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-14856

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that only two of its buildings have a heat pump installed; what action it will take to increase the number of its buildings that have a heat pump installed, and within what timescale will any such action be undertaken.

Currently 1 building on the core Scottish Government estate has a heat pump installed (Tweedbank)

Feasibility studied will be carried out in the first quarter of 2023/24 financial year to look at a range of renewable technologies for the estate, including air source heat pumps.

Timescale for installing air source heat pumps to suitable buildings:-

2023-24 – (1st quarter) - Feasibility studies will be carried out with business cases and funding applications submitted for suitable projects.
2023-24 – (2nd quarter) - Apply, design and install power cable upgrades if required or – if the incoming power needs to be increased from the supplier.
2023-24 – (3rd/4th quarter quarter) - Design, tender, appoint a contractor, planning permissions
2024-25 – Installation of ASHP, radiators, pipework.

Question reference: S6W-14559

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to house the reported 1,111 Ukrainians currently onboard MS Ambition after 31 March 2023.

Since November 2022, Scottish Government officials and Glasgow City Council engage regularly to undertake a Joint Assurance Review to ensure exit planning for the exit of the MS Ambition remains on track.

Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have been meeting with guests to help them make an informed decision about their next accommodation and where possible, we are seeking to move a displaced people according to their needs. The lack of suitable properties in Glasgow however means that it is unlikely that everyone on board MS Ambition will be able to be accommodated in Glasgow.

Should guests be unable to secure alternative accommodation or not accept an offer of accommodation from the Scottish Government matching team or Glasgow City Council, they will be allocated alternative welcome accommodation before 31 March 2023.

Question reference: S6W-14985

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is developing a discrete semiconductor strategy to complement the UK Government semiconductor strategy, and whether it has given particular consideration to the development of a flexible semiconductor manufacturing capability in Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the semiconductor sector in a global context. We are privileged in Scotland to have a number of strong semiconductor companies, several of which I have had the pleasure to visit recently. I have also recently written to the BEIS Committee highlighting the strengths and capabilities of our semiconductor sector, in response to its recent semiconductor inquiry report.

Once the UK Semiconductor Strategy is published, we will assess how well it suits the needs of Scotland’s semiconductor industry. I would note that we have an extensive support infrastructure in place in Scotland to support innovation and flexibility in manufacturers. This includes the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), backed by £75 million of Scottish Government investment. Its headquarters will open later this year. Our upcoming Innovation Strategy will also support the development of innovative sectors to meet global economic challenges.

Question reference: S6W-14913

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding applicable safety standards to protect (a) offshore workers and (b) seafarers from Scotland working on internationally flagged vessels in waters over 12 nautical miles from the Scottish coastline.

The Scottish Government expects the highest safety and crew welfare and employment conditions for all workers employed in offshore and maritime industries.

Safety standards for offshore workers in the UK Continental Shelf are regulated in Great Britain by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and is a reserved matter for the UK Government. All relevant legislation was enacted prior to devolution.

Maritime safety is also a reserved competence of the UK Government undertaken by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Maritime Labour Convention came into force in the UK on 7 August 2014. It sets out the minimum working and living rights for seafarers with the onus on operators.

Question reference: S6W-14747

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what sector-specific skills development plan it has with the aquaculture sector.

The Scottish Government worked with Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and others in the aquaculture sector to develop an Aquaculture Skills Action Plan in December 2018. The Action Plan was developed following a sector skills review ‘Skills review for the aquaculture sector in Scotland’, undertaken on behalf of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and published in the same year.

Lantra is the skills interests organisation of land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation businesses and organisations across Scotland, and their activities are supported by the Scottish Government. Lantra coordinate the Aquaculture Skills Group that progresses the Aquaculture Skills Plan, with support from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre and other stakeholders in the aquaculture sector.

The Scottish Government is also considering the skills and development opportunities required for aquaculture and other land-based sectors through the work of the independent Commission for the Land-Based Learning Review. The Commission reported the conclusion of its review in January 2023. As committed to in the Programme for Government, we will consider the recommendations made by the Commission in its review and produce a response.

Question reference: S6W-14709

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with stakeholders to write the guidance documents that will accompany the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), specifically those relating to national developments on peatland and wild land areas, and, if so, how stakeholders can participate in this process.

Our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Delivery Programme, published November 2022, provides an overview of actions to be taken to support delivery, including the preparation of guidance documents.

Our Onshore Wind Policy Statement, published December 2022, also sets out our commitment to convening an expert group, including representatives from industry, agencies and academia, to provide advice to the Scottish Government on how guidance could be developed to support both our peatland and onshore wind aims.

Question reference: S6W-14556

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of land each local authority (a) currently owns and (b) owned (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 20 years ago.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that current ownership for each local authority is provided in the following table. This is provided from a combination of titles in the Land Register and General Register of Sasines, and as the areas held in Sasines are indicative rather than definitive it provides a best estimate.

Whilst it is possible to retrieve historic ownership details for specific plots of land, Scotland-wide views of the Land Register showing aggregate ownership by specific parties at five, 10, or 20 years ago are not maintained, and the nature of the General Register of Sasines means it is not feasible to retrieve historic ownership information en masse .

Local Authority	Area (hectares)
Aberdeen City	1,100
Aberdeenshire	764
Angus	825
Argyll and Bute	143
City of Edinburgh	1,434
Clackmannanshire	665
Dumfries and Galloway	454
Dundee City	523
East Ayrshire	645
East Dunbartonshire	325
East Lothian	854
East Renfrewshire	405
Falkirk	798
Fife	2,823
Glasgow City	1,622
Highland	1,164
Inverclyde	1,956
Midlothian	378
Moray	424
Na h-Eileanan an Iar	4
North Ayrshire	1,858
North Lanarkshire	7,018
Orkney Islands	417
Perth and Kinross	440
Renfrewshire	1,849
Scottish Borders	1,391
Shetland Islands	2,989
South Ayrshire	186
South Lanarkshire	3,653
Stirling	1,091
West Dunbartonshire	478
West Lothian	5,274
Total	43,949

Figures were current on 6 February 2023.

Question reference: S6W-14624

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight mechanisms it has in place to monitor the decisions made by Circularity Scotland in respect of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Scotland’s deposit return scheme is being delivered and funded by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland. This model is in line with standard practice in other schemes across Europe. The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 set out the obligations of a scheme administrator including that they must provide any information requested by the Scottish Ministers or SEPA for the purposes of monitoring compliance with the requirements in regulations. Scottish Ministers and Scottish Government officials continue to work with Circularity Scotland ahead of the launch in August.

Question reference: S6T-01181

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on pay negotiations between teaching unions and COSLA, in light of the EIS rejecting the most recent offer and reports that industrial action is set to continue.

Question reference: S6T-01182

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a report by WWF Scotland that states that Scotland will fall "significantly short" of its target for decarbonising heating in homes.