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-21432

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Prison Service is responding to reported concerns from independent prison monitors that an estate-wide issue regarding the capacity of GEOAmey to transport prisoners, including those at HMP and YOI Grampian, has meant that prisoners have been unable to attend hospital appointments on multiple occasions.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

It is clear the Geo Amey contract, which SPS leads on behalf of justice partners, is not working as it should and causing disruption. The SPS with justice partners and Scottish Government is working to resolve the issues.

SPS are determined to ensure that the care, welfare, and service delivery on non-court elements of the contract are supported and delivered with equal priority as the management of court operations and the secure escorting of those in custody.

The National Prison Care Network has also written to NHS Board Medical Directors requesting that patients are not removed or reprioritised on waiting lists if failure to attend an appointment has been the result of any transport cancellation.

Question reference: S6W-21321

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering a Norwegian-style system where vessels would be required to report the coordinates of lost fishing gear when such a loss occurs, if it occurs in the offshore region outwith the 12 nautical mile limit, so that the gear could be recovered during an annual summer “clean up” organised by its Marine Directorate.

Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government is not considering a Norwegian-style system of funding and running an annual clean-up of fishing gear reported as lost. Scottish vessels are required to carry retrieval equipment aboard unless working exclusively within 12 nautical miles or never more than 24 hours at sea. Vessels must attempt to retrieve lost gear in a timely manner if it is safe to do so. Any gear that remains lost must be reported to the UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre. Fishing licence holders have been reminded of these responsibilities with a fact sheet from fishery offices.

Question reference: S6W-21435

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the minutes of the Women's Health Plan Implementation Programme Board for the meeting on 17 May 2023 will be published on the Scottish Government's website, and when the Board will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-21449

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what strategies are being implemented to support palliative care delivery in rural and remote areas.

Question reference: S6W-21314

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions have taken place with relevant stakeholders regarding the potential for direct cargo and passenger or vehicle ferry routes from Scotland to the European continent.

The Scottish Government wants to see Scotland’s sea connections to Europe enhanced. We work closely with Scotland’s main ports across a range of issues including the potential for new freight and passenger ferry services. Commercial stakeholders are fundamental to any new service being realised. The former Minister for Business and officials met shipping and freight forwarding companies, port operators and hauliers to explore how Scottish exporters chose their routes to market, and current Ministers and officials continue to meet port operators and haulage and shipping associations to understand future market demand.

Question reference: S6W-21631

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many public sector grants have been awarded since 1 July 2023 without requiring recipients to provide appropriate channels for effective worker voice, broken down by the value of each grant.

Question reference: S6W-21630

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many public sector grants have been awarded since 1 July 2023 without requiring recipients to pay the real Living Wage, broken down by the value of each grant.

Question reference: S6W-21632

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many public sector grants have been awarded since 1 July 2023 without requiring recipients to pay the real Living Wage or provide appropriate channels for effective worker voice, broken down by the value of each grant.

Question reference: S6W-21678

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions there have been in Scotland under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-21645

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what COVID-19 surveillance measures it will activate this autumn and winter to protect people with weakened immune systems who remain vulnerable to COVID-19.

In Scotland, respiratory infection levels, including those of COVID-19, and their impact are monitored using various sources of data, including microbiological sampling and laboratory test results from community and hospital settings, NHS 24 calls, primary care consultations, and hospital admissions. The intelligence generated from these different data sources provide a comprehensive picture of current respiratory illness in Scotland. In addition, COVID-19 outbreaks and general trends can be estimated by measuring concentrations of the virus in wastewater.

Surveillance of respiratory infections is a critical part of our approach to monitoring and managing the spread and prevalence of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. It helps us to determine the right public health strategies and timing, to manage transmission in the community. Public Health Scotland (PHS) are responsible for delivering Scotland’s National Respiratory Surveillance Plan with the support of the Scottish Government.

Our successful vaccination programme means many people previously considered at highest risk, and the wider population, are now far less likely to become seriously ill from Covid-19. However, people with a weakened immune system might not develop the same level of immunity from the vaccination as others. This means that some people with a weakened immune system may still be at higher risk from COVID-19, although many do get some protection from the vaccine. These people should continue to follow the advice of their GP or specialist clinician, who best know their health condition and circumstances. This may include accessing to antiviral treatment where required. The advice across respiratory diseases remains to get your booster when we invite you for vaccination and if you feel unwell with a respiratory infection to try to stay at home.