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-12635

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of suspected fraud have been referred to Scottish Courts by Social Security Scotland since the organisation became operational, broken down by (a) year and (b) benefit.

Social Security Scotland carefully considers the information on counter fraud activity that can be placed into the public domain to ensure that any information released does not undermine the ability of Social Security Scotland to prevent and detect crime. We consider that releasing figures for referrals to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal could be prejudicial to ongoing investigations.

Social Security Scotland regularly publishes information on detected suspected fraud in its Annual Report and Accounts. The most recent Annual Report and Accounts covering the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022, were laid before the Scottish Parliament on 7 November 2022 and were also published on Social Security Scotland’s website: Social Security Scotland - Annual Report 2021-2022 .

Question reference: S6W-12657

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any plans to remove any Hikvision cameras that are currently being used within the Police Scotland estate.

Question reference: S6W-12545

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many Ukrainian refugees, who were initially residing on the MS Victoria, have since been moved to long-term accommodation.

The Scottish Government’s priority is to ensure that displaced people from Ukraine are able to stay in appropriate temporary accommodation and get the right support ahead of moving into safe, sustainable longer-term accommodation.

We do not want people to spend any more time than absolutely necessary in temporary welcome accommodation. That is why, we are taking action to match those on board the ships to longer-term accommodation and private host homes, with matching teams operating on board both ships. We are also supporting guests to secure longer-term accommodation through other means, such as private rental.

At present, the MS Victoria I is accommodating around 1,250 displaced people from Ukraine, including families and children. Further to this, the ship has accommodated many more people over the past four months who have now been matched to longer-term accommodation or supported to make alternative decisions about where they would like to live. More detailed data on the number of people who have moved on from the MS Victoria I will be provided as part of our Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland: statistics publication in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12596

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Scottish Ministers have used their powers to make tree preservation orders in each year since 2011.

Both Scottish Ministers and the planning authority have a duty to ensure, whenever appropriate, that in granting permission for any development adequate provision is made for the preservation or planting of trees. In addition, a planning authority or the Scottish Ministers may make a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) if it appears to them to be expedient to do so and where relevant statutory tests are met.

The general principle under which the planning system operates in Scotland is that decisions should be taken at the most local administrative level unless there are compelling reasons for taking them at a higher level.

In line with this approach, Scottish Ministers will only use their powers with regards to tree preservation orders (TPOs) in exceptional circumstances where national issues of importance are raised. As such, we have no record of any TPOs made by Scottish Ministers since 2011.

More detail about tree preservation orders is available in Circular 1/2011: Tree Preservation Orders at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/01/28152314/0 .

Question reference: S6W-12501

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs have taken up the Scottish Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme in NHS (a) Grampian, (b) Highland, (c) Orkney, (d) Shetland and (e) Western Isles in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6O-01675

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timeframe for the implementation of the recommendations of the 2016 Sludge Review into the spreading of sewage sludge on land.

Recommended actions from the 2016 sludge review already completed include publication last year, of the James Hutton Institute's report on the impacts on human health and the environment arising from the spreading of sewage sludge to land, and implementation of the remedial actions that were recommended be taken by Scottish Water.

The legislative changes recommended by the review are being implemented via the Integrated Authorisation Framework regulations. Development of these regulations was delayed due to Covid-19 and other priority work, however work has now recommenced.

A consultation on the proposed regulations is due to be published in 2023 and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals relating to sewage sludge.

Question reference: S6O-01700

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any changes to the current devolution settlement should only be implemented with the explicit democratic consent of the Scottish people.

Question reference: S6O-01706

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that NHS boards comply with public procurement rules in relation to the purchase and operation of specialist medical equipment.

Question reference: S6O-01707

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the next steps are in implementing buffer zones outside abortion clinics in Scotland, in light of the UK Supreme Court judgement on this issue handed down on 7 December 2022.

Question reference: S6O-01702

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the National Treatment Centre - Highland will be fully operational.

	Feb-17	Aug-17	Feb-18	Aug-18	Feb-19	Aug-19	Feb-20	Aug-20	Feb-21	Aug-21	Feb-22	Aug-22	Total Feb 2017 - Aug 2022
Grampian			4	5	1	3	3	5	1	5		4	31
Highland	1	13	4	10	4	16	2	18	5	11	1	14	99
Orkney		1					1	1	1			1	5
Shetland			2				2	2		1		1	8
Western Isles		2		2		2		2			1	2	11