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-03478

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence requirements it will set for self-catering premises owners seeking to register their property for non-domestic rates to demonstrate that the let is (a) available for 140 days and (b) actually let for 70 days in a financial year, in order to remain on the valuation roll; how these requirements will be enforced, and how enforcement will be funded.

The Scottish Government accepted recommendation 22 of the independent Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates, which proposed a condition to tackle a known tax avoidance measure that all owners or occupiers of self-catering properties must provide evidence of 70 days of actual letting per year in order to qualify as non-domestic.

The Scottish Budget 2021-22 stated: “Due to COVID-19, the implementation of the requirement that self-catering properties be let for 70 days or more in order to be classed as non-domestic, as recommended by the independent Barclay Review of non-domestic rates, was initially delayed and will now be in place for 2021-22.” The Scottish Government will shortly lay secondary legislation with the Scottish Parliament to deliver this change although how the changes will be administered is a matter for independent Local Assessors.

The valuation of all non-domestic property is a matter for Scottish Assessors, including requests for information pertaining to the non-domestic property. Assessors may request information from a proprietor, tenant or occupier of a property as well as any other relevant person for the purposes of valuation and a response is required by legislation to be returned within 28 days. These information provision obligations are applied to all non-domestic properties, including self-catering properties. As set out in the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act, failure to respond within that period may result in a civil penalty.

In 2020-21 and 2021-22, Assessors received additional resources to support the implementation of the Barclay Review.

Question reference: S6W-03498

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Ofgem's price cap increase, and the £500 million fund announced by the UK Government to support vulnerable households, whether it will provide a similar household support fund in order to alleviate fuel poverty.

The Scottish Government recognise that the recent rises in energy prices, and the increase in the price cap authorised by Ofgem, can only have a negative impact on fuel poor households.

While energy markets are a reserved matter, we are taking action, within our powers, to support people who are struggling with their heating bills through the winter. On Friday 29 October we announced a £10 million Fuel Insecurity Fund to provide direct support with fuel costs for low income households. This funding will be delivered through a range of organisations including registered social landlords, Advice Direct Scotland and the Fuel Bank Foundation. It is part of a wider £41 million package of funding designed to help people on low incomes who are facing financial insecurity over the winter.

Question reference: S6W-03439

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands during his ministerial statement on 11 February 2021 that a "hydrogen action plan...is due for publication in 2021", by what date in 2021 it plans to publish this.

Hydrogen policy officials are currently working on the development of the Hydrogen Action Plan. The five year Hydrogen Action Plan will be published shortly and will set out the actions that the Scottish Government will take to support Scottish supply chain activity and drive the development of a low-cost hydrogen capability to meet that 5GW ambition by 2030.

The Scottish Government’s upcoming Hydrogen Action Plan will be supported by a five year £100m programme of investment to help develop the hydrogen economy in Scotland.

Question reference: S6T-00241

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to businesses and residents affected by recent flooding.

Question reference: S6T-00245

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that six prisoners overdosed on drugs in two days at HMP Shotts.

Question reference: S6F-00418

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is working to ensure that, during COP26, it provides a platform for unheard voices, including citizens, young people and those from the Global South.

Question reference: S6F-00412

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Glasgow City Council cleansing workers taking strike action from 1 November and throughout COP26 due to low pay.

Question reference: S6F-00411

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what public advice the Scottish Government has issued regarding the discharge of fireworks, given that new regulations came into force on 30 June 2021.

Question reference: S6F-00410

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what immediate steps the Scottish Government is taking to address the reported continuing inequalities in cancer mortality rates across Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-00402

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister whether Scotland is on track to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.