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-23185

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 24 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the content of COVID-19 warnings used in official communications, in particular in relation to the emphasis on "clean hands" and "two metres distance" and the lack of mention of ventilation, since the emergence of evidence that COVID-19 primarily spreads via aerosols and not fomites.

Scottish Government guidance is reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that information for the public and workplaces aligns to current policy. Policy is driven by the latest data, evidence and expert advice and is reflected in the communication of guidance. Throughout the pandemic public health advice on a range of complementary protective measures - including good hand hygiene, physical distancing, social mixing and improved ventilation – has been consistently deployed in response to the stage of the pandemic, to reduce risk from all transmission routes and support infection resilience to COVID-19.

Question reference: S6W-23211

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are directly employed in the public sector to undertake peatland restoration work, broken down by public body employer.

The total number of FTE staff (rounded to the nearest whole number) employed in the public sector, within the Peatland Action programme, to undertake peatland restoration work – as of November 2023 – is as follows:

NatureScot – 56
Forestry and Land Scotland – 23
Cairngorms National Park Authority – 8
Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority – 5
Scottish Water – 3
Scottish Government – 4

Total – 9

Question reference: S6W-23115

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government (a) whether and (b) how it will consider any impact on food production and farming of any new national parks being created in Scotland.

Scotland’s National Parks support the communities living and working within them. They work with a wide range of local partners – including farmers, local businesses, third sector organisations, landowners and managers – to support a thriving local economy and maximise benefits for the environment, climate, economy and people. They can play a role in generating investment, creating new employment opportunities and bringing farmers, land managers and communities together.

Any nomination for a new National Park should be founded upon local community demand. We are asking groups to demonstrate evidence of local support and engagement with local communities and stakeholders in the development of their proposals.

To ensure the nomination and appraisal process for selecting a new National Park is open, fair and transparent, we consulted on an appraisal framework with broad criteria that will help us select the area or areas to be taken forward as a National Park proposal. In order to meet these criteria, nominating groups should demonstrate how designating their area as a National Park will help to meet the special needs of the area, including the social and economic needs. Groups also need to provide evidence of local community engagement and participation in the development of the proposal and they should provide details of support from local interest groups and communities. We have also asked groups to set out how their proposal will bring wider benefits to Scotland as a whole, for example by promoting nature-friendly farming and responsible investment in natural capital which will support the local economy.

Following the appraisal process, subject to at least one nomination being selected to proceed as a National Park proposal, we expect to appoint a reporter to undertake a more detailed investigation and report on the proposal. The reporter investigation will include extensive consultation and engagement with local communities, businesses, relevant local authorities and other interested parties – including those from the agricultural sector and farming and crofting community. The report and the outcome of these consultations will inform our final decision on Scotland’s next National Park.

In addition to these consultations, we are undertaking a range of impact assessments in order to assess the likely impacts of our policy to designate at least one new National Park by 2026. This will include a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Question reference: S6W-23067

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 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the suspension of home sharing and house swapping from the short-term lets licensing scheme.

On 27 October 2023 I wrote to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee about the scope of a 2024 update on implementation, which confirms that the purpose of the update is not to amend the types of licence i.e. home-sharing, home-letting and secondary let because it is important that safety standards apply to all visitor accommodation. I have had no discussions which commit to suspending either of these accommodation types from the scheme.

We have been responsive throughout our implementation of the short-term let licensing scheme. We consulted three times over three years and engaged extensively to develop the detail of the scheme, which was scrutinised by Parliament prior to its approval in January 2022. Since local schemes became operational in October 2022, thousands of short-term let hosts and operators have applied for home-sharing, home-letting and secondary let licences under this scheme.

A copy of the letter is available on the Scottish Parliament website at: https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/local-gov/correspondence/2023/shorttermlets27oct.pdf

Question reference: S6T-01678

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to protect local authorities from the risk of bankruptcy.

Question reference: S6T-01673

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the declaration by more than 20 countries from four continents at COP28 to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, recognising the key role of nuclear energy in reaching net zero, for what reason it is reportedly discounting nuclear power.

Question reference: S6F-02619

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to address the impacts of obesity and excess weight on the Scottish economy and NHS.

Question reference: S6F-02622

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-02615

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will outline any plans it has for freedom of information reform in the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6F-02609

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that its recent Crohn’s and colitis awareness campaign is reaching deprived and marginalised communities, in light of Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week this week.