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-20304

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 25 July 2023 that three specialist intensive care neonatal units will be based in Aberdeen Maternity Unit, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, when the units will become operational.

We are planning on the basis that the full model should be implemented by mid 2025.To aid with implementation we will work with regional chief executives and strategic planning leads to undertake modelling and capacity work to help develop local implementation plans. It is important that the whole multidisciplinary team are involved in developing local plans, including obstetric and maternity staff.

For parents of babies currently in neonatal care, there will be no immediate change. This model of care is based on how neonatal care has been delivered in Scotland for many years. For example, babies born in the Borders needing specialist intensive care have for many years received intensive care in Edinburgh or Glasgow, before being transferred back to hospitals closer to home as their condition improves.

Question reference: S6W-20248

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to support local authorities in order to ensure that people living in rural communities have access to library services.

The legal obligation to provide public library services within Scotland lies with the local authorities, who have a statutory duty to secure the provision of adequate library facilities for all people resident in their area, taking into account local needs.

The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), who provides leadership and advice to Scottish Ministers, local authorities, and the wider libraries sector, with annual funding of £665,000. This includes £450,000 for the Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF) and is on top of the Scottish Government’s general revenue funding to local authorities.

Examples of PLIF support in rural communities includes Digi Bytes and Takeaways in Moray, which is enabling Moray Libraries to support families during the current cost-of-living crisis and encouraging children and parents to engage with STEM in the early years; and Sensory Exploration in Orkney, in which a mobile interactive floor projector allows for sensory sessions to take place with a variety of age-groups. The project aims to enhance the library’s digital offering and widen access to a technology designed to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of those interacting with it.

Question reference: S6W-20179

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the average value has been of vouchers issued through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS).

Question reference: S6W-20175

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons there are no high secure healthcare beds for women in Scotland.

There has been no female high secure provision in Scotland since 2009. The decision to stop providing treatment was because the majority of women at the time did not in fact require high security and the development of medium secure services provided an opportunity to address that.

In the small number of cases where a female does require high security, an arrangement was put in place whereby a woman who requires treatment in a high secure facility can be referred to Rampton Hospital, Nottinghamshire, and transferred via the statutory cross-border transfer process.

Question reference: S6W-20166

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for children and young people with a nicotine addiction caused by using (a) nicotine vapour products and (b) tobacco.

We urge anyone with a nicotine addiction caused by using tobacco or nicotine vapour products to contact the free NHS Quit Your Way Scotland' helpline on 0800 84 84 84 to speak to an advisor, who will be able to provide advice and support and can direct individuals to local support services.

Alternatively, local pharmacies can also offer a range of therapies and interventions to help reduce addiction.

Question reference: S6W-20191

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, as outlined in its suicide prevention action plan for 2023 to 2024, how it plans to develop an online portal, which hosts information and advice on suicide, to help people who may be suicidal and anyone worried for someone, as well as professionals.

Question reference: S6W-20184

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, as outlined in its suicide prevention action plan for 2023 to 2024, how it plans to activate the whole of government and society policy package, so that a wide range of government policies and their delivery on the ground are working to prevent suicide.

Question reference: S6W-20604

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-20123

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-02399 by Gillian Martin on 21 June 2023, whether it plans to consider reforms that devolve the decisions of Grazings Committees to the local level.

The legal function of a grazing committee is to maintain the common grazing for the benefit of the crofters who share in it, and to manage the interests of those crofters.

The management and control of common grazing land, where there are many inter-acting rights, including those of crofters, landowners and grazings committees, requires safeguarding. The purpose of legislation is to ensure that these rights are kept in balance and that everyone’s rights are protected.

We will consult on the Bill proposals in due course and will consider all views as part of Bill development.

Question reference: S6W-20020

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many new schools are currently planned to be built, broken down by local authority.