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-13323

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12846 by Angus Robertson on 13 December 2022, whether it will release the number of (a) Gaelic and (b) Scots language speakers recorded in the 2022 Census early in order to inform its proposed Scottish Languages Bill.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) will release the 2022 census outputs in phases. NRS are currently consulting with data users on the outputs from Scotland's Census 2022, including plans for publishing census data. NRS are asking users to give their views on the order and sequencing of topics published.

The current working plan for the first release of Census 2022 data is to deliver rounded population estimates approximately one year from the end of the Census data collection period. Further phases of census data publications will then follow with the current intention being to release data on languages in the second phase.

Question reference: S6W-13186

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that adults are (a) recognised and (b) included in any changes made to implement The Promise to care experienced people and their families.

The Scottish Government is committed to keeping The Promise by 2030. It is recognised that the experience of growing up in care can impact you for all of your life. Providing the right support to people with care experience through our Whole Family Wellbeing approach and the range of work identified in the Promise Implementation Plan including trauma informed training, corporate parenting, education and employment.

The Implementation Plan sets out our commitment to ensure the voice of people with care experience is at the heart of the work we do to keep The Promise.

Question reference: S6W-13246

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the point at which the Deposit Return Scheme commences, what enforcement measures will be available to SEPA to ensure that all UK retailers outside Scotland include the cost of the 20p deposit on all scheme articles that are for sale online to customers in Scotland.

Where an offence has been committed the enforcement options remain the same for retailers based outside Scotland as they are for those in Scotland. These include:

provision of advice and guidance;
fixed monetary penalties (FMP);
variable monetary penalties (VMP);
report to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) recommending prosecution.

SEPA’s enforcement response would reflect the nature of the offence and be designed to be the most effective way of restoring compliance. SEPA holds a number of investigatory powers which will support evidence gathering across the UK.

Question reference: S6W-13185

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the expected timetable for its proposed The Promise Bill.

Question reference: S6T-01103

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by the Chief Inspector of the Constabulary that some Police Scotland officers lack empathy and show outdated attitudes in domestic abuse cases.

Question reference: S6T-01104

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by Prostate Cancer UK regarding reported figures showing that men in Scotland are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer too late for it to be successfully treated than in any other part of the UK.

Question reference: S6F-01736

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the report, Closing the Accountability Gap, published by National Autistic Society Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-01727

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government has made in clearing the reported backlog of people waiting for key diagnostic tests.

Question reference: S6F-01716

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government has taken to bring the strike action by teachers to an end.

Question reference: S6F-01719

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to encourage people to become foster carers, following reports that only 40 of 400 children referred to Barnardo’s fostering service in Glasgow and Edinburgh have been placed with families in the last year.