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-17634

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with Hourglass regarding the hosting of a Safer Ageing forum at the Scottish Parliament later in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17700

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on reimbursement for the cost of medical equipment in people’s homes (a) in total and (b) in each year, since 1999, also broken down by NHS board area.

Question reference: S6W-17646

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with taxi driver union representatives in Dundee to discuss grants and funding for the purchasing of electric vehicles, in order to help them meet their obligations in relation to the new Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the city.

The Scottish Government has not held specific discussions with taxi driver union representatives in Dundee to discuss loan funding for the purchase of electric vehicles in relation to compliance with the Low Emission Zone.

The Scottish Government provide annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, which delivers a range of schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers, including the Switched-on Taxi loan.

EST on behalf of Scottish Ministers has engaged directly with taxi owners and operators. This includes providing impartial and independent advice including information on the Switched-on Taxi loan, and vehicle reports comparing running costs of petrol/diesel taxis with Ultra Low Emission Vehicles. Last year EST ran several taxi forums bringing together taxi owners/operators and licensing authorities to discuss best practice approaches to decarbonisation across the industry.

Question reference: S6W-17644

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17345 by Kevin Stewart on 25 April 2023, in relation to the public local inquiry into the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout, what timescale the independent reporter is working to, and when it expects that the reporter's recommendations to the Scottish Ministers for a decision will be made.

Question reference: S6W-17744

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Brain Tumour Charity report, Brain Tumours: Fighting for a Faster Diagnosis, whether a National Optimal Cancer Diagnostic Pathway is being developed for brain tumours.

The Scottish Government has worked collaboratively with partners, patients and third sector organisations in recent months to develop a ten year cancer strategy for Scotland.

Due to publish Spring 2023, the strategy will take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care. It aims to improve cancer survival and provide excellent, equitably accessible, care across Scotland, including those affected by brain cancer.

A new earlier diagnosis vision will feature within the strategy and will include similar actions to those outlined in The Brain Tumour Charity’s report. This includes continuing to deliver our Detect Cancer Earlier Programme, working with primary care clinicians to ensure they have direct access to diagnostic tests and quality education sources; optimal cancer diagnostic pathways are designed and implemented across NHS Scotland; and public campaigns educate and empower those with possible symptoms to act early.

Question reference: S6O-02227

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last spoke with COSLA regarding what action local authorities are taking to improve bus service provision.

The Scottish Government is committed, in conjunction with bus operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of improving services to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport. We have increased the tools available to local authorities to revitalise bus networks, through Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, in addition to their existing powers to subsidise services that are not provided on a commercial basis. Transport Scotland discuss bus matters with COSLA on a monthly basis at regular bus stakeholder meetings. In addition, COSLA are members of the Bus Taskforce.

Question reference: S6W-16987

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Transport will meet with communities in Shetland to discuss their transport needs.

Question reference: S6W-16986

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Transport will meet with communities in Orkney to discuss their transport needs.

Collaboration and engagement is a cornerstone of all transport activity and there is community engagement at all levels of transport decision making. My predecessors and I, and Transport Scotland officials, have engaged with communities in developing and implementing strategies and on specific projects such as the Islands Connectivity Plan and Project Neptune, and will, of course, continue to do so in the future.

The previous Minister for Transport and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands met with the Islands Strategic Group (ISG) on 9 March 2023. The ISG was established in 2016 to consider issues affecting our inhabited island communities, and to ensure greater involvement of the relevant councils in helping identify and design solutions to the unique needs and challenges we know these communities face. The next ISG, which includes the Islands Transport Forum, that I chair, is scheduled to meet next month.

In addition, in May I met with the leader of Orkney Islands Council, Councillor James Stockan, following the grounding of the MV Pentalina. In our discussion, I informed Councillor Stockan that I, and the Government, will continue to monitor the situation. Following discussions, I am pleased to confirm that NorthLink will be increasing sailings across the Pentland Firth to 4 sailings initially for three nights a week, with a review to assess on-going demand as we move further into the summer season.

Furthermore, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands launched the Young Islanders Network (YIN) on Orkney on the 31 August 2022 on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing children and young people with a platform to support meaningful contributions to National Islands Plan (NIP) delivery and to their current and future life on islands.

YIN members are empowered to set their own agenda – based on how they want to address the local and national priorities that matter to them the most.

Question reference: S6O-02254

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Head of Housing Services at Fife Council and what was discussed.

Question reference: S6O-02256

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to abolish NHS dental charges by the end of the current parliamentary session.