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-13984

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have accessed health and social care services via asynchronous communication in the last year, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-13990

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its Digital Health and Care Strategy, what rights and responsibilities people have for using digital means to access information and services.

The “Health and Social Care Standards: my support, my life” set out a range of standards on what people should expect when using health, social care or social work services in Scotland. These include the use of technology to support independence and having more control over their own health and wellbeing, and for those in 24 hour care that they are connected to the internet. The Standards also set out an expectation that people can access the right information at the right time, and patients rights and responsibilities in relation to their information is further enhanced by the Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities which sets out expectations around confidentiality and handling of medical information.

Question reference: S6W-14021

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail about ensuring that its infrastructure does not curtail or hold back renewable energy development infrastructure.

Interaction of utility and rail infrastructure is a commercial issue that is managed through contracts between those parties involved. The Scottish Government has no role in those commercial discussions, although if concerns are brought to our attention Scottish Government officials will seek to understand the basis of those concerns and reach out to relevant parties to encourage a swift solution.

Question reference: S6W-13958

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals Connecting Scotland has assisted in accessing the devices, data and support that they need to be able to use digital technology, broken down by local authority area.

The Connecting Scotland programme aims to ensure that people in Scotland have access to digital services by providing them with opportunities to access and utilise devices, connectivity, skills, and support effectively. To date, the programme has brought a total of 60,000 digitally excluded people online since programme launch.

A table containing the information specified in your question has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. Number 63974 ).

Question reference: S6W-14172

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which routes will see peak fare rail prices removed as part of the trial from April 2023.

Question reference: S6W-14183

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on the use of vaping products by under-16s.

Question reference: S6W-14182

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on the use of vaping products.

Question reference: S6W-14173

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which routes will not see peak fare rail prices removed as part of the trial from April 2023.

Question reference: S6W-14181

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out on young people's use of vapes.

The Scottish Government has undertaken the following analysis on young people’s use of vapes:

The Scottish Government is currently funding a longitudinal study carried out by ScotCen Social Research called Growing Up in Scotland (GUS). Two reports have been published that include vaping data on children aged 12 and 14 ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/life-age-12-initial-findings-growing-up-scotland-study/pages/6/ and 6. Risky behaviours - Life at age 14: initial findings from the Growing Up in Scotland study - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) )

The Scottish Government also commissioned collection and analysis of vaping data via the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) which ran between 2002 and 2018 ( Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ).

Question reference: S6W-14184

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 1,300 charities are facing closure within the next 12 months due to the cost of living crisis, and whether it will provide details of any support it plans to offer such charities.

The Scottish Government values the important role of Scotland’s third sector in working across communities to tackle tough social issues at source.

We recognise the impact of rising operating costs across society, including on charities and voluntary organisations in the third sector. We continue to invest widely in the third sector and have committed to increasing multiyear funding wherever possible.

Under Fairer Funding principles, multiyear arrangements for third sector organisations are preferred where appropriate, and we are committed to multiyear grants being the default position. This will allow us to work in partnership to design and deliver the kind of transformation our communities need to be fit for the future, whilst ensuring public services are sustainable.

We know from the longitudinal survey we support through the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations that 92% of those surveyed are confident that they will still be operating in 12 months’ time.