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-02396

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place to support new entrants into agriculture.

Question reference: S6O-02404

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards in the Highlands and Islands region regarding whether there has been any impact on the delivery of their services as a result of recent ferry cancellations.

Question reference: S6O-02413

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support is being provided to Social Security Scotland, in light of the continued transfer of cases from the Department of Work and Pensions and increase in applications.

Question reference: S6O-02403

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the future of community link practitioners working with GP practices, in particular in more deprived areas.

Question reference: S6O-02399

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to reform crofting law.

Question reference: S6O-02402

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support grassroots sport in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-18426

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is still its position, as set out by the former Deputy First Minister in his letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 31 January 2023, that it "agrees with the goal of promoting long term alignment of [deposit return] schemes" across the UK.

The Scottish Government has always been clear that we will work closely with the UK and devolved Governments to maximise interoperability of the schemes, while acknowledging that waste and recycling policy is fully devolved.

In order to do this, the UK Government must provide clarity on its own deposit return scheme by introducing regulations for its scheme as soon as possible.

I wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Defra’s Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience on 6 June setting out that I was keen to work collaboratively with other administrations across the UK to push forward work on issues around interoperability, while ensuring that the wishes and competence of the Scottish Parliament are respected.

Question reference: S6W-17874

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns by the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland regarding barriers to gaining bathing water status at Scotland’s rivers, lochs and beaches due to newly introduced requirements, including the need to gain the consent of landowners and local authorities, hold a local consultation and submit aerial photography or drone footage of the site, which may make it difficult to obtain the protections that come with official designation.

Under the Bathing Water (Scotland) Regulations 2008, Scottish Ministers designate bathing waters where they expect a large number of people to bathe, having regard to past trends and infrastructure and facilities provided, or other measures taken to promote bathing. Scottish Ministers have historically asked for information on past usage trends (user surveys and photographs), evidence of relevant infrastructure and facilities and evidence of support from local authorities and land owners in order to consider whether a large number of bathers is expected at a surface water area. Recent proposals have also been voluntarily accompanied by local consultations as an indication of local support.

SEPA’s bathing water guidance has recently been updated to require landowner and local authority letters of support, evidence of local consultation and either aerial or drone footage to be provided alongside a bathing water application. This formalises the process which has been routinely followed by groups submitting proposals, and provides further clarity on the information needed to support Scottish Minister’s decisions under the Regulations.

Question reference: S6W-18432

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-01392 by Lorna Slater on 23 May 2023, whether it will list the membership of the high-level ministerial strategic group for the delivery of the scheme.

The membership of the Ministerial Strategic Assurance Group has representation from the following

Circularity Scotland Limited

SEPA

Zero Waste Scotland

Scottish Hospitality Group

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association

The British Beer and Pub Association

SIBA

British Soft Drinks Association

Scottish Wholesale Association

UK Hospitality

Scottish Retail Consortium

Scottish Grocers’ Federation

COSLA

Scotch Whisky Association

These groups had representatives from the organisations themselves and also some members of the organisations also attended.

I am joined by senior SG Officials from the Deposit Return Scheme Division.

Question reference: S6W-18429

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet last discussed the Deposit Return Scheme.

The Cabinet has received regular updates on the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and last discussed it on 6 June 2023. Cabinet was briefed on the latest position regarding letters exchanged with the UK Government on the Internal Market Act, in particular the UK Government’s refusal to provide a full exclusion despite detailed engagement over almost two years and the evidence that says the biggest benefits, economically, financially and environmentally, are from including glass.