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: S6T-00225

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of NHS Lanarkshire moving to the highest risk level, black, and cancelling elective care, including some cancer procedures.

Question reference: S6T-00222

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken in response to reports of recent increases in drink spiking and spiking by injection in nightclubs and bars.

Question reference: S6W-03359

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce the outcome of the Gateway Review into the go-live date for the Deposit Return Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-03376

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has expressed a position to the British Medical Association regarding the return to face-to-face appointments in GP surgeries, and, if so, what this position was.

The Scottish Government’s position is expressed in the joint statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the BMA, published on 5 October.

For many years now, in person face-to-face appointments form part of a hybrid model of options that are offered to patients including video consultations, telephone consultations and in person face-to-face appointments. The pandemic changed the balance between these appointment types. We are clear that our expectation is that face to face appointments will increase, however we also recognise that for a number of patients they will wish to continue with telephone or video consultations. Changes to physical distancing guidance will assist practices to safely increase more face to face appointments.

Importantly the type of appointment offered should be agreed through shared decision making, balancing patient choice and autonomy, and practice circumstances/capacity and clinical judgement.

Question reference: S6W-03423

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland (OPG) is experiencing a backlog of power of attorney applications, and, if so, what support it is offering the OPG to ease this backlog.

Question reference: S6W-03374

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the implementation timetable is for the roll-out of the new Scottish Carer's Assistance payment.

We are continuing to make good progress towards delivery of Scottish Carer’s Assistance. We are currently undertaking joint feasibility work with the Department for Work and Pensions on the complex interactions Carer’s Allowance has, and Scottish Carer’s Assistance will have, with benefits such as Income Support and Universal Credit which will remain reserved. This will give us a better understanding of what can be delivered and when so that we can confirm our new delivery timetable for Scottish Carer’s Assistance.

Our aim is to begin building Scottish Carer’s Assistance next year, and we anticipate that it will take a minimum of 18 months, given the complex links with reserved systems. We plan to consult on proposals for the future of Scottish Carer’s Assistance this winter.

Question reference: S6W-03347

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with representatives of the private rented sector regarding proposals to introduce rent controls.

We have met with a range of private rented sector representatives, including those representing tenants and landlords, and we will continue to do so as we progress work on implementing an effective national system of rent controls. Our aim is to ensure quality, affordability and fairness for everyone who rents a home, whilst carefully examining potential unintended consequences. This continued engagement will help develop the policy, which will form part of a public consultation on a new draft Rented Sector Strategy at the end of this year – and providing an opportunity to gather a wide range of views and interests. 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-03365

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of businesses are currently on track to be able to fully comply with the Deposit Return Scheme at launch.

Question reference: S6W-03366

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what targeted support it is offering to businesses to ensure that they are prepared for the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme.

The Scottish Government, in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, SEPA and Circularity Scotland Ltd, are engaging with businesses to address their queries and concerns regarding Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme. SEPA is also in the process of developing guidance for producers, retailers and return point operators to help them meet their obligations under The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations.

Question reference: S6W-03333

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport on 23 September 2021 that “working with local government partners, we have committed to reduce car kilometres travelled nationally by 20% by 2030. I hope to outline measures to achieve that later his year", whether it will publish details of the current position with its plan to achieve this target; by what date in 2021 the final plan will be published, and whether it will confirm specifically how it settled on the 20% figure.

As set out in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan update (CCPu) published in December 2020, a route map will be produced by the end of 2021, assuming the pandemic has moved to a phase to allow this.

The commitment to reduce car kms by 20% by 2030 (against a 2019 baseline) was, as with all of the CCPu transport policy outcomes, determined through consideration of the overall emissions pathway for transport, which in turn was determined by the TIMES model alongside other evidence and assessments.

The 20% figure was also shaped through consideration of a range of analysis, including published academic material and UK Committee on Climate Change assertions on mode shift away from private car use. Moreover, the figure was informed by research Transport Scotland commissioned and undertaken by Element Energy (published here: Decarbonising the Scottish transport sector ). The Element Energy work modelled a number of scenarios to account for the many uncertainties between now and 2030, including the disruption to transport demand brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.