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: S6O-01729

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported warnings from COSLA that local government job losses are "inevitable" and that services will have to be reduced.

Question reference: S6O-01724

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Child Poverty Action Group report, The Cost of a Child in Scotland in 2022 - update.

Question reference: S6O-01722

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what specific measures are being taken to support social care workers during the cost of living crisis.

Question reference: S6O-01728

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Housing Regulator regarding the future of community housing associations.

Question reference: S6O-01718

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of air pollution is on mental health.

Question reference: S6O-01710

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-13233

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the publication of the finalised Hydrogen Action Plan.

Today the Scottish Government will publish its finalised Hydrogen Action Plan.

The Hydrogen Action Plan sets out the strategic approach and actions required to support the development of the hydrogen economy in Scotland over the course of this Parliament. The development of a domestic hydrogen sector and hydrogen production for export, supported by a strong supply chain, will play an important role in supporting a just transition to net zero by 2045 and presents significant long-term economic opportunities.

In the Action Plan, we refresh our commitment to providing the supportive policy and regulatory environment required to enable Scotland to take a pioneering role in a growing global industry and to support our vision for Scotland to become a leading hydrogen nation in the production of reliable, competitive, sustainable hydrogen.

The unpredictable and uncertain outlook for global energy markets has only strengthened the case for accelerating our domestic hydrogen production. The Action Plan has been updated to reflect consultation feedback on the draft Action Plan and the energy developments over the past year. Notably, these updates include the addition of a new chapter dedicated to ‘Scotland’s Hydrogen Export Ambitions’ that seeks to highlight the scale of the export opportunity, Scotland’s competitive advantage and the initial actions we will take at home and abroad to support Scottish companies to participate in and benefit from the development of the international hydrogen market.

The opportunity for Scotland within the developing global hydrogen market is significant. This Hydrogen Action Plans sets out the steps we will take to support Scotland’s growing hydrogen economy and sends a strong signal to the market for future hydrogen development. The Hydrogen Action Plan will be available from 9.30am today on www.gov.scot

Question reference: S6W-13228

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by George Adam on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when its proposed consultation on electoral reform will be published.

Question reference: S6W-12867

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made to strengthen the management of the wrasse fishery following the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme commitment to "begin an immediate programme of work to better protect wildlife and the environment".

Wild harvesting of Wrasse is managed under the licence derogation system introduced following consultation in 2020. In 2021, we added mandatory controls on fishing activity, including obligations for the collection and reporting of data, on a weekly basis, to Marine Scotland. These included minimum and maximum landing sizes, controls on the number and design of traps, a maximum trap lift rate and a prohibition on fishing when water temperature is above 17 degrees. Marine Scotland also require derogation-holders to take observers on board if directed.

This represents a positive step towards sustainable management of this fishery. The time until the next wrasse fishing season begins will enable us to share findings on this fishery and facilitate discussion on next steps.

Question reference: S6W-12579

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what actions (a) have been taken and (b) are planned to ensure that all relevant stakeholders have been consulted in the development of the Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan.

The Heat in Buildings Supply Chains Delivery Plan was developed through close engagement with our delivery partners highlighted in Chapter Two.

To inform our understanding of the sector and support the development of the plan, we utilised feedback gained though published reports from expert groups including our Heat Pump Sector Deal Expert Advisory Group and the Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce.

We have also utilised extensive feedback on supply chain issues received through a number of wide ranging public consultations in relation to our heat in buildings programme, namely, our consultation on the Draft Heat in Buildings Strategy, and our scoping consultation on the New Build Heat Standard.

We continue to engage with the sector on a routine and informal basis alongside our delivery partners and, as outlined within the Plan, we have committed to carrying out a formal public consultation to seek views on our proposal to develop a new supplier led funding scheme for green heat works.