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 40714 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-05211

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to COSLA leaders’ agreement, as notified in the elected members briefing of 6 July 2021, to pause Flood Risk Management schemes that were not legally committed by local authorities, whether it expects local authorities to inform their local populations that Flood Risk Management schemes are considered (a) legally committed and (b) not legally committed.

The recommendation from COSLA leaders was a pause by local authorities of any non-legally committed flood protection scheme, pending a review of projects by a programme oversight group. A review of these projects is being undertaken to assess their status and viability and COSLA will present the review findings to Ministers in due course. That review is still ongoing and it is for COSLA and local authorities to determine how to communicate that information to local populations.

Question reference: S6W-05369

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm if the format of the paper and downloadable versions of the COVID-19 vaccine certificate, which reportedly only include details of the two most recent COVID-19 vaccinations in the case of those who have also received a third, as a booster vaccination, is acceptable for international travel to countries that require proof of three vaccinations.

Booster information was made available on paper/pdf certificates from 13 December. Only the 2 most recent vaccine doses are included.

The certificates have been developed in line with the standards set by the EU on 17 November. The EU set a deadline for all members of the EU DCC scheme to have aligned with this standard by 31 December.

This change will allow those travelling to the small number of countries that are seeking evidence of more recent doses to provide evidence of their booster or third vaccination.

Question reference: S6W-05207

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to fulfil the commitment to fund the 40 SEPA prioritised Flood Risk Management schemes, in light of COSLA leaders’ agreement, as notified in the elected members briefing of 6 July 2021, to pause schemes that were not legally committed by local authorities.

COSLA recommended to Scottish Ministers that the flood protection schemes eligible for funding in the Flood Risk Management Strategies published in December 2015 which are not yet “legally committed” are paused. Ministers accepted this recommendation and COSLA are undertaking a review of these projects to assess their status and viability. COSLA will present the review findings to Ministers in due course. This pause and review of schemes is one element of the work being taken forward to review the current funding and distribution arrangements for flood risk management. The Scottish Government has not suspended any expenditure on the flood risk management schemes.

Question reference: S6W-05370

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that the format of the paper and downloadable versions of the COVID-19 vaccine certificate only include details of the two most recent COVID-19 vaccinations in the case of those who have also received a third, as a booster vaccination, and if this is the case, for what reasons has the decision been taken.

Question reference: S6W-05254

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has adopted, as part of its plans for an independent Scotland, the terms of the motion reportedly passed at the SNP conference 2021 to establish a Scottish Central Bank and a new Scottish currency as soon as possible in an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-05270

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has provided to local authorities to cover the costs associated with the COVID-19 passport scheme.

The Scottish Government has not provided additional financial support to local authorities specifically relating to the Covid certification scheme.

We are working closely with Local Authorities, the Health and Safety Executive and Police Scotland to ensure that we are taking a joint approach on the enforcement of regulations and wider workplace health measures. We have committed to £2.9m in funding to support Covid related work carried out by Local Authority Environmental Health and Trading Standards Officers to year end 2021-22. We continue to engage with the Local Authorities to understand how this funding is being used to ensure they have the capacity to support businesses to comply with the regulations and guidance, including the Covid status certification requirements. Local authorities are responsible for prioritising enforcement work within their area, and they are doing so using a risk based and 4 Es approach (Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce).

We continue to engage with Local Authorities over this funding, and any potential extensions that may be required.

Question reference: S6W-05206

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects local authorities to develop new consultation processes on river catchment management and individual property protection alternatives to address flooding, in light of developing environmental considerations and policies.

We do not expect local authorities to develop new consultation processes on river catchment management and individual property protection measures.

The Flood Risk Management Act (2009) sets out Scotland’s catchment based approach to Flood Risk Management, including requirements for consultation on measures to reduce flood risk.

To support the implementation of the Act, the Scottish Government produce statutory and non-statutory guidance to help SEPA, local authorities and Scottish Water fulfil their responsibilities.

In 2019, the Scottish Government published the second edition of Delivering Sustainable Flood Risk Management . It includes advice for engaging with individuals, communities and landowners on flood risk, on steps that individuals can take to protect their families, homes and businesses from flooding, and of actions to avoid that can increase flood risk.

Our Living with Flooding Action Plan , also published in 2019 recommends actions for a range of stakeholders to take to help promote property flood resilience in Scotland. We continue to work with the steering group to help implement the actions set out in the plan.

We consider that these documents provide appropriate guidance for consultation on developing environmental considerations and policies.

Question reference: S6W-04923

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the highest level of risk is, on the sliding scale from green to black, that has been identified at each NHS board in 2021.

Question reference: S6T-00450

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 2 million calls to Police Scotland have gone unanswered since 2018.

Question reference: S6T-00443

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to reports of the Women’s Health Plan study finding that endometriosis clinical care is failing to meet the base level of care.