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-22046

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the most recent data on current rates of diagnosis of dementia, and what steps are being taken to address any barriers to diagnosis.

To estimate diagnosis rates in Scotland we are developing an approach that compiles a dataset of CHI numbers of people with a dementia diagnosis from multiple health and social data sources. Based on this approach, and using our current model for estimating the number of people living with dementia (known as Eurocode), we estimate that 56% of this group received a diagnosis in 2020-21 (the latest year for which we have data).

It should be noted that the rest of the UK uses a different system for estimating the number of people living with dementia (known as CFAS II). For comparative purposes, applying this in Scotland would suggest 79% of people living with dementia are receiving a diagnosis.

The issue of dementia diagnosis rates is highlighted in Everyone’s Story: A New Dementia Strategy for Scotland , including around the need for a greater range of settings in which to access it. We recognise there is more work to be done to improve timely, accessible access to a dementia diagnosis, and this will be reflected in the priorities for our initial 2-year Delivery Plan which is in development. This includes developing actions through a Delivery Subgroup focused on extending the reach of diagnsotic and post-diagnostic support, made up of people living with dementia, care partners and stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-22048

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21487 by Graeme Dey on 3 October 2023, what progress it has made regarding the next round of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund; whether it plans to announce the next round of the fund in 2023, and what discussions and meetings it has had with the Scottish Funding Council regarding the fund.

Question reference: S6W-22026

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to ban convicted sex offenders from changing their (a) name and (b) gender.

The Sex Offender Notification Requirements in Scotland requires convicted sex offenders to provide a range of personal information to the police, including their name, and to inform the police should any of those details subsequently change.

Individuals convicted of sexual offences are not prevented from making an application for a Gender Recognition Certificate under the UK Gender Recognition Act 2004.

Question reference: S6W-22355

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set any targets on the number of jobs to be created through the £500 million strategic investment to help create thousands of green jobs and deliver the full economic potential of offshore renewables projects, as announced on 17 October 2023.

Our aim is to maximise the number of green jobs and we are considering how we can best work collaboratively with the renewables sector to do that.

The latest report from the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) [June 2023], predicted jobs in this sector in the UK could grow to over 100,000 by 2030. This OWIC report also shows a 4% increase in offshore wind jobs compared to 2021-22, showing that the sector currently supports over 32,000 jobs, almost 30% of which are in Scotland.

This £500m investment will help to support market certainty, creating the environment that will deliver these jobs, whilst creating a highly productive, competitive economy, embedding innovation and boosting skills.

Question reference: S6W-22279

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the merits of making CCTV mandatory in fish slaughterhouses, in line with the recommendations of the Animal Welfare Committee's updated Opinion on the Welfare of Farmed Fish at the Time of Killing, and the Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

The Scottish Government is committed to the highest possible welfare standards for animals, including fish. Improving aquaculture health and welfare is an ethical responsibility and is one of the main priorities that is enshrined in our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture.

The Scottish Government will carefully consider the recommendations made by the UK Animal Welfare Committee and will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the welfare of fish throughout the animals life.

Question reference: S6W-22095

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many councillors have been reported for a breach of the Code of Conduct for Councillors in each local authority in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-22094

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the national code of conduct for local government employees.

Question reference: S6W-22077

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution of its latest Infrastructure Investment Plan to meeting Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

Annex C of the Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP), published February 2021, used a taxonomy approach to assess planned infrastructure spend into low, neutral and high carbon categories, drawing on the annual carbon assessment of the capital budget. The 2022-23 annual IIP progress report, published June 2023, considers Major Capital Projects within the IIP in the context of the climate change targets.

My previous answer to question S6W-21956 on 25 October 2023 sets out details of Scottish Ministers’ commitment to comply fully with the requirements of section 94A of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

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: S6O-02686

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how its agricultural development projects will boost organic produce and improve environmental practice, as part of its work towards achieving its net zero targets.

Question reference: S6O-02696

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the current average processing time is for Adult Disability Payment applications.