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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 48968 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-18173

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-17666 and S6W-17670 by Paul McLennan on 17 May 2023, whether it will provide a costing breakdown of the money that has been allocated so far in the current parliamentary session (a) in total and (b) as a proportion of the total money made available to the fund.

A total of (a) £18.181 million has been allocated from the (b) £30 million demand-led Rural and Islands Housing Fund for the current parliamentary term. The following table provides a breakdown of allocated funds between rural and island by local authority area.

Local Authority	Rural	Island
Argyll & Bute	0.000	4.196
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	0.000	0.813
Dumfries and Galloway	0.408	0.000
Highland	4.214	1.712
Moray	1.443	0.000
Orkney	0.000	0.961
North Ayrshire	0.000	1.512
Perth & Kinross	0.384	0.000
Scottish Borders	0.737	0.000
Stirling	0.586	0.000
West Lothian	1.215	0.000
Total	8.987	9.194
This table includes provisional programme management information for 2022-23 and 2023-24 and could be subject to change.

Question reference: S6W-18210

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it provided any support to local authorities, including technical assistance or funding, to introduce existing bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops, such as those in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Question reference: S6W-18171

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research’s updated report, published in April 2023, Infants Born into Care in Scotland, including the reported finding that around one in every 100 children born in Scotland enters care before their first birthday.

The Scottish Government is committed to Keeping the Promise and ensuring that families are supported to stay together when it is safe to do so. While we still have more work to do, it is positive progress that the recent Infant's Born into Care Report confirms that the proportion of children entering care before their first birthday in Scotland has fallen since 2018 - from 122 in every 10,000 to 91 in every 10,000 in 2021.

The Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach ensures that children and families can access support across maternity, health visiting, family nursing and social work services to help them thrive. Where it is deemed that a child requires statutory support for their care, the Local Authority becomes their Corporate Parent and are responsible for working with partners to ensure that the right services are in place to deliver a personalised plan to meet their needs.

Question reference: S6W-18211

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing a moratorium on the creation of bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops.

Question reference: S6W-17062

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on decisions to support business development with multinational companies in Scotland, what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government in relation to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) regarding the environmental impact of palm oil production.

As with the development of all new trade arrangements, the Scottish Government has sought to engage with the UK Government at Ministerial and official level throughout the negotiations for accession to the CPTPP to ensure that Scottish interests are identified and taken into account.

As part of this process the Scottish Government has raised the issue of increased palm oil production. In my recent letter to the UK Government Minister of State for International Trade, Nigel Huddleston MP, I reiterated our concerns and specifically asked to see the UK’s assessment of the impact of lowering tariffs through accession to CPTPP. I raised the matter again on 1 June when we last met.

Question reference: S6W-18326

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what targeted interventions it has planned to ensure that vulnerable or disadvantaged groups have access to reliable broadband services.

The Scottish Government has already undertaken work to ensure that vulnerable or disadvantaged groups have access to digital services.

Connecting Scotland aims to reduce digital exclusion by providing people with opportunities to access and utilise the internet effectively. The programme delivered internet enabled devices and connectivity, as well as providing training and support to individuals and communities who are digitally excluded. Over 61,000 devices have been issued since the programme launched in 2020.

Connecting Scotland continues to provide internet connectivity to current users, thereby ensuring that they have reliable access to internet services.

Question reference: S6W-18325

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a target date to achieve 100% gigabit-capable broadband coverage across the whole of Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not set a 100% gigabit-capable broadband coverage target for Scotland.

Given the reserved nature of telecoms legislation, the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme has set an 85% UK-wide coverage target to be met by 2025, and aims to achieve ‘nationwide’ coverage by 2030.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the UK Government on Project Gigabit activity in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-18406

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether producers who sell less than 5,000 articles in a year of all products and have already registered as a producer within the Deposit Return Scheme will be released from their producer agreement, and, if so, whether this will be automatic or by application.

Producers who will sell less than 5000 articles in a year of all product lines are eligible to be a listed producer. Listed producers must still be registered with SEPA, but these low-volume drinks will not attract a deposit.

SEPA and Circularity Scotland are working together to identify those who are already registered, eligible and wish to become a listed producer. Any producer in this category is encouraged to contact Circularity Scotland. These producers will not have to re-apply to SEPA, or provide additional information on their products for the first year of DRS.

Questions about the scheme administrator producer agreement should be directed to Circularity Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-18305

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report by Changeworks, which reportedly found that homes in the Highlands and Islands have lower Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings than the rest of Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to the similar question, S6O-02277, on 25 May 2023. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the Official Report can be viewed at Meeting of the Parliament: 25/05/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website

I reiterate my thanks to Changeworks for this important report.

The average energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of Highland and Island properties is lower than the national average rating because of the typically more expensive fuels that are used or available, how those are reflected in the current EPC metric, and the historically lower energy efficiency standards.

We propose that all housing in Scotland should meet the equivalent of EPC rating C by 2033, following reform of EPC metrics. We intend to consult on reformed EPCs shortly.

We offer support to improve the energy efficiency of rural homes, including a funding uplift to our Home Energy Scotland grant and loan scheme, and targeted fuel poverty support.

Question reference: S6W-18315

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many public buildings it has inspected since the start of 2021 to determine whether they were constructed with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), broken down by building type, and how many of these were confirmed to have been constructed with RAAC.