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: S6O-02548

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the procurement process for the upgrade of Ardrossan harbour.

Question reference: S6O-02546

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the winter flu and COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Question reference: S6W-21293

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the peak fares pilot.

The Scottish Government is able to confirm that the ScotRail Peak Fares Removal Pilot will operate between 2 October 2023 and 29 March 2024 in a move which will make rail travel more affordable and accessible over the pilot period and encourage modal shift from private car to rail.

This trial is an exciting and unique opportunity to encourage more people to choose a safe, reliable, and green form of public transport. We know that there is much to be done in encouraging people back to rail if we are to achieve our net zero targets.

The Scottish Government will consider carefully the impact of the pilot and the long-term sustainability of such a proposition before committing to any reinstatement of the pilot after 29 March 2024.

During the pilot, ScotRail will ensure that all fares and products set and controlled by it which are valid in the off peak are valid to travel all day.

Question reference: S6W-21286

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Parental Transition Fund.

As set out in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan: Progress Report 2022-23 , the Scottish Government has reviewed existing evidence and engaged with stakeholders in order to understand the challenges to be addressed through a Parental Transition Fund.

This has informed exploration of what support it is possible to deliver using powers available to the Scottish Government, however as a result of the devolved settlement and the Scottish Government’s powers, along with the interaction with reserved tax and benefits, it is not possible to deliver the Parental Transition Fund as originally envisaged.

The Scottish Government remain fully committed to delivering on the ambition of the Parental Transition Fund and to tackling the financial insecurity faced by families when parents and carers enter employment. Working together with partners, we will continue to take action to improve uptake of existing supports and to further strengthen the help available through devolved employability services. Through these actions we will leverage existing investment to tackle child poverty by supporting more parents and carers into sustainable fair work.

Question reference: S6W-21029

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the view expressed in responses to the consultation on its proposed Agriculture Bill that the proposed payment system could be complicated or unwieldy for some users, what measures it is taking to adapt the proposed four-tier payment system to take such views into account.

A consultation on the Bill’s proposals ran from 29 August 2022 to 5 December 22, where a wide range of views were received. On 22 June 2023, the Scottish Government published the Agriculture Bill - Analysis of Consultation Responses which details the findings of this extended engagement.

As is convention, following consultation on proposed legislation, Ministers are considering the views received to inform a new Agriculture Bill which will be introduced in 2023. In turn, Parliament will consider the proposals and provide further comment on draft proposals, accordingly.

Question reference: S6W-21030

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total level of attendance was at the workshops on its proposed Agriculture Bill that took place in 2022 on 5 October in Inverness, 6 October in Skye, 25 October in Inverurie, 1 November in Oban, 3 November in Melrose, 8 November in Stirling, 10 November in Dumfries, 14 November in Ayr, and 28 November in Orkney.

Question reference: S6W-20757

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the cost to NHS Scotland of treating diseases caused by smoking was in the last year for which figures are available.

Question reference: S6W-20845

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable housing supply programme units it approved in the period from 1 April to 31 August 2023.

Question reference: S6W-20791

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many contract inflation claims have been made by house builders and contractors for the construction of social housing in each of the last two years, and whether it will provide a list of the successful claims in that period.

Question reference: S6W-20844

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications from (a) registered social landlords and (b) local authorities have been (i) received and (ii) approved for the National Acquisition Plan since it was announced on 19 July 2023.

The following table shows the number of homes approved from applications received from (a) registered social landlords (b) local authorities since the National Acquisition Plan was announced on 19 July 2023. This information is to 24 August 2023:

National Acquisition Programme	Applications for nos. of homes received	No. of homes approved
Registered social landlord	3	3
Local authority	52	52
Total	55	55

It should also be noted that, in addition, applications were also received and approved prior to the announcement on the 19 July.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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