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-15846

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on the number of jobs that have been supported by the cultural sector in each of the last five years, and what projections it has made of future employment growth in this area.

Information regarding employment in the creative industries is publicly available on the Scottish Government’s website and can be found at Growth Sector Statistics Database . The relevant data is included in Table 2.5.

The employment data in the Growth Sector Statistics Database does not provide coverage of businesses and self-employed workers operating under the VAT threshold, which are of particular significance to creative and cultural employment, given that many work freelance or in small businesses. As part of ongoing work to develop our approach to measuring the size and performance of the sector within the National Performance Framework, we are currently undertaking work to improve our estimates of employment in the sector to include additional cultural, heritage and creative activities and to allow for better coverage of freelancers.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on future employment growth in this area.

Question reference: S6W-15566

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any additional costs that could be incurred by the hospice sector as a result of the recent NHS Pension Scheme review.

The costs of the NHS Pension Scheme (Scotland) for employers are determined by the quadrennial scheme valuation. The latest valuation, the 2020 valuation, is currently in progress and will determine the new employer contribution rate effective from 1 April 2024. There are many variables which can impact the final result of the valuation, not least the SCAPE discount rate which is still to be confirmed by HM Treasury, therefore it is too early to predict the impact on employer costs at the present time.

Question reference: S6W-15626

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Royal Mail Group and what was discussed.

The Scottish Government last met with the Royal Mail Group on 13 March 2023.

The purpose of that meeting was to seek assurance that the on-going industrial action, and Royal Mail’s plans for reform, would not have an unfair impact on those living in Scotland’s communities, especially the more remote and rural ones.

We are broadly supportive of the workforce action because of the threat of reform to the Universal Service Obligation.

Question reference: S6W-15396

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help pharmacies obtain stock of Synarel, in light of reports that supplies of the medication will be unavailable until May 2023.

Question reference: S6W-15395

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with Boots, in light of reports that the pharmacy's wholesale arm will not transact with the manufacturer, Allium, which has left some patients in Scotland with endometriosis without a supply of medication.

Question reference: S6W-15116

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish a national pothole fund to give local authorities access to additional resources to fix roads.

The vast majority of funding to local authorities from the Scottish Government is provided via a block grant and we do not stipulate how local authorities should utilise their individual allocations.

It is the responsibility of each local authority to manage their own budget and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities. The Scottish Government has no plans to establish a national pothole fund.

The overall funding package for local authorities of almost £12.7bn for 2022/23 represents a rise of £1.06bn or 9.2% in cash terms, or 6.3% in real terms compared with 2021/22.

Question reference: S6W-15098

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details, including copies of any correspondence, regarding any concerns and objections received in connection with the potential impact on competition in the collection services market arising from the Deposit Return Scheme.

In 2018, the Scottish Government undertook a public consultation to explore options for establishing a deposit return scheme in Scotland, to which 16 recycling and waste management organisations submitted representations. An analysis of these consultation responses is available on the Scottish Government website here . The Scottish Government receives and responds to ongoing correspondence from stakeholders regarding DRS and is happy to consider any request for further information, in line with its obligations under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

Question reference: S6W-15399

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regarding any endometriosis medication supply issues, and what remedies it will offer to patients until any supply issues are resolved.

Question reference: S6W-15397

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any supply chain issues with endometriosis medication, such as Synarel.

Question reference: S6W-15093

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any subsidy control matters have been considered in respect of the appointment of Circularity Scotland and its supply chain.

As set out in Section 14 and Section 15 of The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020, submitted applications with regards to the appointment of scheme administrators are reviewed and decisions made by Scottish Ministers. The Regulations do not provide for public funding or financial support for appointed scheme administrators. This is entirely appropriate for a scheme that has industry responsibility at its heart. As such, subsidy control matters are not relevant in the appointment of a scheme administrator.