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-12841

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much the process of co-design for the National Care Service will cost.

A Financial Memorandum was published alongside the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill which sets out a range of costs that could be incurred within the establishment and running of the NCS. This included anticipated costs for co-design.

For people participating in the Lived Experience Experts Panel expense costs they incur to participate will be remunerated. The cost of co-design will therefore be dependent on the level of engagement and remuneration claimed by individuals for the cost of participating. A policy document on remuneration is currently being drafted and will be published before the end of the current financial year.

Question reference: S6W-12875

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether minimum unit pricing has achieved its aims, in light of reports that 2021 saw the highest number of alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland since 2008.

We are currently in the process of evaluating minimum unit pricing (MUP) as a whole over its first five years of operation. Public Health Scotland will be producing a final report on MUP in 2023, which will inform our evaluation report which will be laid in Parliament and published in 2023.

We will review the final evaluation report from Public Health Scotland before drawing overall conclusions on whether the policy has achieved its aims.

Question reference: S6W-12842

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to repeal any elements of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 as part of its plans to create a National Care Service.

Question reference: S6W-12834

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will inherit any local authority liabilities in relation to any assets transferred to the National Care Service.

Question reference: S6W-12828

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what length of time it expects the transfer of staff to the National Care Service to take under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations.

Paragraph 48 of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum sets out the local decisions required. This can be accessed at: https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/national-care-service-scotland-bill/introduced

These local decisions will inform future discussions on any staff transfers. The length of time taken to transfer staff is directly related to these local level decisions.

Question reference: S6W-12872

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of reported evidence that shows some people dependent on alcohol reduce other expenditure, such as on food and utilities.

We are concerned by evidence about the financial strain some economically vulnerable groups are experiencing, such as those dependent on alcohol. We are working on a range of actions to make alcohol treatment services more accessible to those who need them, to support individuals to reduce their alcohol consumption.

Anyone worried about affording essentials like food or fuel should contact their local authority where they can be put in contact with local advice and support.

Our cost of living website provides information on the wide range of advice and financial support available.

Question reference: S6W-12856

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce the appointment of a Women's Health Champion, and when the role holder will commence their duties.

Question reference: S6W-12839

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to undertake the process of co-design for the National Care Service.

We are committed to working collaboratively to design the National Care Service with people, stakeholders and partners. We published a document on the National Care Service and the co-design process on 21 June 2022. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-care-service-co-design-national-care-service/documents/

To find out more about what co-design is, the phases of work involved and the activities and tools that can be used to support we have been running introductory sessions for the public. Further information on upcoming sessions can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/policies/social-care/national-care-service/

Question reference: S6W-12759

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the time that has elapsed since the passage of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, whether the next National Marine Plan will include interim spatial plans to give clarity on appropriate locations for all economic activities in Scotland's inshore waters until the relevant regional marine plans have been adopted.

Regional marine plans are currently being developed for 3 out of the 11 Scottish Marine Regions (Orkney, Shetland and the Clyde) with preparatory work being undertaken by Local Coastal Partnerships in other regions.

The purpose of a National Marine Plan is to set out the strategic policies for the sustainable development of our marine resources. The current National Marine Plan identifies broad spatial areas for certain types of activity (e.g. RENEWABLES 1 and AQUACULTURE 1, 2 and 3).

NMP2 will be developed in accordance with the policies, including the National Spatial Strategy, set out in the fourth National Planning Framework (once adopted)

Question reference: S6W-12763

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10464 by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022, how many proposed (a) homes and (b) projects included in affordable housing supply programme grant applications that it has agreed to have been (i) below and (ii) above benchmark, also broken down by baseline benchmark type, in (A) August, (B) September, (C) October and (D) November 2022.

The following table shows the number of homes and projects that have been approved in August, September, October and November 2022, broken down by baseline benchmark type and whether above, at, or below benchmark:

City and Urban

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Approved against Benchmark	11	10	13	11	45
Total No. of Homes Approved against Benchmark	226	226	321	353	1,126
No. of Projects Approved ABOVE Benchmark	7	5	10	7	29
No. of Homes Approved ABOVE Benchmark	156	155	258	94	663
No. of Projects Approved AT Benchmark		1	2	2	5
No. of Homes Approved AT Benchmark		24	53	54	131
No. of Projects Approved BELOW Benchmark	4	4	1	2	11
No. of Homes Approved BELOW Benchmark	70	47	10	205	332

Other Rural

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Approved against Benchmark	1	2	1	3	7
Total No. of Homes Approved against Benchmark	28	76	1	63	168
No. of Projects Approved ABOVE Benchmark			1	3	4
No. of Homes Approved ABOVE Benchmark			1	55	56
No. of Projects Approved AT Benchmark	1	1			2
No. of Homes Approved AT Benchmark	28	20			48
No. of Projects Approved BELOW Benchmark		1		1	2
No. of Homes Approved BELOW Benchmark		56		8	64

West Highland, Island Authorities & Remote/ Rural Argyll

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Approved against Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
Total No. of Homes Approved against Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Approved ABOVE Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
No. of Homes Approved ABOVE Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Approved AT Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Approved AT Benchmark					0
No. of Projects Approved BELOW Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Approved BELOW Benchmark					0