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-15422

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13436 by Shona Robison on 12 January 2023, what the membership of the Joint Working Group is.

The Joint Working Group membership includes the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party, and COSLA.

The core membership of the group is:

Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights
Minister for Social Security and Local Government
COSLA President – Cllr Shona Morrison
COSLA Vice-President – Cllr Steven Heddle
COSLA Resources Spokesperson – Cllr Katie Hagmann
Representative from Local Authority Directors of Finance
Representative from Institute of Revenue Rating and Valuation Representative

Question reference: S6W-15254

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for social security benefits have been on behalf of (a) couples and (b) individuals in each year since 2018.

Social Security Scotland routinely produces information at application level and not by household type, such as on behalf of couples or individuals.

Information relating to applications received for benefits is routinely published by Social Security Scotland as part of Official Statistics releases and includes both monthly and financial year breakdowns of data.

These statistics are available at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/about/statistics/social-security-scotland-statistics-publications .

Question reference: S6W-14921

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS boards to identify and deliver sustainable new uses for historic NHS-owned properties that are currently on the Buildings at Risk Register.

We are fully supportive of the need to properly maintain and invest in our existing estate. This is why we are committed to doubling our annual funding for maintenance over the capital spending review period. This means that we will invest around £1 billion in enhancing or refurbishing existing health facilities, and updating and modernising medical equipment that is essential for delivering high quality medical services. However, it is for NHS Boards locally, to determine how that resource will be invested and it is for them to decide how they will manage property on the Buildings at Risk Register.

The Scottish Government delivers support for the historic environment through sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland. This support allows Historic Environment Scotland to publish advice and guidance on its website which enables the owners of traditional and historic properties in Scotland to make informed choices about the options available to them.

Question reference: S6W-14962

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the SME Loan Scheme.

The Scottish Government has spent £292,985 (inc vat) on administering the SME Loan and Grant Scheme over the period 2019-20 – 2022-23 as set out in the following table. This scheme has provided significant financial support to SMEs in Scotland to decarbonise, improve their energy efficiency, cut energy bills and become more economically competitive over the Scheme’s lifespan.

2019-2020	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
£57,062 (inc vat)	£67,126 (inc vat)	£ 100,494 (inc vat)	£ 68,303 (inc vat)

Question reference: S6W-14892

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the current average distance is that patients have to travel to access a dentist in the NHS (a) Highland and (b) Western Isles area.

Question reference: S6W-14974

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

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns regarding the health and safety of workers and poor environmental management practices in connection with allegations that Scottish Power has used diesel generators to power 71 wind turbines after a fault developed.

The rules and regulations that govern the resilience of the GB electricity grid are a matter entirely reserved to the UK Government.

The Scottish Government has no responsibility in relation to the operational management of wind farm sites.

Scottish Power Renewables have told Scottish Government officials that their management systems are accredited to ISO standards and that they have established a working group to consider alternatives to diesel.

Question reference: S6W-14917

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14359 by Lorna Slater on 7 February 2023, which states that the "Deposit Return Scheme is an industry-led scheme, delivered by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd”, whether it is the case that industry can change the launch date of the scheme, and, if so, by what process.

Question reference: S6W-14968

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme.

The Scottish Government has spent £187,547 (£225,058 including VAT) on administering the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme over the period 2019 to 2023, as set out in the following table. This funding has helped to install various measures across private rented properties, including many types of insulation, double glazing and air source heat pumps.

Energy efficiency and zero direct emissions heating is a priority for the Scottish Government to tackle low energy performance, to help to make the heating bills of those living in those homes more affordable and to make the homes warmer and greener.

2019-2020

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

£0

£74,022 (ex VAT)

£88,827 (inc. VAT)

£58,450 (ex VAT)

£70,140 (inc. VAT)

£55,075 (ex VAT)

£66,091 (inc. VAT)

Question reference: S6W-14647

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is, regarding any implications for nurses working in Scotland, on whether the title of "nurse" should be protected in law.

Regulation of the nursing profession is reserved to the U.K. Parliament. Making the word “nurse” a protected title in law is problematic due to its historical use in a broader context than today’s graduate profession, as regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Such protection would require an amendment to the Nursing and Midwifery Order (2001). SG is working closely with DHSC on a programme to modernise regulation of healthcare professions and the protection of titles will be carefully considered within this agenda.

Question reference: S6W-14903

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 750 additional nurses, midwives and allied health professionals it plans to recruit from overseas, announced in October 2022, have been recruited to date, broken down by NHS board.