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-34649

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many heat pumps have been installed in Scotland to date, broken down by local authority area; how it monitors the number and location of heat pump installations, and what assessment it has made of progress towards its targets for heat pump installations.

We publish an annual report of progress against our Heat in Buildings strategy. The most recent report was published in October 2024: Heat in Buildings: progress report 2024 - gov.scot. This includes estimates for number of domestic and non-domestic properties with heat pumps, as monitored through the Scottish House Condition Survey(SHCS) and the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

For the Local Authority analysis of the SHCS, we use a three year pooled data set. This is not available for the latest survey data due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the 2020 and 2021 SHCS.

MCS data are publicly available here: The MCS Data Dashboard - MCS.

There is currently no target for heat pump installations in Scotland. While we see heat pumps as a key solution for decarbonising Scotland’s buildings, we also see a role for heat networks and direct electric heating, as well as potentially other technologies, alongside heat pumps.

Question reference: S6W-34647

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of prisoners released under any early release programmes in each of the last five years secured (a) stable housing and (b) employment within three months of release.

Data in relation to the housing circumstances and employment status of individuals released from custody is not available.

Individuals serving short-term sentences are not routinely subject to any form of post-release supervision or monitoring, and those that had supervision or monitoring requirements post-sentence were automatically excluded from both the Coronavirus specific early release process in 2020 and the Emergency Early Release process in 2024.

Pre-release planning, including in relation to housing needs, was a key feature of both of the emergency early release processes (2020 & 2024). The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) worked closely with representatives from Local Government – including housing departments, wider public bodies, and the third sector in the planning and operation of the processes.

Question reference: S6W-34637

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners have been released under any early release programmes in each of the last five years.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following table shows the number of prisoners who were released during the last 5 years under early release arrangements. The numbers provided relate to the 2020 COVID 19 Early Release Scheme and the 2024 Emergency Early Release Regulations:

Year	Number of prisoners released under early release programmes
2020	348
2021	0
2022	0
2023	0
2024	477

Question reference: S6W-34645

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support services are provided to prisoners released early to prevent reoffending.

Individuals released under early release programmes are entitled to receive the same voluntary support services that would be available to them if they had been released at their scheduled liberation date, should they wish. These services are funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by third sector organisations and local authorities.

The national third sector prison throughcare services work with individuals released from short sentences, identifying individuals’ needs and linking them to the wider services they require. This can involve supporting individuals to access social security payments, healthcare, housing and other basic needs, while also working with them to develop the employability and vocational skills required to access and sustain employment.

Such support can help to reduce the risk factors linked with reoffending and promotes successful reintegration into communities.

All prison leavers are also entitled to request support from their local authority for up to twelve months from their release. The specific services provided in each area are directed by the local authority, as part of their wider community justice services.

Question reference: S6W-34644

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners have been released early due to (a) overcrowding and (b) public health considerations in each of the last five years.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-34637 on 24 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-34177

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many calls to each emergency service that have been recorded as being (a) hung up and (b) terminated before completion in each year since 2018 have resulted in a response being dispatched.

Question reference: S6W-34244

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures Food Standards Scotland has implemented to support the mental health and wellbeing of its staff in Aberdeen.

FSS’ people strategy 2022 - 2026, defines their priorities around four key pillars including the Employee Experience. FSS has been committed to employee health and wellbeing and was a Healthy Working Lives Gold award holder. FSS’ Healthy Working lives group aims to maximise the benefits for staff by providing high quality advice. resources and signposting a range of health and wellbeing topics that focus on helping people to feel good and function well. FSS has invested in training and has a bank of trained mental health first aiders who are available to support staff. FSS also offers access to an Employee Assistance Service (EAS) which offers 24-hour helpline and counselling support including, emotional, financial and relationship support. FSS employees can be referred to Occupational Health service for advice and support if they are at work or returning from a period of long-term sickness absence.

Question reference: S6W-34243

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of staff at Food Standards Scotland’s Aberdeen headquarters are engaged in enforcement-related activities.

Question reference: S6W-34245

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance Food Standards Scotland provides to food businesses regarding the use of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), in food production and safety monitoring.

Regardless of the technology used to produce food, the food business operator must abide by the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 on general food law and the hygiene requirements, Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs of animal origin. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) provides guidance on the general food safety and hygiene requirements, which includes the need for a food safety management system based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles, guidance on the specific rules covering products of animal origin, if they apply depending on the nature of the food. Also, if the food falls within one of the Regulated Products categories, then there is free online guidance to support businesses in applying for the appropriate type of authorisation.

Question reference: S6W-34642

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the prison population has been released under any early release programmes in each of the last five years, and what the reasons were for any such early releases of prisoners.

In relation to the Coronavirus specific emergency early release process in May 2020, there were 348 individuals released early. This represented around 5% of the overall prison population at that time, which was 7,128 on 1 May 2020.

In relation to the emergency early release process in June and July 2024, there were 477 individuals released early, this amounted to around 6% of the overall prison population at that time, which was 8,232 on 21 June 2024.

In May 2020, it was necessary and proportionate to quickly reduce the prison population to a level that would enable the SPS and health services to maintain the public health measures within Scottish prisons to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.

In June and July 2024, it was deemed necessary and proportionate to quickly reduce the prison population, in response to a sharp and sudden rise in the prison population in the preceding months, in order to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of those working and living in Scottish Prisons, as well as ensuring that Scottish Prisons could continue to function safely.