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-17358

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to encourage a nationwide implementation of electronic prescriptions across all NHS boards.

The Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways (DPDP) programme aims to revolutionise Scotland’s prescribing and dispensing process by ultimately replacing the paper prescription, initially by developing an end-to-end digital solution for in-hours prescribing from General Practice right through to community pharmacy dispensing and improve patient experience for the general public. The DPDP programme will be rolled out to all NHS Boards.

Question reference: S6W-17418

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in 2022, how many disclosures to Police Scotland were made by individuals with a firearm or shotgun certificate regarding the mental health, or other relevant illness, of the licence holder or a family member that might affect their suitability to own a firearm, and in how many cases the firearms were removed from their possession as a result.

Question reference: S6W-17419

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last assessed any economic contribution that university spin-outs have made to the economy.

Question reference: S6W-17209

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported shortage of social workers, including any specific shortage of criminal justice social workers who, according to Social Work Scotland, have on average one of the highest caseloads.

We are aware that there are ongoing challenges around staff recruitment and retention in the social work sector. These issues have been exacerbated by the effects of COVID-19, which has had a significant impact on capacity over the last few years.

The Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities for both children and families, and adult social work through the general local government financial settlement. Local authorities should determine how much resource is given to supporting the delivery of social work and social care services, plan their workforce and ensure appropriate levels of staff are in place to provide social services for their residents.

Funding for justice social work services, including community sentences, bail services, diversion from prosecution, and other community interventions, is provided by the Scottish Government through an annual ring-fenced grant to local authorities. Local authorities have considerable autonomy to direct this funding to meet local priorities. The Scottish Government has continued to protect the community justice budget, and in 2023-24 we will invest a total of £134m in community justice services. This includes £123m to local authority justice social work services.

Question reference: S6W-17440

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any incidents of a banned dog breed causing harm to an individual in Scotland since 2013, and, if so, how many such incidents have occurred.

Question reference: S6W-17456

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that (a) libraries remain open and (b) no librarian jobs are lost.

Scottish Government officials work closely with the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), which provides leadership and advice to Scottish Ministers, local authorities, and the wider libraries sector.

In 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23, we provided funding of £665,000 to SLIC as recognition of the importance of our public libraries, and as an expression of our support for the excellent services they provide. This is on top of the Scottish Government’s general revenue funding to local authorities and includes the Public Library Improvement Fund that supports creative, sustainable and innovative public library projects throughout Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-17465

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding the redevelopment of the Institute of Neurological Sciences in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-16465

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is, regarding any impact on Scotland, on the UK Government’s proposal to restrict the sale of nitrous oxide.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is reserved legislation so any changes made to the classification of substances (such as nitrous oxide) will affect the whole of the UK. We await the outcome of the UK Government’s consultation into the exemptions which will apply for the legitimate uses of nitrous oxide in medical, industry and food production sectors.

Upon the implementation of the classification of nitrous oxide as a Class C drug, Police Scotland will work with colleagues in UK policing to make sure the law is applied in the same way across the UK.

Question reference: S6W-16888

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to enhance the financial support available to (a) individual developers and (b) community groups for Rural and Islands Housing Fund projects, in the event that the introduction of a Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard adds additional costs to construction in rural and island areas.

Question reference: S6W-16937

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take regarding regulating the sale of disposable vape cartridges.

The Scottish Government is considering the health and environmental impacts of disposable vape cartridges. Zero Waste Scotland is undertaking an urgent review into the environmental impacts of disposable vapes and we expect the review report to be received in May. We have also recently published our consultation analysis on proposed restrictions on vaping products and are considering next steps. The findings from the consultation are being used to inform the refreshed Tobacco Action Plan, which is due to be published in 2023.