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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 40714 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-14674

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established referral guidelines for common symptoms of heart disease to support timely access to diagnostics.

Question reference: S6W-14651

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the SME Loan Scheme have been (a) received, (b) approved and (c) rejected in each year since 2020-21, also broken down by the (i) annual expenditure on the scheme and (ii) average size of (A) loan and (B) cashback awarded.

The Scottish Governments SME Loan and Cashback scheme has provided significant financial support to SMEs in Scotland to decarbonise, improve their energy efficiency, cut energy bills and become more economically competitive over the Scheme’s lifespan.

The tables below show the requested information between the relevant financial years. The data provided does not include applications yet to be decided or where further information has been requested from the applicant. The most common reasons for querying an application include incompleteness and missing supporting documents.

Information regarding financial year 2022/23 can be made available at the end of the current financial year.

Table A

Financial Year	Applications Received	Applications Approved	Applications Rejected
2021-22	461	320	126
2020-21	286	211	75

Table B

Financial Year	Value of loans paid	Value of grants paid
2021-22	£4,579,125	£1,838,233
2020-21	£3,954,576	£945,647

Table C

Financial Year	Average loan value	Average grant value
2021-22	£15,682	£6,963
2020-21	£20,384	£5,802

Question reference: S6W-14627

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that Biffa, the Deposit Return Scheme’s logistics partner, has not published a transitional plan for the transfer of waste collection services, and what discussions it has had with (a) Circularity Scotland, (b) SEPA and (c) Biffa regarding this.

In line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, and just like similar schemes around the world, Scotland’s DRS is being delivered and funded by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland (CSL). It is for CSL and Biffa to determine how best to communicate with affected businesses and whether or not there is a need to publish a transition plan.

If businesses have any concerns or questions regarding any aspect of Scotland’s DRS, they should contact CSL in the first instance.

Question reference: S6W-14623

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that the use of Circularity Scotland, a private company, as the managing entity for the Deposit Return Scheme, will result in less transparency and reduced parliamentary scrutiny of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-14533

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) length, (b) beam and (c) maximum operational draught will be of (i) Hull 802, currently under construction for CMAL and (ii) the two vessels that CMAL has ordered from the Cemre Marin Endustri yard to serve on the Uig to Lochmaddy and Uig to Tarbert ferry routes.

Question reference: S6W-14999

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason evidence generated throughout the year, in particular through prelims, will reportedly not be able to be used to support an appeal when a pupil underperforms on exam day.

Decisions relating to the operational delivery of the qualifications, including appeals, are a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

While alternative approaches were adopted in 2020, 2021 and 2022, these were temporary, emergency measures in response to the pandemic and the specific circumstances in each of those years.

SQA arrived at the appeals approach for 2023 based on an extensive evaluation of the 2022 arrangements and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including parents and learners.

Alternative evidence will be considered if a learner is unable to attend their exam, for example through illness or bereavement or whose performance in the examination may have been affected by personal circumstances, through the Exam Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service.

Question reference: S6W-14629

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that businesses seeking detailed information about how to comply with the Deposit Return Scheme consider that engagement activity by Circularity Scotland is insufficient, with requests for clarification reportedly going unanswered.

Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) has set up a dedicated support team which is accessible via a helpline to assist with inquiries from businesses to help them prepare for the launch of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

Furthermore, in February CSL hosted a series of information events around the country so that businesses could learn more, and ask questions about their DRS obligations.

I recommend that producers contact Circularity Scotland, either by way of this dedicated telephone help line, or via their website to remain up to date with the latest information regarding DRS.

Question reference: S6W-14767

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing with Social Security Scotland to develop contingency measures for the redeployment of any staff who face redundancy following the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) closure of the Radnor House site in Clydebank.

Question reference: S6W-14773

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of children living in temporary accommodation has risen by 31% in three years to 9,130.

The number of households, and particularly those with children, in temporary accommodation in some local authorities is unacceptably high. I have written to the Housing Conveners of the councils with temporary accommodation increases, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss how we can work together on potential solutions. The first meeting will take place later this week.

I have also asked an expert group, chaired by Shelter Scotland and ALACHO, for an action plan to reduce the numbers of people in temporary accommodation, with a strong focus on households with children. The group’s final report will be published at the end of March and will inform our approach to working with our local government and third sector partners to reduce the use of temporary accommodation.

Our strong homelessness legislation means that homeless households, including those with children, have a right to temporary accommodation. The majority of households in temporary accommodation are living in council or housing association homes.

Question reference: S6W-14802

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to expand the membership of Scottish Rail Holdings to include representatives of (a) Unite the Union, (b) the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, (c) the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and (d) the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, which represent ScotRail workers.