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-21323

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the potential for again making available free COVID-19 testing to the general population, in light of recent reports of new variants and a potential winter rise in cases and mutations.

Targeted testing is in place to support clinical decision making and surveillance. We are working closely with Public Health Scotland, our clinical advisors and the other UK nations to routinely review our position and the clinical advice on COVID-19 in light of new variants. Evidence to date does not support a return to widespread community testing however we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Question reference: S6W-21190

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much funding has been made available by NHS boards for hospices in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospice.

Question reference: S6W-20808

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of the impact of the reported housing shortage on housing policies that are aimed at military service leavers and veterans.

Our veterans and armed forces community are an asset to our society and we want to make sure they have a suitable home that meets their needs. Funding can be made available through our Affordable Housing Supply Programme to deliver homes specifically for veterans where local authorities identify this as a strategic priority. Veterans and armed forces personnel also have priority access to the Low-Cost Initiative for First Time Buyers shared equity scheme. The Scottish Government continue to support Housing Options Scotland which includes their Military Matters project and our social housing allocations practice guidance includes a specific section on armed forces and veterans to help landlords consider the needs of this group and respond appropriately.

Question reference: S6W-21326

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest and revised best estimation is for the in-service delivery date for when the Glen Sannox ferry will be operable on the CalMac route, and the total estimated overall cost of the vessel upon delivery.

Question reference: S6W-21266

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17809 by Jenni Minto on 17 May 2023, whether NHS Highland has recruited a permanent dentist for Campbeltown.

There are now 2 independent dentists working in the Campbeltown area listed with NHS Highland to provide NHS General Dental Services. In addition, a Public Dental Service (PDS) dentist visits Campbeltown one day per month to provide NHS dental care and advice to patients. NHS Highland is currently recruiting for a replacement PDS Senior Dental Officer/Tutor in the area.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with NHS Highland to review all aspects of NHS dental service delivery and provide support on local solutions to improve NHS dental access in the area.

Question reference: S6W-21204

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more local authorities to consider and utilise their existing powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to reduce non-domestic rates.

It is for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver services to their local communities.

Local authorities have powers to award discretionary local relief under section 3A of the Local Government (Financial Provisions etc.) (Scotland) Act 1962, as inserted by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. When considering the use of these powers, local authorities are statutorily required to have regard to their expenditure and income, and the interests of persons liable to pay council tax set by them.

The Scottish Government devolved empty property relief on 1 April 2023 with a generous additional revenue transfer of £105m annually to local government guaranteed for the next three years. Councils can use this funding as they see fit, including to offer local relief to empty property. All councils have introduced local relief schemes for empty property in their area for 2023-24, details of which may differ by council.

Question reference: S6W-21183

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities its ministers have met with to discuss any concerns regarding their future financial sustainability.

Question reference: S6W-21186

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it plans to run a public consultation on its Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-21344

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether mask mandates will return.

The present state of the pandemic has been transformed by science, moving away from population level restrictions to strong programmes of vaccination and therapeutics.

As part of our enhanced surveillance systems, we continue to monitor, assess and be ready to respond to COVID-19 and other health threats. Any response including change to guidance on use of face coverings or face masks will be driven by the data and evidence gathered as well as expert advice as illustrated in the answer to question S6W-18103 on 31 May 2023 from Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour.

A risk-based approach to face coverings and face masks is in place across all settings with respect for those who may be unable to or wish to wear a face covering.

There are currently no general Covid-19 restrictions in place but the advice remains the same – please take up the offer of vaccination when invited, and try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection. If you have symptoms but do need to go out, wear a well-fitting face covering if possible.

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: S6W-21381

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support National Museums Scotland with approaching the City of Long Beach, California, regarding the potential acquisition of at least one of the original lifeboats from the RMS Queen Mary that were built by Hugh McLean & Sons Ltd, of Govan, Glasgow, for Scotland's national collection, in light of reported proposals to scrap 19 of the 22 boats.

This is an operational matter for National Museums Scotland and the Board of Trustees.

National Museums Scotland has advised officials that it is not looking to acquire one of the lifeboats from the RMS Queen Mary for the National Collection.

NMS does not actively collect full sized aquatic vessels in its transport collection. Space and storage limitations would prevent them from being able to care appropriately for an object of this size.