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 44048 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-03037

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02372 by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether buses funded through the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS) that were built abroad have been subsidised by foreign governments, and, if so, to what extent, and for what reason it did not provide this information in its response.

Question reference: S6W-02427

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been given COVID-19 vaccination appointments for their (a) first and (b) second dose at a vaccination centre that was further than (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 30 miles from their home.

Question reference: S6W-02317

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to local authorities to enable them to target people who are (a) homeless, (b) at risk of homelessness and (c) otherwise considered vulnerable regarding the provision of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Scottish Government works closely with stakeholders to amplify key campaign messages and ensure we are continuously aspiring to communicate effectively to the population of Scotland, delivering messaging in an inclusive way to reach all geographies and seldom heard communities, which includes those experiencing homelessness.

The Scottish Government also works very closely with Local Authorities, and provides regular updates on marketing activity and coronavirus-related information. The feedback we receive from Local Authorities helps shape our communications offering, and their distribution channels allow us to reach grassroots organisations and target communities with relevant messaging.

An appointment is no longer required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as all health boards now offer drop in vaccinations to those who have not had a first dose and to those for whom it has been more than 8 weeks since receiving their first dose.

Question reference: S6W-02316

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people who are (i) homeless and (ii) at risk of homelessness have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The homelessness status of those being vaccinated is not recorded at the time of vaccination. By the nature of homelessness short or long term, this data would be difficult to track. As of 31 August 2021, 91% of people in Scotland have had a 1st dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. An appointment is no longer required as all health boards now offer drop in vaccinations to those who have not had a first dose and to those from whom it has been more than 8 weeks since receiving their first dose. We continue to work with our partners and stakeholders to communicate to the entire population, including seldom heard communities on the importance and availability of vaccination for COVID-19.

Question reference: S6W-02332

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Gilead Sciences, which is a manufacturer of sacituzumab govitecan, also known as Trodelvy, to ensure that patients in Scotland are able to access this drug for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Question reference: S6W-03436

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Lorna Slater on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans for the review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy in Scotland.

Our primary focus is on reducing waste and increasing the proportion of waste we reuse and recycle. As set out by the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport in May 2021 and in the shared policy programme agreed between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party, we will review the role incineration plays in Scotland’s waste hierarchy, including the need for new incineration capacity. To that end, we will appoint an independent chair to oversee the review, with a view to having a chair in place in October. And will update Parliament with a statement.

We intend that the review will prioritise consideration of national capacity requirements for incineration, given the Scottish Government’s ambitious targets for waste reduction. The review will also have scope to consider how emissions from existing incinerators can be reduced and residual heat may be reused; and consider the societal impacts of residual waste treatment, including health and community impacts. The independent chair will determine the detailed shape of the review.

The timeline for the review will be agreed with the independent chair. However, we are aware that the outcomes of this review will be important to inform ongoing discussions around local authority planning decisions and wider investment decisions. Therefore, we aim to begin to invite evidence for the review in November and to review available evidence between December 2021 and March 2022. We will publish the review as soon as possible once the review has been completed.

Question reference: S6W-03427

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the principles and commitments that support the care for people with long COVID.

Question reference: S6W-03053

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many link workers for post-dementia diagnostic support have been recruited in each year since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-03100

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which islands and remote communities it plans to examine for potential new fixed links, as part of its Strategic Transport Review 2.

Following publication of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), Initial Appraisal: Case for Change Reports in February 2021. The following fixed links were included for consideration as part of the appraisal process for Phase 2 of the review:

New rail connection to/from Cowal linking to the West Highland Line or rail network in Inverclyde or North Ayrshire, including fixed link or ferry crossings
New rail connection to/from Kintyre linking to Cowal, including fixed link or ferry crossing
From South Ronaldsay (Orkney Islands) to Gills Bay (Scottish Mainland)
Sound of Harris
Sound of Barra
From Western Isles to the Scottish Mainland
Between Mull and Scottish mainland
A tunnel between Benbecula and Skye

Question reference: S6W-03079

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether ScotRail Trains Ltd will be responsible for commencing negotiations with the recognised trade unions regarding the 2022 pay award for ScotRail staff, which has an anniversary date of 1 April 2022.