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-30936

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the increase in tonnage of waste incinerated, outlined in the 2023 household waste statistics, to be a positive or negative market signal for prevention and reuse efforts.

Scotland was the first UK nation to introduce a ban on landfilling biodegradable municipal waste, which comes into force on 31 December 2025.

The increase in waste incinerated reflects preparations for the upcoming ban which have already supported a decrease in the total amount of waste going to landfill in Scotland by half over the past decade.

As we continue to increase our reuse and recycling rates, we will produce even less waste, however we will still need an appropriate way to manage our unavoidable and unrecyclable waste – and continue to reduce the amount going to landfill. The development of the Waste Route Map with partners now the Circular Economy Act is in place will be critical in accelerating action in this area.

Question reference: S6W-30500

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be designing employability programmes that consciously tackle any occupational segregation, and provide flexible opportunities for women in fair work jobs.

No One Left Behind is our national approach to devolved employability services in Scotland. This approach sees a move away from nationally contracted provision to a model which empowers Local Employability Partnerships to lead the design and delivery of services in each Local Authority area.

Local Employability Partnerships work with employers, educational institutions and organisations to ensure that participants enter a positive destination which is right for them, at that time. As well as employment; education, training and volunteering are seen as positive destinations for participants, allowing for the development of skills in preparation to enter the labour market.

Between April 2019 and June 2024, 30,280 female participants started receiving No One Left Behind support (45% of all participants). Female participants account for the majority of participants in the 25 to 34 age group (56%), the 35 to 49 age group (59%), and the parental cohort (72% of all parents). Additionally, 30% of all female participants entered employment (8,935), 13% entered full time or higher education or training (4,063) and 15% gained a qualification (4,423).

We ensure that information and advice on the benefits that flexible working and other fair work practices bring to protected groups and employers are promoted regularly. For example, a recent Fair Work social media campaign covered those benefits including that diverse and inclusive workplaces are more creative, innovative and better at problem-solving.

Question reference: S6W-30837

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-17386, S6W-17387 and S6W-17875 by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May, 9 May and 24 May 2023, by what date it will publish its response to the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission paper, Report on the use of handheld remote-controlled training devices (e-collars) in dog training.

Question reference: S6W-30632

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to progress its commitment to establishing a National Register of Ancient Woodlands.

Question reference: S6W-30966

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29790 by Jim Fairlie on 25 September 2024, whether it anticipates that it will achieve its commitment to spend £250 million on peatland restoration by 2030.

Question reference: S6W-30963

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve waiting times for endoscopy appointments.

Significant additional activity is already underway following the allocation of £30 million funding to target reductions to the national backlogs that built up throughout the pandemic. This includes over 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures.

The Scottish Government has also helped develop the Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan. This plan focuses on key areas such as: Balancing Demand and Capacity; Workforce Training and Development; Infrastructure; and Innovation and Redesign.

This plan has so far delivered four mobile endoscopy units across Scotland, providing 5-6 additional endoscopy rooms, and a Dyce facility to provide additional endoscopy procedures for NHS Grampian. Additionally, the national endoscopy surveillance framework, introduced in February 2022, has been implemented in all Health Boards.

Question reference: S6W-30876

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial support that NHS boards provide to children and young people under 25 with cancer for their travel for treatment at specialist centres.

The Scottish Government provides the overall guidance to NHS Boards for patient travel expenses reimbursement. Health Boards are responsible for developing and applying their own policies, including reimbursement rates, ensuring patient care and safety. Health Boards therefore have the discretion to provide financial support for any travel to treatment centres where deemed to be an extension of treatment and clinically necessary.

Scottish Government expects Health Boards to support patients to identify and access support available, taking account of individual circumstances and ensuring that patient care is at the centre of all decisions.

Question reference: S6W-30638

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS Lothian has reportedly not implemented public health messaging on long COVID, in light of the reported need to raise awareness, reduce stigma, promote early diagnosis and connect individuals with available rehabilitation support, and what upcoming plans it has to address this.

Question reference: S6T-02170

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 November 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of any potential implications for accessibility, equality and safety for passengers and the public, whether it will permit the reduction in opening hours of ticket offices by ScotRail.

Question reference: S6T-02168

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any increased risk to public safety resulting from industrial action by the Scottish Police Federation.