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-20992

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 18 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the costs associated with the (a) production and (b) publication of its paper, Citizenship in an independent Scotland.

The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a New Scotland paper, ‘Citizenship in an independent Scotland’, are set out in the following table.

Costs
Task	VAT %	VAT	Net Price
Formatting and Online Publication (including HTML Web Conversation)	20.00	594.51	2,972.53
Printed Copies	0.00	0.00	1,379.66
Summary Document	20.00	66.83	334.14
Summary Document – Language Translations	20.00	973.08	4,865.40
Summary Document – BSL Translations	20.00	204.57	1,022.86
Summary Document – Audio Translation	20.00	26.88	134.42
Summary Document – Easy Read Version	20.00	173.59	867.96
Total (GBP)		2,039.46	11,576.97
Total including VAT (GBP)			13,616.40

I am unable to provide a figure for the total production costs of Citizenship in an independent Scotland because in line with usual practice, details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on them, are not routinely recorded because there is no business need to do this.

Question reference: S6W-20743

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it cost to produce the publication, Scottish Government's Plan for School Research 2023-2026, and how many civil servants were allocated to its production.

Question reference: S6W-20991

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 18 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the costs associated with the (a) production and (b) publication of its paper, Creating a modern constitution for an independent Scotland.

The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a New Scotland paper, ‘Creating a modern constitution for an independent Scotland’, are set out in the following table.

Costs
Task	VAT %	VAT	Net Price
Formatting and Online Publication (including HTML Web Conversation)	20.00	1,092.85	5,464.27
Printed Copies	0.00	0.00	2,141.74
Summary Document – including Language Translations	20.00	1,039.50	5,197.52
Summary Document – BSL Translations	20.00	218.12	1,090.59
Summary Document – Audio Translation	20.00	14.18	70.92
Summary Document – Easy Read Version	20.00	280.28	1,401.41
Total (GBP)		2,644.94	15,366.45
Total including VAT (GBP)			18,011.39

I am unable to provide a figure for the total production costs of Creating a modern constitution for an independent Scotland because in line with usual practice, details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on them, are not routinely recorded because there is no business need to do this.

Question reference: S6W-21053

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the preparedness of NHS Scotland to manage any further significant increase in COVID-19 infections.

As part of our whole system planning to prepare for this coming Winter, we have been working collaboratively with COSLA, NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and other partners to assess and promote whole system resilience across a range of pressures, including any significant increase in COVID-19 infection and hospitalisation. In response to learning lessons from last year, we have started this planning process much earlier and have hosted a Winter Summit for Health and Social Care Leaders this summer.

The Hospital Occupancy and Delayed Discharge Action Plan sets out to local systems the activity that will increase capacity and resilience to manage various pressures including increases in COVID-19 and other infections. Boards and HSCPs are returning a quarterly assessment to give assurance regarding their preparedness as we approach winter and the inevitable surges in illness we will see. As part of our Health and Social Care Winter Plan for 2023-24, we are also seeking assurance from local systems on their preparations through a Winter Checklist.

It will also be critical for the public to be aware and utilise the right care at the right time through the various pathways available to them including community pharmacy, NHS 24 and their own GP.

Question reference: S6W-21093

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of any risk related to the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in domestic housing.

Assessments of risks related to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) are underway across the housing sector. Representatives from local authorities, the Scottish Housing Regulator, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland and Homes for Scotland are participating in the cross-sector working group. The group includes stakeholders covering both social and private housing. Discussions have primarily covered investigation and reporting within the social sector, but will also consider what is necessary to understand the extent of RAAC present in the private sector.

Question reference: S6W-21064

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has budgeted to invest in a new Anti-Racism Observatory, as proposed in its Programme for Government 2023-24.

We are currently continuing to develop detailed proposals for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS). We will include financial provision for this of up to £1.5m in the 2024-2025 budget.

Following the establishment of the Anti-Racism Observatory we are committed to ensuring its continued funding. The budget allocation for each financial year will be subject to work with those leading the Anti-Racism Observatory as to what is required and will be subject to confirmation in each annual budget.

Question reference: S6W-21138

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the measures proposed in the Agriculture Bill to encourage animal welfare will not lead to a duplication of effort across different ministerial portfolios and/or directorates.

Question reference: S6W-21143

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the concerns that were raised as part of the consultation on the Agriculture Bill that maintaining alignment with the EU could lead to additional bureaucracy.

Question reference: S6W-21096

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed any risk of a potential rise in COVID-19 hospitalisations over the winter period.

We continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 and other seasonal illnesses within the population both in the community and in acute settings. This, along with other pressures, are part of our Winter Plan work which we are developing in partnership on with COSLA. This plan will seek to promote system resilience and set out the necessary actions for that local systems should take to prepare for the expected pressures.

Question reference: S6W-21094

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last discussed the issue of COVID-19 hospitalisations with NHS (a) Lanarkshire and (b) Forth Valley.