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-20727

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many times during harvesting operations machine operators have contacted Forestry and Land Scotland Environment Foresters to report a suspected drey structure since derogated licensing provisions were granted by NatureScot to Forestry and Land Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-20870

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Scotland is facing a "cultural recession".

The Scottish Government greatly values our culture sector and the fundamental part it plays in our everyday lives, our national identity, and how we present ourselves to the world. The sector receives significant annual funding from the Scottish Government. We know that this is a worrying time for the sector as organisations recover from the pandemic and deal with the impacts of Brexit and the cost of living and operating crisis.

Our work to support this recovery is ongoing and we will continue to work with the sector to identify barriers to recovery, and do everything within our powers and resources to help those most affected by current economic challenges.

The Scottish Government’s ability to respond to the current financial context is limited due to overall UK Government cuts and by the financial restrictions of devolution, requiring extremely hard funding decisions to be made across the budget.

Question reference: S6W-20828

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make land ownership in Scotland more transparent, particularly where land may be held by those currently under UK sanction or by other hostile parties.

The Scottish Government is committed to land reform and improving transparency of those who own and control land in Scotland is at the heart of our land reform objectives. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 introduced the Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land (RCI). The policy intention of the RCI is to ensure there can no longer be categories of land owner or tenant where, intentionally or otherwise, control of decision-making is obscured.

As well as the RCI, we fully supported UK wide emergency legislation in the UK Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act, introduced following the invasion of Ukraine last year, to improve transparency of overseas entities who own land in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK through the Register of Overseas Entities (ROE).

Question reference: S6W-20827

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that local communities are aware of their rights in terms of community land ownership, and are better supported to access those rights.

Communities have a number of rights in terms of community ownership. There are four separate community rights to buy, most of which are compulsory purchase rights, as well as the right to request an asset transfer of an asset from a public body.

In addition, the Scottish Land Fund, which was increased to £11m this year, is available to community groups across Scotland, whether they are acquiring an asset through any of these rights, or entering into a negotiated sale with a willing seller. We have committed to increasing this to £20m by the end of 2026.

The Scottish Government Community Land Team regularly assist community groups with guidance on the rights to buy, whilst the Community Empowerment Team can help with asset transfer rights.

The Scottish Government also provides grants to Community Land Scotland to promote and educate community groups on all aspects of community ownership. This includes the annual Community Land Week which allows anyone to go along to a participating community group and see for themselves the benefits that ownership can bring.

Question reference: S6W-20726

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many forestry operations were moved outwith the breeding season for red squirrels, following surveys, since derogated licensing provisions were granted by NatureScot to Forestry and Land Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-20687

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to publish the national service specification for secure transport.

The responsibility for the provision of secure transport lies with local authorities, and the development of this specification is being led by COSLA.

Discussions with key partners around the use of the specification are ongoing and will be discussed at the national Secure Care Group Meeting on 2 October. The Secure Transport Working Group aim to introduce the specification as soon as possible to assist local authorities in commissioning these services.

Question reference: S6O-02485

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that increasing numbers of dentists are leaving the NHS.

Question reference: S6O-02482

Asked by: Marie McNair, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates it will receive the Scottish Law Commission’s findings and recommendations arising from its consultation on damages for personal injury.

Question reference: S6O-02486

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve hospital services across NHS Fife.

Question reference: S6O-02484

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to eliminate sexual harassment in schools.