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-06583

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding Creative Scotland and, before it, Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, allocated to projects in the (a) Midlothian, (b) East Lothian, (c) Scottish Borders, (d) Dumfries and Galloway, (e) South Ayrshire (f) East Ayrshire, (g) North Ayrshire, and (h) South Lanarkshire Council areas, in each year since 2007.

The information that you request relates to the funding decisions taken by the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen which existed from 2007 to 30 June 2010 and Creative Scotland which was established from 1 July 2010 which brought together the two predecessor organisations.

These national arts and screen development organisations disbursed Scottish Government and National Lottery funds and operated at arm’s length from Scottish Ministers in the disbursement of those funds.

For the period predating the establishment of Creative Scotland, 2007 to 30 June 2010, the published National Lottery Distribution Fund Annual Reports and Accounts of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen provide the information that the member is seeking.

The Scottish Arts Council’s National Lottery Distribution Fund Annual Reports and Accounts for the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2010 are available at the following link:

Transparency and freedom of information releases - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Scottish Screen’s National Lottery Distribution Fund Annual Reports and Accounts for the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2010 are available at the following link:

Transparency and freedom of information releases - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

I have also asked the Chief Executive of Creative Scotland to write to the member with the information they hold on this subject since 1 July 2010.

Question reference: S6W-06123

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 17 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05593 by Lorna Slater on 24 January 2022, whether it will confirm whether it holds details of estimated preparedness times for any individual businesses in Scotland, and, if so, whether it will provide that information.

As part of the review into the implementation date for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) we carried out intensive scrutiny of Circularity Scotland Ltd’s (CSL) implementation programme, including through the Gateway Review and Assurance of Action Plan, as well as engagement from Scottish Ministers and officials. I am therefore confident that CSL will be prepared to deliver its obligations by 16 August 2023.

The Gateway Review interviewed a range of other stakeholders and, although it gave a preparedness estimate of 12-24 months for individual stakeholders, did not give a breakdown of preparedness estimates for individual businesses. While businesses interviewed separately by SG tended to endorse this finding, we do not hold exact preparedness times for these individual businesses.

Question reference: S6W-06094

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct a review of wayleave widths following Storm Arwen.

Resilience of the Energy Sector is reserved and therefore the responsibility of the UK Government.

Power Companies are required to meet statutory obligations under the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 with respect to minimum clearances from overhead lines, wires and cables including minimum ground clearance requirements.

The Scottish Government are contributing to both the Storm Arwen Ofgem review and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) review and will carefully consider the findings to understand where improvements could be made in future.

Question reference: S6W-06131

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05688 by Maree Todd on 26 January 2022, whether the Maternity and Children’s Quality Improvement Collaborative (MCQIC) will produce a report on the improvement of the understanding of the variation in caesarean section rates in Scotland, and, if so, when this report will be published.

The Maternity and Children’s Quality Improvement Collaborative (MCQIC) is taking a quality improvement (QI) approach in its work to improve our understanding of the variation in caesarean section rates in Scotland. This work is in its early stages, with initial scoping work underway. The next phase of the QI work is due to commence early in the next quarter and will involve further engagement with NHS Boards.

MCQIC publishes resources relevant to its work on its website. Relevant outputs from this QI programme will also be shared in this way as the work progresses.

Maternity and Children Quality Improvement Collaborative (MCQIC) | Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) | ihub - Maternity and Children Quality Improvement Collaborative (MCQIC).

Question reference: S6W-06009

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce pressures on marine habitats that are already known to be important carbon sinks.

The Scottish Government launched the Scottish Blue Carbon Forum (SBCF) in 2018 to increase our understanding of Scotland’s marine stores of carbon (“blue carbon”), their role in carbon uptake and their vulnerabilities to human activities. We have committed over £650,000 to the Forum’s research programme, which has leveraged significant match funding from partner organisations. The Forum’s expertise is recognised internationally. During COP26, the SBCF joined the International Partnership for Blue Carbon as its 50 th member and brought together science and policy experts from around the world for a two day conference “Blue Carbon: Beyond the Inventory” in Edinburgh, driving forward the research and policy agenda to protect and restore these important habitats.

Research by the SBCF continues to enhance our understanding of Scotland’s blue carbon habitats and will provide an improved evidence base for future decision making.

Many of the key habitats and species that research has identified as being important for blue carbon are Priority Marine Features (PMFs) and are also safeguarded within Scotland’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

With 37% of our seas already designated as MPAs, we have committed in the Programme for Government to deliver the outstanding fisheries measures required to achieve MPA conservation objectives by March 2024. We are also providing additional protection to our inshore waters by developing fisheries measures for the 11 PMFs most at risk from bottom trawling outside our MPAs, in line with the National Marine Plan. In combination these measures will help reduce pressures on marine habitats known to be important carbon sinks.

In the Programme for Government, we have also committed to designating at least 10% of Scotland's seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) by 2026. The policy and selection framework for HPMAs will provide for the protection of blue carbon habitats, using the growing evidence base.

Question reference: S6O-00783

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that islanders are not left without food supplies due to the reported lack of resilience of the ferry fleet.

Question reference: S6O-00780

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported warnings from residents, business and advocacy groups that the current quality of ferry service represents a real threat to island life.

Question reference: S6O-00784

Asked by: Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to ensure that more fish caught by Scottish vessels is landed and processed at Scottish ports.

Question reference: S6O-00786

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure access to care and support planning by a specialist team for people with ME and chronic fatigue syndrome, as recommended by NICE.

Question reference: S6O-00787

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how the Distress Brief Intervention programme is supporting people experiencing mental health crises.