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-15946

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ministers have had with electricity distribution network operators regarding any grid upgrades that would be required in the event that Scotland saw a significant increase in the installation of solar panels.

As regulations governing electricity networks, including connection, are reserved to the UK Government the Scottish Government has no power determine what investments are made by the distribution network operators (DNOs) on their networks.

The Scottish Government has been working with DNOs in Scotland and other stakeholders to ensure that network business plans reflect the scale and pace of deployment necessary to meet Scotland’s net zero and interim climate change targets.

Question reference: S6W-15760

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish in full the data shared with it by individual housing associations on their planned rent increases that "indicates that the average rent increase will be around 6.1% across the country" in 2023-24, as referred to in the Scottish Government and Housing Associations' Statement of Intent on Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis 2023-24, and whether it will provide a list of any notified rent increases, broken down by housing association.

The Scottish Housing Regulator rather than the Scottish Government is the body which collects data on planned rent increases as part of their role to monitor social landlords performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter. They have published details of the rent increases which Scottish social landlords will apply in 2023-24 for social housing tenants. The report shows average rent increases by social landlord's will be 5%. Rent increases by Scottish social landlords 2023/24 - March 2023 | Scottish Housing Regulator

The survey report, based on returns from 136 RSLs and the 29 local authorities that have housing stock, includes average percentage increase applied by landlords, the median rent increase and actual rent increases applied by each landlord.

Question reference: S6W-15759

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring whether the average housing association rent increase will be around 6.1% on average across the country in 2023-24, as referred to in the Scottish Government and Housing Associations' Statement of Intent on Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis 2023-24.

We have worked intensively with social landlords to develop an agreement on below-inflation rent increases for the next financial year. The Scottish Housing Regulator has published details of the rent increases which Scottish social landlords will apply in 2023-24 for social housing tenants. The report shows average rent increases by social landlords will be 5%. Rent increases by Scottish social landlords 2023/24 - March 2023 | Scottish Housing Regulator

These increases, based on consultations with tenants, will strike an appropriate balance between protecting tenants and ensuring that landlords can maintain a balance between affordability and sustainable investment in social housing for public good.

Question reference: S6W-15786

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to address the situation whereby the available noise budget at Eskdalemuir Seismic Array is being allocated to Section 36 wind farm projects at scoping stage, while wind farm applications to Dumfries and Galloway Council have to wait until the application is submitted to be allocated a share of any available noise budget.

Safeguarding the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence and any decision to amend the seismic noise budget for the array is a decision for the UK Government.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the seismic noise budget for the Eskdalemuir consultation zone has been consumed and that currently the Ministry of Defence will object to all developments within the consultation zone, both Section 36 applications and local planning applications, in order to protect the operation of the array.

Question reference: S6W-15761

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which registered social landlords have consulted on an above-average rent increase, as referred to in the Scottish Government and Housing Associations' Statement of Intent on Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis 2023-24.

The Scottish Government does not collect information on what rent increase options individual social landlords consulted their tenants on. The Scottish Housing Regulator report on the rent increases social landlords will apply in 2023-24 Rent increases by Scottish social landlords 2023/24 - March 2023 | Scottish Housing Regulator includes details of actual rent increases applied by each landlord.

Question reference: S6W-15809

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to undertake a programme of internal engagement and awareness-raising, to raise the profile of children and young people with additional support needs, between now and November 2023.

The Scottish Government is working with local government partners on the Additional Support for Learning Project Board to deliver the recommendations of the 2020 additional support for learning review by March 2026. As outlined in our updated action plan published in November 2022, we have committed to undertaking an internal awareness raising programme following a policy mapping exercise. This work will contribute to a positive communications plan to ensure visibility and awareness of additional support for learning and children and young people’s successes and achievements across a range of policies. This work is currently on track and will build upon the existing ongoing engagement across policy portfolios.

Progress can be followed through the published minutes of the Project Board . A further progress update is due to be published in May 2024.

Question reference: S6W-15810

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it has worked with its partners to ensure that any work in relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is reflected in all aspects of strategic planning for children and young people's education.

The Scottish Government are committed to working with COSLA, ADES and our partners to deliver improvements in additional support for learning implementation and to ensure meaningful change for children and young people through our Additional Support for Learning Action Plan

As part of our work under the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan we have considered the impact of the incorporation of UNCRC on the 2004 Act, as well as additional support for learning policy, practice and guidance. We intend to continue to engage with key stakeholders to consider this work further and ensure that children’s rights are embedded and effectively underpin implementation of additional support for learning policy.

Question reference: S6W-15799

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is still the position of NHS Scotland that people should receive a dental check-up every three months to two years, and what action it will take to support people who cannot access a check-up in this timeframe, due to a reported lack of available NHS dentists in some NHS board areas.

NHS patients are eligible to have a free dental check-up every six months if required. The time between check-ups can vary from 3 months to 2 years, depending on the oral health of the patient.

As part of the recovery of NHS dental services, on 1 February 2022 we introduced an enhanced examination fee for all patients, which included for the first time a fee for a child examination. The latest statistics from Public Health Scotland show that over 1.6 million NHS examination appointments were completed between April and October with an average of more than 300,000 courses of treatment per month, meaning we are on course for over 3.5 million contacts in the 2022-23 financial year.

Question reference: S6W-15795

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to support people who qualify for free dental care, but who cannot access any NHS dental care due to there being no dental practices accepting NHS patients in their NHS board area.

We are working closely with the dental sector to ensure it has the support necessary to offer continuity of NHS care to patients. This includes Scottish Government providing Scottish Dental Access Initiative Grants and Recruitment and Retention Allowances to dentists and dental practices.

Scottish Dental Access Initiative Grants support pays out a potential £100,000 for the first surgery, and £25,000 per additional surgery to practices setting up a new NHS practice, or extending an existing NHS practice. The Recruitment and Retention Allowance provides up to £37,500 across three years to eligible NHS dentists in qualifying areas.

Question reference: S6W-15708

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position on the World Health Organization’s assessment that restricting alcohol marketing is one of the most cost-effective measures to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm.

Our recent consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion reflects the WHO’s recommended approach and sets out a range of potential options to restrict alcohol advertising and promotion, in order to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harms.

The consultation closed on 9 March. An independent contractor will comprehensively analyse the responses and publish a report. We will then further consider possible restrictions.