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-16881

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the announcement of a preferred (a) medium- and (b) long-term solution for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Spring 2023 will change, in light of the appointment of a new Minister for Transport.

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing a resilient infrastructure solution to address the landslip risk at the Rest and Be Thankful. The preferred option for a medium-term solution was announced on 23 December 2022. A detailed programme for the proposed improvements is now being developed and it is expected that these works will be carried out on a phased basis starting later this year.

At the same time, Transport Scotland continues to take forward the necessary design and assessment work at pace with a view to announcing a preferred route option for the long-term solution this Spring.

I absolutely share the urgency communities and businesses place in maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route, and remain absolutely committed to ensuring continuity of access to Argyll and Bute so that the region remains open for business.

Question reference: S6W-17078

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last held its disabled people’s summit, and whether it has any plans to hold another such summit during the current parliamentary session.

The last Disability Summit was held in December 2020 to evaluate the impact of A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Delivery Plan 2016-2021. Over 100 people attended online and the voices of disabled people with lived and living experience were heard.

The Scottish Government’s current priority is co-designing the Disability Equality strategy with Disabled People’s Organisations. This work has involved analysing research and reports which incorporate the lived and living experience of disabled people in Scotland and agreeing on the priorities for the strategy.

We will engage with disabled people, third sector organisations and delivery partners when the strategy is drafted to gather views and feedback. We expect this to take the form of a fully accessible consultation and engagement activities.

Question reference: S6W-16980

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Transport will next meet with Shetland Islands Council to discuss local ferry services.

Question reference: S6W-16929

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that planning authorities are able to recover financial contributions from developers in a timely and efficient manner.

Subject to the tests in Circular 3/2012 being met, planning obligations entered into under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 can be used to secure contributions from those carrying out development. Planning obligations are enforceable, including against successors in title where an obligation is registered in the Land Register of Scotland or the General Register of Sasines.

Question reference: S6W-16875

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide further detail on the reasons why it could not fully commit to the National Partnership for Culture recommendation that "relevant agencies should be charged with developing a national plan to embed artists and other creative practitioners in all schools, in ways that align with the curriculum".

Fully committing to charging relevant agencies to develop a national plan would contravene the Scottish Government position that Local Authorities and schools have autonomy to take these decisions at a local level.

As set out in our response to the National Partnership for Culture recommendations, we will explore other opportunities to scope whether any of the established initiatives around the Creative Learning Plan could be scaled up.

Question reference: S6O-02131

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support the Proposed Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill in order to aim to save lives and tackle Scotland’s drug deaths crisis.

We will consider the proposed Right to Addiction Recovery Bill when it is introduced by Mr Ross to Parliament.

Meanwhile, we have committed £250 million pounds now, through the National Mission, to tackle the drug deaths crisis.

We are also looking to the National Collaborative – which includes people affected by substance use and their families – to bring forward a Charter of Rights.

This will aim to set out how rights in the forthcoming Human Rights Bill can be implemented to improve the lives of people affected by substance use.

Question reference: S6O-02130

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the rate of business start-ups in Scotland.

Our National Strategy for Economic Transformation sets out how we will establish Scotland as a world-class entrepreneurial nation, recognised as one of the best countries to start and grow a business.

Since the Strategy’s publication we have announced the appointment of Mark Logan as Chief Entrepreneur, launched our Techscaler network to support the creation of more tech start-ups and published the Pathways Report: A New Approach for Woman in Entrepreneurship to address the barriers woman face in entrepreneurship and business start-up.

Question reference: S6W-17277

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-02159

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scotrail regarding improving Sunday train services in west central Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02158

Asked by: Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken, in addition to its public consultation, to engage with the fishing industry and the coastal communities that could be affected by Highly Protected Marine Areas.