to social security needs urgent reform and identifies the early changes this Scottish Government would prioritise with independence.

I can also confirm that we intend to bring the matters raised in this publication forward for a debate in the Chamber when Parliamentary time is available.

Building a New Scotland: Social security in an independent Scotland will be available to view on the Scottish Government website from 6 December at www.gov.scot/newscotland .

Question reference: S6W-22958

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when its Covid Inquiries Response Directorate was established and which (a) minister and (b) directorate it reports to.

The Scottish Government first established the Covid Inquiries Information Governance Division in July 2021 to support the Scottish Government in promptly responding to requests for information from the both the UK and Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry.

The division then became the Covid Inquires Response Directorate in February 2022 and is part of Director General Corporate. I have portfolio responsibility for the Covid Inquiries response.

Question reference: S6W-23172

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on when the ripening and spawning season for razor clams takes place in Scottish waters.

As part of the scientific trial on electrofishing for razor clams, the Scottish Government has collected biological information related to the species. This has included live samples of razor clams which have been analysed to determine sex, stage of maturity, spawning time and length-weight relationships.

Scottish Government has worked closely with fishers to identify spawning season through first-hand experience and knowledge gathered through fishing. Annual progress reports are published online: 2018-2019 , 2019-2020 , 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 ).

Question reference: S6W-23073

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills has received a request under rule 9 of the Inquiry Rules 2006 for evidence regarding any WhatsApp messages and informal communications with cabinet secretaries, ministers, senior civil servants or advisers, on Scottish Government-issued or personal devices, in relation to matters for which she had responsibility in her former role as Minister for Europe and International Development between February 2020 and May 2021.

Question reference: S6W-23257

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of investment zones as a method of reducing any shortage of skilled workers for the energy transition.

The Scottish and UK Governments are currently working collaboratively with regional partners to develop proposals with distinct sectoral focus to maximise cluster building, innovation and economic growth.

The proposals – which are in the early stages of development – will link to existing regional economic strategies, recognising the pipeline of skills required for priority sectors, and will include an attractive package of levers aimed at encouraging new businesses to locate in the regions providing opportunities for talent attraction, which will contribute positively to meeting current and future skills requirements.