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-19055

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last spoke with NHS (a) Lanarkshire and (b) Forth Valley regarding fracture liaison services.

Question reference: S6W-18976

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings outlined in the Manchester Arena Inquiry report, what measures are in place to ensure that individuals providing first aid cover at events in Scotland receive ongoing training and updates to maintain their skills and qualifications at an appropriate level.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance which sets out steps an employer should take to ensure the training their first aiders receive is adequate and appropriate.

The recommendations outlined in Volume 1 of the Manchester Arena Inquiry falls to the UK Government for consideration as this is a reserved matter. The UK Government have published a draft Bill – The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) (previously referred to as Martyn’s law) for pre-legislative scrutiny on 2 nd May, ahead of a full Bill being introduced to UK Parliament in the next UK parliamentary session.

Scottish Government is working closely with the UK Government in the development and progression of this Bill, which aims to enhance public safety at Publicly Accessible Locations and Events across the UK, including Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02435

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Police Scotland’s latest quarterly performance report, which found that there were 1,928 recorded crimes of online child sexual abuse during 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-19396

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the contribution of healthcare chaplains during the COVID-19 pandemic, when new guidance on spiritual care will be published.

I would like to recognise and acknowledge the vital role of spiritual care in supporting individuals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Health Organisation states that "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” and the Scottish Government affirms this statement. The ethos of spiritual care affirms that people are not merely physical bodies requiring mechanical fixing.

The Scottish Government is committed to the delivery of the highest quality of care which takes into consideration what matters most to an individual (including personal values and deeply held beliefs) – as part of this we recognise and affirm that spiritual care is a core part of person-centred care.

As part of our commitment to these aims, we have today published a national framework which will support both health and social care providers to consider, and build on the many opportunities and excellent practice which currently exist in the provision and delivery of spiritual care across Scotland and enhance Scotland’s reputation as world leaders in the development and delivery of spiritual care. The framework is available on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805258858

Question reference: S6W-19385

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding has been provided to local authorities to support the pay offers made by COSLA to the local government workforce since the 2023-24 Budget was published.

As set out in Annex A of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy, the Scottish Government has already confirmed to COSLA that a total of £343 million of additional funding will be made available to councils to support pay deals in 2023-24 over and above the allocation published in the Scottish Budget 2023-24.

Of this: £188.8 million was made available to fund the multi-year pay deal agreed by teachers; the additional £100 million for the Scottish Joint Council workforce was confirmed at Stage 3 of the Budget Bill; and Ministers have also provided reassurance to COSLA that a further £55 million, for a total of £155 million, will be provided through in-year budget management processes.

This £155 million of additional funding for the SJC workforce has already been factored into the existing COSLA pay offer and Ministers would encourage both sides to conclude negotiations as swiftly as possible.

As in previous years those transfers will be given formal effect during the annual budget revisions.

Question reference: S6W-19085

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated the average price of generation from Torness Nuclear Power Station, and, if so, what that price is.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the price of energy generated by Torness nuclear power station. This information is of a commercial nature and shared only between the contract holders and the customer.

However, what is clear is that existing nuclear is expensive: under the current contract awarded by the UK Government to Hinkley Point C, the electricity that will be generated will be priced at £92.50 per megawatt hour (using 2012 prices). In contrast, wind is one of the cheapest forms of energy. Electricity being generated from offshore wind will be priced at £37.65 per megawatt hour.

In addition to this direct funding, nuclear developers have had the potential to profit from a Contract for Difference for 35 years for Hinkley Point C and will be able to use a Regulated Asset Base funding model that further reduces their financial risk for future projects. In contrast, other technologies with high capital expenditure costs, such as Pumped Hydro Storage, have not been able to utilise these market mechanisms to facilitate deployment. We continue to call on the UK Government to put in place a suitable market mechanism for Pumped Hydro Storage developments.

Question reference: S6W-19091

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff have been based in its international offices in each of the last five years.

The number of staff based in Scottish Government International Offices in the past five years is listed in the following table.

Year	International Office	Number of Staff (both Scottish Government and Country Based Staff) - Headcount
2019-20	Brussels (Scotland House)	21
	Washington	4
	Beijing	4
	Berlin	3
	Ottawa	3
	Paris	3
	Dublin	3

2020-21	Brussels (Scotland House)	19
	Washington	5
	Beijing	4
	Berlin	3
	Ottawa	4
	Paris	3
	Dublin	3

2021-22	Brussels (Scotland House)	19
	Washington	5
	Beijing	4
	Berlin	3
	Ottawa	4
	Paris	3
	Dublin	3

2022-23	Brussels (Scotland House)	19
	Washington	5
	Beijing	4
	Berlin	3
	Ottawa	3
	Paris	3
	Dublin	3
	Copenhagen	3

2023-24	Brussels (Scotland House)	17
	Washington	4
	Beijing	4
	Berlin	3
	Ottawa	3
	Paris	3
	Dublin	3
	Copenhagen	3

Question reference: S6W-19398

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will update the Agricultural Reform Route Map.

I have today published on the Scottish Government web pages a revised and updated Agricultural Reform Route Map . The overarching aim of the Route Map is to help farmers and crofters prepare for the change needed to deliver the ambitious aims set out in the Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture.

This second edition sets out the process for changing to a new agricultural support framework. It includes information on important dates, the measures being considered now, when current schemes will transition or end and the support available now.

It focusses on preparing for the first changes from 2025, which include:

the maintenance of existing cross compliance requirements as a minimum on future support;
the introduction of new protections for Peatlands and Wetlands as a new condition on basic payments;
the foundations of a Whole Farm Plan, including soil testing, animal health and welfare declaration, carbon audits, biodiversity audits and supported business planning;
the introduction of new conditions to the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme linked to calving intervals to encourage livestock keepers to reduce the emissions intensity of their cattle production systems.

To help farmers and crofters prepare for these forthcoming changes, the Scottish Government will now begin an intensive engagement programme. This includes producing leaflet for use both digitally and physically. These cover getting ready for 2025 as well as specific information on Animal Health and Welfare interventions, Soil Analysis and Carbon Audits. The programme will also include targeted stakeholder communications and roadshow attendance at a series of forthcoming agricultural and local shows, and Autumn markets.

Question reference: S6W-19111

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have accessed alcohol treatment services in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Data on the number of people accessing alcohol treatment services in Scotland is available from Public Health Scotland’s “National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times” series of reports. It includes specific figures on the number of service users who have completed a wait to commence specialist alcohol treatment.

It is published by Public Health Scotland and covers the period from 01 April 2011 onwards as earlier data is not available.

The reports covering the period from April 2011 to September 2019 can be found via the URL link below:

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol-Misuse/Publications/ .

The reports covering the period from October 2019 to December 2022 can be found via the URL link below:

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol-Misuse/Publications/

Although the data is publicly available online, in order to answer the above question, it is necessary to combine extracts from multiple reports. Results have been presented in Table 1. Not all necessary data, however, is available to answer the question fully, which explains blank boxes in the table.

Table 1. Number of service users who have completed a wait to commence specialist alcohol treatment

Board	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
NHSScotland	27595	28467	32556	31627	30373	29450	28061	26895	22725	19605	19617
Ayrshire & Arran			1777	1568	1451	1353	1419	1359	1439	1146	1546
Borders			431	399	381	387	298	312	283	278	310
Dumfries & Galloway			922	882	916	795	858	693	745	738	918
Fife			1635	1539	1604	1540	1375	1330	1448	1088	1092
Forth Valley			1491	1423	1746	1425	1346	987	893	797	773
Grampian			1761	1544	1616	1746	1477	1396	1455	1026	1214
Greater Glasgow & Clyde			11895	11905	11027	11095	10648	10482	6622	5598	4901
Highland			1531	1564	1315	1332	1131	1134	1059	869	735
Lanarkshire			5727	6192	5475	5174	5159	5393	5062	4751	4789
Lothian			3303	2964	3000	2960	2995	2544	2565	2154	2303
Orkney			54	36	34	30	41	24	29	35	23
Shetland			73	55	79	41	62	46	53	31	54
Tayside			1651	1336	1482	1380	1110	970	945	995	912
Western Isles			305	220	247	192	142	201	127	99	47

Question reference: S6W-19123

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many reports of animals being hit by vehicles Police Scotland has received in each year for which data is available.

The following table shows the number of a nimals involved in injury collisions that were hit in the carriageway.

Animals involved in injury road collisions that were hit in the carriageway

	Animal excluding ridden horse	Ridden horse	Total
1999	Not available	5	5
2000	Not available	3	3
2001	Not available	3	3
2002	Not available	5	5
2003	Not available	3	4
2004	Not available	1	4
2005	47	3	50
2006	53	3	56
2007	45	2	47
2008	54	4	58
2009	46	3	49
2010	38	3	41
2011	41	2	43
2012	43	4	47
2013	38	0	38
2014	26	1	27
2015	33	3	36
2016	39	0	39
2017	24	0	24
2018	20	1	21
2019	20	2	22
2020	22	1	23
2021	8	1	9
2022	14	0	14