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-15064

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on the development of regulatory proposals for muirburn, in light of its potential role in mitigating wildfire risk.

Question reference: S6W-15749

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the "keeping pace" power, as set out in the Policy Memorandum for the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021, has been used to update Scottish legislation on (a) drinking water standards, (b) food and livestock updates and (c) digital content and services.

For the period between the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Act 2021 coming into effect and 31 August 2021, information relating to the Scottish Government's use or considered use of the section 1(1) power of the Act is in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2022/eu-alignment--continuity-act--6-may.pdf

For the period 1 September 2021 - 31 August 2022 information is also in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/eu-continuity-act--draft-annual-report-for-laying--final--27-oct-2022.pdf

The Scottish Government has used the section 1(1) power in respect of The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022, relating to drinking water standards. These amended the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014 to implement partially Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption. The section 1(1) power has not been used in relation to food and livestock updates or digital content and services.

Question reference: S6W-15721

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to attend the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik in 2023.

Scottish Ministers have attended the Arctic Circle Assembly (ACA) every year it has been held since 2016. The Scottish Government remains committed to building on the strong partnership that it has established with the Arctic Circle secretariat, with a view to continuing to showcase relevant Scottish expertise internationally and facilitating Scottish-Arctic collaboration. A decision on Ministerial attendance will be made once an official invitation has been received.

Question reference: S6W-15119

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many public parking spaces there have been in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-15007

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Transport Scotland, (b) Network Rail and (c) Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has engaged with Landsec regarding the proposed £850 million redevelopment masterplan for the Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow, and any potential investment opportunities for infrastructure improvements at Glasgow Queen Street Railway Station and Buchanan Bus Station.

Question reference: S6W-14618

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that producers are considering seeking legal advice over Circularity Scotland’s reported inability to provide necessary information about the Deposit Return Scheme, creating a barrier to registration, and thus impacting their ability to sell in Scotland.

I urge producers to begin their registration for the scheme if they haven’t already and contact the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland, for advice and guidance.

CSL has recently run a series of information workshops across the country to enable business affected by DRS to learn more about the scheme and an online webinar is available for those who could not attend. CSL also has a trained team of advisers who can support individual businesses in getting registered and ready for DRS.

Question reference: S6W-14614

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Circularity Scotland, in light of the reported views by producers that the Deposit Return Scheme Registration process should be extended due to insufficient detail within the text of the agreements they will be required to sign.

The Scottish Government maintains regular contact with Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) at both Ministerial and official levels.

Business can continue to register with CSL. If they are concerned about being able to meet their obligations, including those who have concerns about the producer agreements or other matters related to the registration process, should contact CSL for advice and guidance as soon as possible. They can do so via their dedicated helpline or through their website.

Question reference: S6W-15611

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is, as it applies to Scotland, to the WSP publication, A Review of Noise Guidance for Onshore Wind Turbines: Project Report, published in October 2022 on behalf of the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-15664

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 14 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Drugs Policy has used WhatsApp to discuss government business.

Question reference: S6W-15230

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government on 12 May 2022 on cladding remediation, whether it has met the commitment to (a) update the Parliament on any further progress of the Single Building Assessment pilot programme, (b) provide a quarterly update on the numbers of assessments being completed under this programme and (c) arrange a more detailed cross-party briefing on the technical detail of the programme, and for what reason any of these commitments have not been met to date.

I provided an update on progress on cladding remediation to Parliament on 2 March and remain committed to arranging a more detailed technical briefing and making a full statement to Parliament at the appropriate time. Information on the Single Building Assessment programme has been provided to Parliament through responses to Parliamentary Questions. Data on spend and information on the numbers of buildings in the Single Building Assessment Pilot is published on the Scottish Government website Single Building Assessment programme: spending information - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).