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-18270

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can detail when the short-life working group, established by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) to carry out a robust workforce review and mapping exercise of posts across the network, (a) last met and (b) will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-18256

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when Trucheck cancer-detecting blood tests, which reportedly have 92% to 93.1% accuracy, will be made available on the NHS.

Any healthcare products being used by NHS Scotland require the undertaking of due diligence to ensure the safety of everyone concerned. This involves seeking clinical advice and undertaking a full health technology assessment (HTA).

In the first instance, all health technologies must be registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before being placed on the market.

Following that, we refer enquiries around health technologies to the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG), who are part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland. SHTG undertake HTAs, providing evidence support and advice on the use of new and existing health technologies. This includes analysing the benefits, costs, ease of implementation as well as considering any unintended clinical consequences which may arise.

It is ultimately for the 14 Territorial Health Boards across Scotland to decide whether to procure and apply this intervention as part of their treatment for patients. Health Boards receive support from Healthcare Improvement Scotland and SHTG in making such decisions.

The SHTG has not provided advice on the use of Trucheck to date.

Question reference: S6W-18245

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that changes to short-term lets legislation is causing rising costs for accommodation in Edinburgh (a) in general and (b) during the Edinburgh festivals.

Concerns regarding accommodation costs during the August Festivals pre-date short-term licensing mandatory standards, whereby the success of festivals and tourism within Scotland in recent years has seen increased visitors during peak holiday periods, which has resulted in higher demand for accommodation in the central Edinburgh area.

Short-term lets continue to be a growing sector and as such Scotland is not alone globally in deciding to regulate the sector. Licensing is now in place to ensure short-term lets are safe and the people providing them are suitable. Guests can have confidence that licensed hosts and accommodation have reached a recognised standard of assurance complying with mandatory conditions such as fire, gas, water and electrical safety. Many hosts are already complying with these through existing law or best practice, and we do not consider them onerous.

This additional assurance is expected to enhance Edinburgh’s reputation as an attractive, high quality, all-year round destination and help towards delivering the six-council City Region Regional Prosperity Framework Delivery Plan & 2023-24 Prospectus. 39% of the 2.2 million tickets for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022 were sold to Edinburgh locals, which was an increase of 4% on 2019, pre-COVID figures.

We continue to work with Festivals Edinburgh, the City of Edinburgh Council and industry groups (such as the Events Industry Advisory Group) to continue to support them to build on this success, and to address associated challenges. This is in addition to our continued support to the sector, including fourteen major festivals in Edinburgh and Glasgow receiving a share of this year’s £1.8 million Expo Fund.

Question reference: S6W-18275

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when each of the 32 winning projects of the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, announced on 18 May 2023, received their funding.

Question reference: S6W-18272

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can detail the membership of the short-life working group, established by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) to carry out a robust workforce review and mapping exercise of posts across the network.

Question reference: S6W-18125

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken on public land that is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland to ensure that nests of (a) raptors, (b) red squirrels and (c) other protected woodland fauna are protected during the harvesting of commercial woodlands and at the time of their respective breeding seasons, where applicable.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take the protection of (a) raptors, (b) red squirrels and (c) other protected woodland fauna within our woodlands very seriously, and when appropriate conduct our operations outwith their breeding seasons to avoid disturbance.

FLS adhere to the industry guidance set by the Scottish Government forestry regulator, Scottish Forestry, and where necessary apply for and follow the species licencing process regulated by NatureScot.

FLS have rigorous planning systems, checks and procedures with accompanying guidance to ensure all regulations and licence requirements to protect species are followed.

Question reference: S6O-02351

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to prevent recent cuts to bus services in Renfrewshire.

Question reference: S6O-02348

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that local authorities have encountered difficulties in engaging electric vehicle charger contractors to repair EV charge points.

Question reference: S6O-02352

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what value it places on resourcing community sport as part of efforts to eradicate health inequalities.

Question reference: S6O-02349

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to the Forth Bike scheme and its partners, in the light of the scheme ceasing to operate.