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-23972

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will action the recommendations made by Environmental Standards Scotland in relation to applications for new designated bathing waters in Scotland.

Scotland now has the highest number of designated Bathing Water sites ever, with the vast majority classified as good or excellent and 98% overall achieving the bathing water quality standards.

Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) published its Designation of Bathing Water Sites in Scotland Summary Report on 4 December. This the summary report and will be followed by the publication of a full report providing additional details on the background, information reviewed, ESS assessments, and the outcomes achieved.

ESS concluded in the report that that the Scottish Government’s approach to interpreting a large number of bathers in designating new bathing water sites had not affected Scotland’s performance, in comparison with other parts of the UK. They also made a small number of recommendations on minor improvements to the application form and guidance. Action to address these recommendations is underway.

Question reference: S6W-23992

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23354 by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023, whether any special advisers were present during any of those meetings.

Special advisors are regularly in attendance at Ministerial and government meetings, including weekly Cabinet meetings. They were also in attendance at the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Climate Emergency on 6 December 2022, 31 January 2023, 14 March 2023 and on 20 June 2023; the cross-party and stakeholder Climate Change Plan Advisory Group on 23 February 2023, 23 March 2023, 18 May 2023, 29 June 2023, 31 August 2023 and 5 October 2023. They were also in attendance at the liaison meetings between the Deputy First Minister and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group on 2 February 2023, 19 July 2023, 28 September 2023 and 23 November 2023.

Question reference: S6W-23934

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that SEPA fulfils its duties under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011.

Scottish Ministers are accountable to the Scottish Parliament for the activities of the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and its use of resources at a strategic level. The Scottish Government is responsible for developing the policy and regulatory framework for the protection and improvement of Scotland's water environment which SEPA have a duty to regulate and enforce.

The Scottish Government hold regular liaison meetings with SEPA to provide policy support and facilitate effective strategic engagement. These are supplemented by other regular dialogue and communications in relation to SEPA’s duties, responsibilities and performance. SEPA determine the amount of resources allocated to meeting their statutory obligations through their Annual Operating Plan in each year in agreement with the Scottish Government.

Both the Scottish Government and SEPA take all necessary steps to ensure that their relationship is developed and supported in line with the jointly agreed principles set out in the statement on ‘Strategic Engagement between the Scottish Government and Scotland’s NDPBs’ and in accordance with the ‘Scottish regulators’ strategic code of practice’.

Question reference: S6W-23958

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-01318 by Humza Yousaf on 7 September 2022, when the improvement plan for any GP surgeries in Aberdeen with poor patient satisfaction results will be published.

Question reference: S6W-23866

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) the Retail Industry Leadership Group's reported opposition to New Year's Day closure and (b) whether such an industry-led body is ever likely to support the reported calls by Usdaw and retail workers for retail stores to close on New Year's Day.

Fair Work is at the core of the Retail Strategy, benefitting retail business by making them more attractive to workers, and more resilient, productive and profitable. Any decision on New Year’s Day trading will balance our Fair Work ambition with prevailing economic conditions which remain difficult for the retail sector.

The Retail Industry Leadership Group (ILG) was established to drive and support delivery of the actions set out in the Retail Strategy, in particular on improving fair work across the sector. Its purpose is to represent the views of the industry and we value its independent analysis. The views and recommendations of the ILG is just one of the matters that Ministers take into account when determining how to proceed on any given policy issue.

Question reference: S6W-23869

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance has reportedly not permitted New Year's Day trading to be discussed in relation to the Fair Work Agreement.

The Minister previously stated that the Retail Strategy, specifically the action on fair work, was the route by which the Scottish Government wished to promote fair work practices across the whole retail sector. An approach to fair work is a priority action for the Retail Industry Leadership Group and this will pursue better conditions for all retail workers.

Therefore, New Year's Day trading can be discussed in relation to the approach on fair work if raised by members, and we welcome the continuing, constructive collaboration of the trade unions and other stakeholders in developing a fair work strategy through the Retail Industry Leadership Group and Fair Work Working Group to best realise our mutual ambition to deliver fair and rewarding jobs for retail workers.

Question reference: S6W-23909

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23449 by Mairi McAllan on 12 December 2023, what its position is on whether Fuel Duty and Vehicle Excise Duty would need to increase in order for it to achieve its target of a 20% reduction in vehicle km driven by 2030.

As outlined in the answer to S6W-23449, fuel duty and vehicle excise duty are wholly reserved to the UK Government. The UK government have acknowledged in their Net Zero Review that revenues from existing motoring taxes will decline sharply this decade as we transition away from fossil fuels and the taxes based on them. As fuel duty becomes obsolete, the UK Government needs to urgently look at a successor taxation regime for transport to reflect the changes in the sector. The Scottish Government wants a fair and progressive future transport tax system that better incentivises the transition to zero-emission vehicles, reduces emissions and raises revenues to fund policies to support a shift to more sustainable travel.

Question reference: S6W-23868

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the reported 84% of retail workers who say that working on New Year’s Day affects their ability to spend time with family.

Fair work means secure employment with fair pay and conditions, where workers are heard and represented, treated with respect and have opportunities to progress.

Our vision, shared with the Fair Work Convention, is for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025, where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and society. We deeply value the ongoing collaboration with USDAW and their stakeholders, and we view our continued engagement through the Retail Industrial Leadership Group and Fair Work Working Group as essential in ensuring we reach our ambition for fair work.

While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, we will use our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02987

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to attract and retain staff in colleges.

Question reference: S6O-02982

Current Status: Withdrawn

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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