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-16015

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the letter from the Scottish Government’s Health Finance Directorate to NHS boards stating that all capital investment projects are paused and that only projects that are legally committed to will be funded for the financial years to 2025-26, whether the plans to build the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion replacement project will be delayed, and when it expects this project will be completed and the asset to be operational.

The Health Finance Directorate has not written to NHS Boards stating that all capital investment projects should be paused. The Directorate does however, engage regularly with all NHS Boards, including NHS Lothian, on the overall funding position for both capital and revenue budgets. The replacement of the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion remains a government priority and the Scottish Government engage regular with the NHS Lothian team on project timescales.

Question reference: S6W-16100

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15610 by Michael Matheson on 14 March 2023, when it expects that new guidance on noise limits and amplitude modulation will be produced, following the review of ETSU-R-97, and whether it will impose a moratorium on the approval of all onshore windfarm proposals until such new guidance is produced.

Question reference: S6W-16110

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many households in Scotland are on the Priority Services Register.

Question reference: S6W-16108

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop and support a town planning apprenticeship scheme.

We are supporting the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Scotland and Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) to implement the recommendations of the Future Planners Project Report.

The Future Planners Project Report, commissioned by the Scottish Government and carried out by HOPS and RTPI in 2022, explored the options available to support the growth of entrants into the planning profession in Scotland. The Report recommended that the RTPI lead on introducing a planning apprenticeship scheme over the next 3 years. We are currently supporting the RTPI to promote the case for creation of a planning apprenticeship scheme.

Question reference: S6W-16306

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has held with housing developers regarding the implementation of the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

Officials have met with housing developers throughout the preparation of NPF4. Most recently, Planning, Housing and Analytical officials met with members of the industry to discuss matters relating to Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) on 6 February 2023. This followed the Local Government and Housing Committee’s consideration of NPF4. We will continue to work with Homes for Scotland and their members as we move to deliver NPF4.

Question reference: S6W-16226

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14079 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 February 2023, how many potholes were (a) reported to and (b) repaired by Transport Scotland in Skye in each month of (i) 2021 and (ii) 2022.

The following tables show how many potholes have been reported and repaired by Transport Scotland’s Operating Company, BEAR Scotland, in Skye in each month of (i) 2021 and (ii) 2022.

2021	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Potholes Reported	14	13	15	17	10	5	8	2	6	6	4	4
Potholes Repaired	14	12	15	17	10	5	8	2	6	6	4	4

2022	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Potholes Reported	3	8	12	10	16	9	8	4	1	7	8	11
Potholes Repaired	3	8	11	10	16	9	8	4	1	7	4	6

The number of reported potholes may differ to the number repaired within the same month. Reasons for this include delays due to severe weather, restrictions on the network, although temporary repairs will have been made, and repairs being completed the following month while still meeting the requirement to be permanently repaired within 28 days.

Question reference: S6W-16092

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14660 by Shona Robison on 6 March 2023, whether further steps will be taken to ensure that people who need incontinence pads will be able to afford them, in particular, people who are (a) not eligible for prescription pads or (b) eligible for a limited supply of prescription pads but exceed the amount that they are eligible for.

NHS Boards regularly assess continence patients' needs, with the assessments undertaken by dedicated Bladder and Bowel Teams or community nursing staff. This ensures that patients' needs are met, either through treatment or provision of appropriate containment products. Referrals can also be made by patients' GPs where necessary, and also by a range of other healthcare professionals including pharmacists, consultants and care home staff.

Where a patient has been assessed as requiring continence products, these are provided by their local NHS Board's continence service on prescription. As such, any person that is suffering from incontinence should seek a referral to their local continence service in order that their incontinence can be assessed, treated where appropriate, or managed through the prescription of continence products.

Whilst NHS Boards follow the guidance contained in the Association for Continence Advice Scotland paper 'Guidance for the provision of absorbent pads for adult incontinence - Scotland' that the number of absorbent pads issued in each 24 hour period would not normally exceed 4, it is stressed that provision should meet assessed clinical need. This will include determining the amount of urine being passed daily by the patient, and consequently the appropriate absorbency level for the absorbent pads being prescribed.

There is no expectation for an individual to buy continence products where they have been assessed as requiring them, so any patient that feels that their prescription does not meet their needs should raise their concerns with their local continence service in order that their incontinence can be reassessed and their prescription adjusted if appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-16079

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that there is a holistic approach to improving people’s food choices by raising awareness of healthy alternatives, and not only focusing on the reduction of unhealthy foods and ingredients.

Our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan sets out actions to support everyone in Scotland to eat well and be a healthy weight. These include holistic actions in a variety of settings to raise awareness of healthier food options.

The Plan is underpinned by our Scottish Dietary Goals . Taken together, the actions articulate a holistic approach across the food chain and within society. These include proposals for a mix of: restrictions on less healthy food provision (such as those on promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt) and actions to make it easier to access healthier options.

An example of our holistic approach is Parent Club, which links together advice on diet with other issues that parents and carers may want advice on. The Parent Club Family Support Directory raises awareness of different food choices and links resources for healthy eating, including: Best Start Foods, free nursery milk, and information on free school meals and the Young Patients Family Fund. The Parent Club Recipe Database includes healthy, low cost options and alternatives approved by nutritionists.

In addition, Food Standards Scotland has published an online dietary guidance resource, Eat Well, Your Way | Eat well, your way (eatwellyourway.scot) , which delivers evidence-based dietary advice along with practical tips in a user-friendly format.

Question reference: S6W-16075

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many taxi drivers in Dundee were successful in applying for Energy Saving Trust's (a) Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund and (b) Switched on Taxis Loan.

The Scottish Government provides annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST) who are an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency. EST then administer the Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund and the Switched-on Taxi Loan on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

For the Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund no funding has been paid to taxi owners/operators in Dundee. This is due to the taxi vehicles operating in Dundee mainly comprising of make/models that are unsuitable for retrofitting.

Since 2019 until the 28 February 2023 the Switched-on Taxi Loan has supported 12 taxi owners/operators in Dundee by providing interest free loans to support the purchase of new taxis.

Question reference: S6W-16083

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of GP practices in NHS (a) Lanarkshire and (b) Forth Valley that are at risk of closure.