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 46894 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-16455

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to work with local authorities to develop an interlinked strategy for tackling any problems facing Scotland’s town centres, in light of the recent Economy and Fair Work Committee’s Inquiry into Retail and Town Centres in Scotland.

The Scottish Government welcomed the report of the Economy and Fair Work Committee and agrees with the recommendations to focus on coordination, partnership working and long term funding.

The Scottish Government is working with COSLA, local government and partners including Scotland’s Towns Partnership to deliver our joint Town Centre Action Plan (TCAP) to support transformation of our town centres and promote our Town Centres First approach. TCAP sets out a range of cross sectoral and cross policy actions under the priority themes of better planning, taxation, town centre living, enterprising communities, climate action, digital skills and support, funding and demonstrator towns.

We recently established with COSLA the Town Centre Action Plan Forum to bring together expertise from local government and public, private and third sector partners to help progress key actions.

Question reference: S6W-16222

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an estimate of the number of spaces currently available for bike storage (a) within and (b) immediately outside of its buildings, such as bike racks and bike-specific structures.

The following buildings have dedicated cycle parking spaces:-

Building	No of Cycle Parking Spaces
4 Atlantic Quay, Glasgow	10
5 Atlantic Quay, Glasgow	41
Bothwell House, Hamilton	4
The Courtyard, Callendar Business Park, Falkirk	5
Cameron House, Oban	4
Denholm House, Livingston	4
Endeavour House, Dundee	12
Freshwater Laboratory, Faskally	12
Governor’s House, Edinburgh	10
Hamilton House, Hamilton Business Park	6
Inchbraoch House, Montrose	4
Longman House, Inverness	18
Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen	56
Russell House, Ayr	4
SASA, Roddinglaw, Edinburgh	16
Saughton House, Edinburgh	74
St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh	128
Scotland House, London	6
Strathbeg House, Thurso	6
Strathearn House, Perth	26
Tankerness Lane, Kirkwall	6
Thainstone Court, Inverurie	6
Tweedbank, Galashiels	10
Victoria Quay, Edinburgh	392

Question reference: S6W-16387

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022 should be (a) repealed and (b) replaced with new legislation.

The Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022 was passed in June 2022. As part of learning lessons from the Covid pandemic, the Act updates the statute book to permanently embed reforms in Scotland’s public services. Although these were originally necessitated by the pandemic, they have delivered improvements for service users and improved efficiency. The Act also ensures that Scottish Ministers are able to respond swiftly and appropriately to future public health threats, by making permanent those powers that played a particularly significant role in managing the response to the Covid pandemic.

The Act also includes a Schedule of temporary justice measures, which are due to expire on 30 November 2023 and can only be extended if the Parliament agrees. Under the terms of the Act, Ministers must review the operation of each temporary measure before it expires, to inform a decision on whether it should be extended for a further year. If seeking any extension, Ministers must lay regulations to amend the expiry date, alongside a statement setting out the findings of the review, allowing for full parliamentary scrutiny.

There are no plans to repeal The Act itself The Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022 is not emergency legislation, it has been through the full Bill process, and thorough pre-legislative scrutiny. There is no statutory requirement for the permanent provisions in the 2022 Act to be reviewed.

Question reference: S6W-16469

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Athron Hill Development Company Limited since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Question reference: S6W-16391

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will cooperate with the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry.

Question reference: S6W-16285

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce compulsory sale orders for long-term unoccupied properties.

Tackling empty homes is a priority. Local authorities already have broad compulsory purchase powers, which are being used to tackle empty homes and, where possible, return them to use as warm, safe and secure housing.

We are taking forward work to modernise the compulsory purchase process to make it clearer, fairer and faster. Any new powers would need to be compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights and careful consideration given to the compatibility with existing powers. This includes proposals for Compulsory Sales Orders.

Question reference: S6W-16471

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Regular informal meetings were held with Places for People Developments and officials in More Homes Division during that period to discuss progress on the Affordable Housing Supply Programme projects they were delivering.

In addition, officials in More Homes Division regularly engage with the New Avenue Living Fund Manager for Places for People Capital. Performance Review meetings were held on 9 December 2021 and 7 February 2023 to discuss the delivery of over 1,000 homes for mid-market rent.

And on 20 September 2022, the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights met with Places for People on the topic of Heat in Buildings.

Question reference: S6W-16319

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies currently exist for any Scotland representation on UK-level bodies and organisations.

Question reference: S6W-16318

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which UK-level bodies and organisations it currently has representation on, and how any such appointments are made.

Question reference: S6W-16463

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the costs associated with raising the rateable value threshold at which properties qualify for the Fresh Start relief from £95,000 to £100,000.