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: S6F-02029

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-15994

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of SEPA's position statement that it “will not take enforcement action against any retailer who does not offer a takeback service to consumers in Scotland in relation to online or distance retail sales of scheme articles", whether it can provide any assurance to retailers that, should they breach the requirement under the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 to provide a takeback service, they will not face enforcement action in the future; whether the Law Officers were consulted by SEPA on this matter, and what discussions it has had with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service regarding any potential impact of this development on its approach to pursuing prosecutions in respect of this matter.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is a separately constituted statutory body, independent from the Scottish Ministers, that has primary regulatory responsibility for protecting and improving the environment. Scottish Ministers are not responsible for SEPA’s operational matters, including the exercise of its enforcement functions. It is up to SEPA to consider its enforcement position in relation to this matter.

As a non-Police specialist reporting agency, SEPA has the option to submit reports to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). Both SEPA and COPFS are clear that such enforcement action is a last resort, used for the most significant offending. SEPA is an independent regulatory agency and is not required to consult with COPFS or others when taking regulatory positions. This includes the published position concerning online takeback for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) which provides reassurance to retailers that no enforcement action will be taken by SEPA with respect to DRS takeback obligations whilst this aspect of the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 is under review.

Question reference: S6W-16204

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31530 by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 September 2020, whether it will provide an updated table of capacity figures to 2023, with projections to 2030.

The following table shows permitted incineration capacity figures held by SEPA to 2023.

The first report of the independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland’s waste hierarchy, made assumptions about capacity beyond 2023, although in doing so, noted that it is unlikely that all facilities in the pipeline (i.e. those not build and at various stages of planning and permitting) will be built. The first report from the independent review is available here: Stop, Sort, Burn, Bury (www.gov.scot)

Year	Total operational waste incineration operational capacity (million tonnes)	Operational biomass incineration capacity (million tonnes)	Operational municipal waste incineration capacity (million tonnes)	Permitted municipal waste incineration capacity (million tonnes)
2007	1.1	0.9	0.2	0.2
2008	1.1	0.9	0.2	0.2
2009	1.1	0.9	0.2	0.2
2010	1.1	0.9	0.2	0.2
2011	1.1	0.9	0.2	0.5
2012	1.6	1.4	0.2	0.5
2013	1.6	1.4	0.2	0.5
2014	1.6	1.4	0.2	0.6
2015	1.6	1.4	0.2	0.5
2016	1.6	1.4	0.2	0.7
2017	1.6	1.4	0.2	0.7
2018	1.6	1.4	0.2	0.9
2019	2.4	1.4	1	1.3
2020	2.4	1.4	1	1.5
2021	2.5	1.4	1.1	2.1
2022	2.5	1.4	1.1	2.2
2023	2.9	1.4	1.5	2.2

Question reference: S6W-17076

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the cost of living crisis on the Edinburgh festivals in 2023.

The Scottish Government recognises the profound impact the current cost crisis is having across Scotland.

While we have had to make difficult choices to live within budgets, we have also listened to the concerns raised by the wider culture sector across Scotland and the specific challenges Edinburgh festivals continue to face.

As referred to in the answer to question S6W-11081 on 29 September 2022, the Scottish Government will remain in an honest and open dialogue with the festivals organisers in an ongoing assessment of their individual situations to establish how best to assess the impact of issues impacting festivals, offer appropriate support where possible and use what levers we can to mitigate the various issues related to rising costs, while ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable in our society.

As well as our support to the culture sector and Edinburgh festivals during previous years, the Scottish Government have confirmed that fourteen major festivals in Edinburgh and Glasgow will receive a share of this year’s £1.8 million EXPO Fund.

Since the fund was established by the Scottish Government in 2007, the EXPO fund’s aim remains to build innovation across the Edinburgh festivals, support domestic performances and maximise national and international opportunities for the artists contributing to the festivals to find new audiences further afield.

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-17077

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Culture and Major Events Directorate has had with (a) ScotRail and (b) Transport Scotland, regarding planning for rail services during the Edinburgh festivals in 2023.

There have been no recent discussions between the Scottish Government Culture and Major Events Directorate (a) ScotRail and (b) Transport Scotland.

However Culture and Major Event Officials, along with relevant transport stakeholders, routinely take part in the multi-agency Events Planning and Operations Group (EPOG) dealing with Summer Events. EPOG is run by the City of Edinburgh Council as the lead planning authority in respect of Summer Events within Edinburgh, such as Edinburgh Festivals.

Outwith Edinburgh, Transport Scotland continue to discuss planning arrangement for major events with transport deliver partners and key stakeholders through quarterly Major Events Planning meetings in addition to regular event specific meetings.

In addition, ScotRail is required under the terms of its grant agreement to use all reasonable endeavours to provide for reallocation of Passenger Carrying Capacity to serve Special Events.

Question reference: S6W-16634

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the topic of Scottish independence was discussed in the meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic on 30 August 2022.

The Deputy Minister and I had a constructive meeting at the Bled Strategic Forum in August last year during which we discussed the priorities for Czechia’s EU Council presidency.

The subject of Scottish independence was not an agenda item in discussions. However, Scottish ministers will always be polite enough during international meetings to answer any questions put to them about the Scottish Government's stated policies, including a legal, constitutionally sound referendum, as set out in our Programme for Government.

Question reference: S6W-16590

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet and engage with the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) in light of possible strike action by its members, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government on this matter.

We regularly discuss matters relating to the operations of the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) with the NLB and the UK Government and have discussed the issue of potential industrial action by NLB employees with both the NLB and UK Government counterparts. As an Arm’s Length Body of the UK Department for Transport, the NLB is responsible for the detailed negotiation of their annual pay remit, and is subject to the pay setting arrangements outlined in the UK Civil Service Pay Guidance.

Question reference: S6W-16369

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many items of contraband have been detected by the Scottish Prison Service, to date, through the photocopying of prisoners' mail.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. After clarifying the specifics of the question with the member, her response is as follows:

How many items of contraband have been detected by the photocopying of mail?
Photocopying of mail does not detect contraband. The process for establishments that have this in place is that original mail items are photocopied and the prisoner is given the copy with the option to destroy the original or have this placed in their property for issue upon release. If during the opening of correspondence an item is suspected to be suspicious then this is sent to security for testing on the rapiscan machine.
How many items of contraband have been detected by the rapiscan machine since the introduction of this policy?
Since the introduction of the photocopying of prisoners correspondence 2,677 items have tested positive on the rapiscan machine.

Question reference: S6W-16417

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what costs have been associated with the transfer of the use of Bute House from the former First Minister to the new one.

Question reference: S6W-16373

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with the British Medical Association (BMA) regarding any potential strike action by junior doctors in Scotland.

On 8 December 2022, the BMA Scottish Junior Doctor Committee (SJDC) officially announced their intention to ballot for industrial action. Since this date, the Scottish Government has exchanged correspondence with the BMA on the following dates:

• 12 and 15 December 2022

• 26 January 2023

• 9, 21 and 24 February 2023

• 16 and 17 March 2023

• 5 April 2023

Prior to the BMA SJDC officially confirming their intention to ballot for industrial action, the Scottish Government corresponded with the BMA SJDC on the subject of Junior Doctors pay on:

• 7 October 2022

• 11 and 30 November 2022

• 1 and 7 December 2022

I met with BMA on 11 April 2023 to discuss their concerns around pay and then again on 20 April when we entered into negotiations with Junior Doctors to secure a pay award for 2023-24.