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-03891

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group has met since the start of 2021, and on what dates.

Question reference: S6W-03931

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to join the National Pancreatic Cancer Audit.

Question reference: S6W-04325

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-04427

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many severe mental impairment evidence forms have been issued by medical professionals in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-04388

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce an £86,000 cap on care costs, in light of reported plans for such a cap to be introduced in England from 2023.

Question reference: S6W-04458

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Clare Haughey on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 will be fully commenced.

Question reference: S6W-04006

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported adoption of the UNECE Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention decision VII/8s, and whether there are plans to reform judicial expenses in light of the decision.

The Scottish Government notes that paragraph 1(b) of response VII/8s published by the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC) endorses the findings of the ACCC's response VI/8k that progress has been made by Scotland. However, the ACCC considers that more needs to be done in respect of the requirements set out in paragraph 2(a), (b), and (d) of VII/8s. We are considering what action to take in respect of this and, as requested by the ACCC, will be submitting a plan of action, including a time schedule, by 1 July 2022.

As stated in the Programme for Government in September 2021, we will be introducing a Legal Aid Reform Bill in this Parliament and consulting on a Human Rights Bill in this Parliamentary year. In addition, in the next few weeks, we will be consulting on court fees for the years 2022 to 2025. In drafting these consultations and this legislation, we will give serious consideration as to how we can improve access to environmental justice.

The ACCC indicated that it had concerns about the operation of the system of protective expenses orders (PEOs). PEOs are the responsibility of the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC) and the Scottish Government will raise the matter with SCJC.

Question reference: S6W-04156

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing legislation in the current parliamentary session that aims to deter men who pay women for sex.

Programme For Government includes a commitment to develop a model for Scotland which effectively tackles and challenges men’s demand for prostitution.

This model will aim to reduce stigma and criminalisation experienced by women and encourage better access to services. Ensuring that women are supported and that services are responsive to their needs is central to this work. We have also committed to engaging with those with direct or lived experience to shape services, and design measures which will protect them from harm and provide service users the support they need.

There are several considerations which must be made in designing the model, including ensuring it’s alignment to the Equally Safe Strategy and our unique legal landscape in Scotland. The model must operate effectively not only to hold those who buy sex to account, but to deter them from purchasing sex. Any changes proposed to the current criminal law would require legislation.

The criminal law is only one aspect of the model and it is vital that a package of measures is developed in parallel to underpin any changes which are brought forward.

We will continue to work across government and with stakeholders as our work on Scotland’s future approach to prostitution progresses. A Short Life Working Group with key stakeholders considering the fundamental principles to underpin a model for Scotland will hold its initial meeting, later this month.

Question reference: S6W-04107

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the outstanding practical implementation steps that are required to introduce a deposit return scheme.

The Scottish Government is working intensively to develop and agree a plan to deliver the scheme that the Scottish Government, the industry and stakeholders can have confidence in. As my statement set out once a timeline is agreed, clear milestones for delivery by Circularity Scotland will be published. However it must be noted that consistent with other producer responsibility schemes, the responsibility for practical implementation of DRS resides with individual retailers and producers, not the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-04075

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with businesses regarding the introduction of a deposit return scheme.