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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 46716 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6F-00575

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-04674

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many electric bicycles it (a) has purchased since 2007 and (b) owns.

The core Scottish Government has not purchased any electric bicycles since 2007. The Core Scottish Government does not own any electric bicycles.

The Scottish Government holds cycle friendly employer status from Cycling Scotland. The Scottish Government offers a cycle to work scheme which allows staff to hire a bike and safety equipment, paid for through monthly salary deductions.

During COP 26, 13 electric bikes and associated equipment (helmets, Hi-vis, lights, locks etc) were loaned from Energy Savings Trust (EST) to Transport Scotland for the duration of the conference. The electric bikes were for Scottish Ministerial and senior officials use.

The electric bikes have subsequently been returned to EST.

Question reference: S6W-04854

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the capacity of Marine Scotland to ensure the effective and robust enforcement of fisheries and marine conservation legislation.

Question reference: S6W-04758

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish an evaluation of its pilot of the Child Disability Payment.

As noted in the answer to question S6W-04597 on 6 December 2021, the next set of Child Disability Payment statistics are due to be published in January 2022, covering the period of the pilot from 26 July to 21 November 2021. The Scottish Government will also publish feedback from clients and stakeholders to learn from their experience during the pilot in Spring 2022.

The purpose of the Child Disability Payment pilot was to ensure that Social Security Scotland could safely deliver a service for disabled children and young people, by ensuring that systems and processes work for them. It was not intended to evaluate the wider policy changes being made by the Scottish Government to disability assistance, which will instead be considered as part of the Devolution of disability benefits: evaluation strategy .

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-04826

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs were created as a result of the 2020 round of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.

Question reference: S6W-04692

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve safety on the A9 between Inverness and Tore, and whether it will consider lowering the speed limit on the road to 50mph.

We are progressing an options appraisal using Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance to identify potential improvements on the A9 between North Kessock Junction and Tore Roundabout. The latest report on this appraisal is expected to be published by 10 December and will set out a short list of options recommended for further consideration. Transport Scotland will review these recommendations and consider the next steps, taking account of the feasibility of the options and available resources.

In the short term, works to install street lighting at the A9/B9161 Munlochy junction will commence this month. In addition, a review of the speed limit around Tore Roundabout will be carried out, along with investigations into improvements to active travel facilities and road markings at the roundabout

The section from Longman Roundabout to south of the North Kessock junction is already subject to a 50mph speed limit. A speed limit reduction to 50mph on the section north of this, to Tore Roundabout, is an option being considered in the current appraisal. This option is not consistent with national guidance on speed limits, given the current average speeds and rural environment of this dual carriageway road. Lowering the speed limit has potential to cause platooning of traffic, reducing the gaps available to turn right at junctions. Furthermore, the process to make any speed limit reduction allows those disadvantaged by the proposal to object. The public consultation results indicated overall negative views towards this option, meaning that a significant number of objections are likely. The findings of the options appraisal will be published mid-December.

Question reference: S6W-04737

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are provisions in the forthcoming smoke and heat detector legislation that will allow smoke and heat detectors in sheltered housing for older people to be linked to a warden call provider, but not to each other.

Question reference: S6W-04698

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the introduction of the named person scheme.

Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) lies at the heart of Scottish Government policies and the services that are available to support children, young people and families. For over a decade, GIRFEC has shaped the way children’s services are planned and delivered in Scotland, and it is well-embedded in policy and practice.

One of the core components of Getting it right for every child is a named person or equivalent role, who is a clear point of contact for children, young people and parents to go to for initial support and advice. Children and families should be made aware of the help and support that is available, including named person, however there is no requirement to accept the help offered.

Whilst there is an intention to repeal Parts 4 and 5 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, on named person and child’s plans (which were never implemented and are therefore not currently in force), the commitment remains to deliver these core components of GIRFEC within existing law.

Question reference: S6W-04716

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed governance structure for when the ScotRail franchise is managed by the Operator of Last Resort from March 2022.

Question reference: S6W-05099

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome is of its latest review into border health measures, and whether there will be any changes to the regulations.

We have reviewed the border health measures closely over the last 28 days and have assessed that there continues to be a requirement for the regulations to remain in place to reduce the risk of imported transmission and safeguard public health in Scotland. The regulations continue to be an important and proportionate part of the Scottish Government response to managing the pandemic. As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue discussions with UK Government and the other devolved administrations and continue to seek to take a four-nations approach to future changes to regulations and the travel regime.