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-27590

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeframe is for the contract with SWARCO to operate ChargePlace Scotland, and what provisions are in the contract with SWARCO, including in relation to early termination for poor performance.

The current ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) framework agreement is due to end February 2025 with the call-off contract running until mid-2026. The framework agreement, which includes provisions for the circumstances in which early termination would be appropriate, have been published on Transport Scotland’s public facing website: ChargePlace Scotland Framework Agreement 2021 | Transport Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-27591

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with ChargePlace Scotland regarding the roll-out of its new payment system and any issues that it has caused to drivers.

The ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) operator is contractually obliged to continually improve the quality of the service for drivers. This includes a necessary shift from monthly billing to pay-as-you-go payment for charging using the CPS card or mobile app. This enables an experience akin to how drivers pay for petrol and diesel at traditional forecourts and has been widely welcomed by users. This has necessitated the migration to a new payment service provider (PSP).

Transport Scotland officials and the CPS operator have held regular discussions about future enhancements, including the planned roll-out of the new PSP. Following the launch of the new PSP on 24 April this year, the CPS operator immediately notified Transport Scotland about the emergence of a technical issue which impacted less than 1% of CPS users. The CPS operator has provided regular briefings to Transport Scotland on the cause, impact and corrective actions, including advanced notice of the resolution that was implemented on 10 May.

The CPS operator will provide Transport Scotland with a detailed report on the issue, Transport Scotland officials will also meet senior managers from the CPS operator to discuss key lessons learned.

Question reference: S6W-27567

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) guidance and (b) policies are in place to safeguard against any unpaid individuals being deployed to perform duties and roles that would normally be undertaken by NHS employees.

NHS Boards have a responsibility for ensuring they have the right workforce in place at all times to provide safe and high quality patient care.

There is a long history of volunteer services in NHS Scotland, and we are thankful to those who chose to volunteer. Volunteer services are not however there to replace the core workforce, and we expect all NHS Boards to have policies and procedures in place to ensure that volunteers are used appropriately, and only specifically for volunteering services. Volunteers are subject to the same safety checks as NHS staff, including PVG and Disclosure.

Question reference: S6W-27598

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to the Public Audit Committee that the entire prison estate may shortly reach maximum capacity and present significant risk of potential disorder.

In my statement to Parliament on 16 May, I set out that there is now a critical risk to the continued safe and effective operation of the prison estate, and that urgent action is needed.

If the legal test for use of emergency release is satisfied when section 11 of the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023 comes into force on 26 May, then I intend to bring forward a proposal for Parliament’s consideration for the emergency release of prisoners.

This is not a decision I have taken lightly. But we must ensure the safety and wellbeing of Scottish Prison Service staff and those people in their care, and that our prisons continue to function effectively to accommodate those who pose the greatest risk of harm.

Members will have the opportunity to scrutinise and debate the approach and, in this instance, we will not release a single prisoner without Parliament’s consent.

I also intend to carry out a short consultative exercise over the summer, and to return after recess with a proposal for a Bill for Parliament’s consideration to change how long-term prisoners are released and managed.

Finally, I intend to bring forward secondary legislation to amend the eligibility criteria for use of Home Detention Curfew (HDC), increasing the period of time individuals can spend on release under licence conditions. These regulations will be subject to scrutiny under the affirmative procedure.

Question reference: S6W-27749

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing the recommendations of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Scotland's Housing and Disabled People inquiry.

The Scottish Government responded to the recommendations of the 2018 EHRC report on Housing and Disabled People at that time. In that response, we set out the actions being taken forward to increase access for disabled people to accessible and adapted housing.

In 2019 we issued statutory guidance to local authorities requiring tenure neutral wheelchair-accessible housing targets must be included within Local Housing Strategies. There has been good progress on this and from information collated from 2024-2029 Strategic Housing Investment Plans, 30 of the 32 local authorities have in place wheelchair housing targets for the delivery of affordable homes.

Then in 2020, the Relevant Adjustments to Common Parts (Disabled Persons) (Scotland) Regulations came in to force. These regulations make it easier for disabled people to make adaptations to the common areas of their property.

The Scottish Government is also increasing the supply and choice of accessible homes. Since 2007, we have supported delivery of 128,285 affordable homes, over 90,500 of which were for social rent.

We publish annual out-turn reports which set out the form, locations and types of social and other affordable housing we have delivered including specific annexes that cover accessible housing.

Wherever possible, all affordable homes are built to Housing for Varying Needs accessibility standards. In 2022-23, 98% of new build homes delivered by housing associations and councils, where information was returned on Housing for Varying Needs, met that standard.

During the second half of 2023, we consulted on proposals to enhance the accessibility, adaptability and usability of Scotland’s homes. The consultation closed on 21 December and the responses to the consultation are being analysed and a report will be published in due course.

We are also progressing a review of the current housing adaptations system which will make recommendations on how best to improve and streamline the system.

Question reference: S6T-02015

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to review the New Build Heat Standard.

Question reference: S6T-02009

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to build resilience to flooding, in light of reports that heavy rain and flooding caused drivers to be stranded on the Edinburgh City Bypass for hours.

Question reference: S6F-03176

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on whether teacher numbers should be maintained, in light of the reported concerns of many parents, pupils and school staff in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6F-03169

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03174

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential impact on the health service in Scotland of Home Office data showing that health and care worker visa applications are 76% lower in January to April this year, compared with last year.