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-17046

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its public consultation on Highly Protected Marine Areas, what external organisations it met in advance of the consultation launch, and on what date each meeting took place.

During this initial phase of policy development on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), in 2022, the Scottish Government met with a range of stakeholders including -

British Trout Association (BTA) – 17 March
Coastal Communities Network (CCN) – 22 March
Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) - 23 November
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) – 24 March
Crown Estate Scotland (CES)–28 March
Oceana – 13 May
Royal Yachting Association (RYA) – 5 May
Salmon Scotland – 17 March and 6 April
Scottish Environment LINK–18 March, 14 July and 2 December
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) – 8 March
Scottish Renewables – 13 May
Scottish Sea Farms Ltd–23 May
Scottish Seaweed Industry Association (SSIA) – 25 April

Please also refer to the answer under S6W-16733 on 15 May 2023 for a list of meetings with the fishing industry where HPMAs were discussed. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-17065

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the £25 million investment from the Just Transition Fund for the north east, which was announced on 4 April 2023, including which organisations will receive the funding, when the funding be delivered and what criteria will be used to determine who receives the funding.

The £25 million funding will be allocated to the Scottish National Investment Bank for 2023-24 to invest in line with the Bank’s Investment Strategy, and in support of a Just Transition to net zero in the region. The funding will be invested by the Bank on a commercial basis, to leverage further private investment towards accelerating a just energy transition across the North East and Moray.

The Bank has a proven track record having committed £415.1 million across 27 investments, alongside over £680 million of third party capital since 2020. Utilising the Bank’s commercial investment expertise and experience represents a key opportunity to unlock third party finance at the scale required to realise our ambition for a just transition in the region.

Question reference: S6W-17047

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with (a) Western Isles, (b) Highland, (c) Argyll and Bute, (d) Orkney Islands and (e) Shetland Islands Council in relation to Scottish Highly Protected Marine Areas.

During this initial phase of policy development the Scottish Government met with representatives of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on 17 February 2023, representatives of Highland Council on 20 February 2023, and representatives of Orkney Islands Council on 17 February, 22 February and 4 April 2023.

Further direct engagement will take place during the site selection process, as specific site proposals are being developed, to ensure views can be taken into account regarding any proposed sites in each council area.

Question reference: S6W-17035

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it anticipates publishing its response to the results of the Scottish Highly Protected Marine Areas public consultation, after it closes on 17 April 2023.

The Scottish Government’s initial consultation on our proposed overall approach to Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) closed on 17 April and we have received thousands of responses which we want to ensure are given due consideration. We have now begun collating and analysing the responses we have received and will be carefully considering this feedback before setting out our next steps in due course.

Question reference: S6W-17020

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many prescriptions of morphine have been issued to chronic pain patients in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-17019

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many prescriptions of morphine have been issued in each year since 1999.

The requested information is shown in the following table:

Table 1: Total number of paid items for morphine from calendar year 1999 to 2022.

Calendar Year	Number of Paid Items
1999	106,130
2000	111,796
2001	118,210
2002	125,369
2003	130,563
2004	138,484
2005	155,096
2006	173,380
2007	196,443
2008	220,980
2009	244,691
2010	271,626
2011	306,229
2012	352,633
2013	391,407
2014	430,913
2015	465,241
2016	493,017
2017	513,624
2018	523,638
2019	539,061
2020	557,589
2021	555,208
2022	562,415

Source: Public Health Scotland

Data Notes:

1. Data taken from the Prescribing Information System (PIS), which holds information on all prescriptions prescribed in Scotland and dispensed in the community.

2. A paid item is a prescription that has been dispensed and reimbursed.

3. Excludes items dispensed in Scotland but prescribed in England/Wales/Northern Ireland.

Question reference: S6W-17930

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-17552

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that community eyecare services are being accessed fairly by those who rely on domiciliary visits and those who live in remote and rural locations.

As set out in the answer to S6W-17550 on 12 May 2023, officials are in the process of providing advice to Scottish Ministers on community eyecare services work, including the unique challenges of providing these services in remote and rural areas and domiciliary settings.

In addition, as part of the continuous review of service provision, the Scottish Government recently worked with stakeholders to undertake a separate report into supporting the sustainability of community eyecare services in remote and rural areas.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-16522

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its response to Freedom of Information request FOI/ 202200321870, what its response was to the recommendation contained in the Gateway Review documents that a “portfolio approach” to cladding remediation is required.

Question reference: S6W-17602

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on course to meet any targets for (a) collective bargaining coverage and (b) trade union membership in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has made a clear commitment to promote collective bargaining through the inclusion of an employee voice indicator, measured by collective bargaining coverage, within the National Performance Framework.

Our National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) and our refreshed Fair Work Action Plan include actions to support to trade unions and the promotion of collective bargaining. In line with commitments in the Bute House Agreement, we are now strengthening our approach to conditionality. From 1 July 2023, all public sector grants will include a requirement to pay at least the Real Living Wage to all employees, and provide appropriate channels for effective voice. We published updated Fair Work First guidance on 24 March to support the adoption of this new requirement.

It is our belief that a progressive approach to industrial relations and to trade unionism is at the very heart of a fairer, more successful society. There is clear evidence that unionised workplaces have more engaged staff, have a higher level of staff training and a progressive approach to staff wellbeing.

Accordingly, we will continue to promote trade union recognition and collective bargaining, at both local and sectoral levels, across the economy to achieve improved conditions and enhance effective voice. Work is progressing in the social care sector to increase bargaining coverage and efforts are also ongoing in other traditionally low paid or precarious sectors to advance fair work and effective voice for workers.