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-03534

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its ministers have had with private rented sector representatives in the (a) North Ayrshire and (b) Inverclyde Council area regarding proposals to introduce rent controls.

We have met with a range of private rented sector representatives, including those representing tenants and landlords, and will continue to do so as we progress work on implementing an effective national system of rent controls, including those representing the North Ayrshire and Inverclyde areas. Our aim is to ensure quality, affordability and fairness for everyone who rents a home, whilst carefully examining potential unintended consequences.

This policy is still being developed and will also be consulted on publicly within the new draft Rented Sector Strategy due to be published at the end of this year, providing further opportunities for all stakeholders to share their views. Upon consideration of the consultation responses, a final Rented Sector Strategy will be published later in 2022 and deliver a key commitment, set out in Housing to 2040 , Scotland’s long term vision for housing.

Question reference: S6W-04065

Asked by: Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its actions to support farmers and crofters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and farm more sustainably.

We recently launched the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board to help develop new proposals for sustainable farming support by considering the Climate Change Plan Update and the Farmer-led Groups recommendations. This was one of our 100 days commitments and will help Scottish agriculture become more economically and environmentally sustainable.

Today the Scottish Government is announcing “The National Test Programme”, a £51m package to assist farmers, crofters and land managers to transition to a system of sustainable agriculture that will reduce GHG emissions and enhance biodiversity in our agricultural landscape.

The package is a twin track approach made up of two components:

Track 1 is to encourage farmers to improve their knowledge of current environmental performance and efficiency, and will allow all those in receipt of a basic Agricultural Support payment to make a start in addressing GHG emissions reduction for their businesses. This will include the following;

Substantial public support for Carbon audits and Nutrient Management Plans .
The establishment of a Livestock Data Performance Feedback Scheme.

Track 2 is to design and test the tools and process necessary to reward land managers for the climate and biodiversity outcomes they deliver. It will create a robust understanding of how new conditions or activities could be applied to future support, and to ensure delivery of environmental outcomes in a way that supports sustainable businesses. This will be a more detailed design and test how measuring environmental performance of farms will be managed in future and include;

The creation of a Conditionality Test Programme.
The instigation of an Active Livestock Management initiative for suckler beef farms.

Question reference: S6W-04070

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of its plans for onshore wind in Scotland.

We intend to launch the consultation of the draft Onshore Wind Policy Statement later today, in line with the commitments we set out in the Programme for Government.

The consultative draft of the Policy Statement will be available to view on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802014990 from today and the consultation questions will be available on Citizen Space at https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/onshore-wind-policy-statement-refresh-2021/ . The consultation will be live for 12 weeks from today until 21 January 2022.

The draft Onshore Wind Policy Statement (OnWPS) sets out the Scottish Government’s ambitions for onshore wind in Scotland out to 2030 in the context of our 2045 net zero emissions commitment. It outlines the huge potential for this technology, and assesses the significant economic opportunity of future deployment, particularly in light of green recovery aspirations. Scotland has excellent onshore wind expertise and is recognised as having one of the best wind regimes anywhere in the world in which to deploy projects.

The consultative draft of the OnWPS has been informed by stakeholder consultation and engagement and seeks views on specific questions, in particular on the Scottish Government ambition to secure an additional 8-12 Gigawatts of installed onshore wind capacity by 2030.

Question reference: S6O-00313

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its housing strategy ensures that all new affordable housing is built to be as energy efficient as possible.

Question reference: S6O-00317

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that welfare entitlements and other benefits such as council tax exemptions are taken up by care experienced young people.

Question reference: S6O-00319

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are currently in place to ensure the protection and preservation of war memorials.

Question reference: S6O-00307

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to NHS boards that are currently experiencing pressures ahead of winter.

Question reference: S6O-00326

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what actions the constitution secretary is taking to continually improve interactions with the other devolved administrations as well as the UK Government.

Question reference: S6O-00324

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support opportunities for the cultural sector to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic this winter.

Question reference: S6O-00315

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it plans to provide to first-time buyers.