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: S6O-04072

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Lanarkshire Council regarding potential firework control zones in the local authority area.

Question reference: S6O-04067

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much money recovered from the proceeds of crime has been committed to the CashBack for Communities programme since 2008.

Question reference: S6O-04070

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is working to clear the criminal court backlog.

Question reference: S6O-04071

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with Police Scotland to increase law enforcement resources in Scotland’s cities.

Question reference: S6W-31523

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it is making in preventative measures in relation to heroin addiction.

The Scottish Government remains committed to funding local services who make decisions on commissioning and planning services for people impacted by drugs, including heroine. Funding to local areas where decisions on preventative measures are taken remains at an all-time high, supplemented by additional funding over the life of the current Parliament through our National Mission. It is important that decisions are taken and plans are made locally to take account of local need.

Question reference: S6W-31501

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many times section 45 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 has been used.

Question reference: S6W-30136

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations as they relate to Scotland that are contained in the report, Taking responsibility: How the government can improve enforcement of farmed animal welfare laws, which was published in October 2024 by the Social Market Foundation and sponsored by Animal Equality UK.

The Scottish Government is aware of the report.

The Scottish Government already has in place service level agreements with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and local authorities to ensure farm animal welfare legislation is complied with. In addition, Scottish Government Inspectors from our Rural Payment and Inspections Directorate conduct a number of on farm inspections annually which include the consideration of any livestock present.

The Scottish Government also recognises the challenges faced by local authorities in the current fiscal climate and in line with the Verity House Agreement, we continue to engage with COSLA on resourcing matters.

Question reference: S6W-31431

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the evidence in the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee report, Remote and Rural Healthcare Inquiry, what action it is taking to address the reported declining proportion of NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) funding for rural NHS boards.

The NRAC formula is an objective measure of the need for health care services across Scotland.

Under the existing formula the additional cost of providing health services in remote and rural areas is factored within one of the key components in determining funding allocations, with the formula giving greater weights to areas where there is evidence of unavoidable excess costs of supplying healthcare services.

The Scottish Government have committed to continually review the funding formula. This process is managed by the Technical Advisory Group for Resource Allocation (TAGRA) and supports vital work to reduce health inequalities; ensuring that we continue to allocate funding according to the relative need for healthcare in each Board area. Work is underway to review this, however, funding formulas are inherently complex and the review will take time.

Question reference: S6W-31399

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to raise female life expectancy above the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level of 81 years.

Tackling health inequalities and improving life expectancy remain clear aims of the Scottish Government. To achieve this, we are taking forward wide-ranging action targeted to support communities most in need and address the root causes of inequality; which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic and other recent economic shocks.

This includes allocating around £3 billion a year since 2022-23 to tackle poverty and protect people during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis - as well as initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles through tobacco control, preventing alcohol related harm, promoting healthy eating and physical activity. Reinforced by targeted action through our Women’s Health Plan, which clearly sets out actions which aim to address women’s health inequalities by raising awareness across women’s health, improving access to healthcare for women across their lives and tackling inequalities in health outcomes for women and girls.

We are also working with our partners to develop a Population Health Framework, to take a cross-government and cross-sector approach to improve the key building blocks of health including: good early years and education; good work and income; healthy places; and equitable health care. With an overarching ambition to accelerate the recovery and improvement of population health in Scotland with a focus on a whole system approach to preventative action.

Question reference: S6W-31405

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether any public funding has been provided to Stream Bioenergy in the last five years; if so, how much was provided, and for what purpose.