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-30305

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to bring forward legislation or regulation in respect of the legal status of residential properties for which a right of lease in land is registered and granted for a period of more than 175 years and were not converted to ownership under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.

The Scottish Government has no plans to bring forward legislation on long leases at this time.

The Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012 converted certain ultra-long leases (over 175 years long) with an unexpired duration of 100 years (on the appointed day) into outright ownership. These periods were chosen based on research carried out by the Scottish Law Commission and is set out in its Report on Conversion of Long Leases (2006). Report on Conversion of Long Leases (Scot Law Com No 204)

The Scottish Government requires to ensure that any legislation that is put before the Scottish Parliament is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). These provisions were considered to be consistent with Article 14 and Article 1, Protocol 1 of the ECHR.

Question reference: S6W-30306

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many residential properties for which a right of lease in land is registered and granted for a period of more than 175 years were not converted to ownership under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Law Commission (SLC) Report on Conversion of Long Leases (2006). Report on Conversion of Long Leases (Scot Law Com No 204) provides several tables on the number of leases and the variations of length and duration. A survey of long leases was undertaken by the SLC see paragraph 1.14 and Appendix C for the results broken down into various categories.

Question reference: S6W-30289

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the cost of a formal impact assessment regarding any potential reduction in funding for the Timberlink coastal shipping service will be, and whether this cost would exceed the contribution that users of the service are reportedly being asked to make towards Timberlink.

Question reference: S6W-30466

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for the introduction of the proposed The Promise Bill.

The Scottish Government is committed to keep The Promise by 2030 and has recently set out further detail on activity underway in our Promise Implementation Plan Update 2024.

This includes a continued commitment to introduce a Promise Bill by the end of this parliamentary session, dependent on wider pressures on the Parliamentary legislative calendar. The Scottish Government continue to work with partners, including The Promise Scotland and COSLA, to identify areas where a legislative direction may support delivery of The Promise. There are a number of public consultations underway which, where appropriate, will inform any legislative change required. This is supported by a programme of engagement and participation with the care experienced community which is being led by Who Cares? Scotland and Barnardo’s.

Question reference: S6W-30373

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many journeys have been taken by young people under the age of 22 in (a) Inverclyde, (b) North Ayrshire, (c) West Dunbartonshire and (d) East Dunbartonshire using the concessionary bus travel scheme since its launch.

As of the end of day 30 September 2024, the amount of journeys made by young people under the Young Persons’ (under 22) Free Bus Travel Scheme since its launch, was (a) Inverclyde – 2,578,637, (b) North Ayrshire – 4,719,775, (c) West Dunbartonshire – 2,986,088 and (d) East Dunbartonshire – 2,251,144.

Journeys are based on the local authority in which the card was issued, therefore some journeys will have been undertaken outwith the local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-30288

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the potential impact of any reduction in grant funding to the Timberlink coastal shipping service will be on Scotland's journey towards achieving net zero.

Question reference: S6W-30536

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) raise awareness of the concept of “digital legacies” and (b) encourage people to make provision for their digital accounts and assets after they pass away.

The Scottish Government does not have any plans to raise awareness of digital legacies or to make provision for their digital accounts and assets after they pass away. The Scottish Government encourages all individuals to consider taking professional advice and make a will. Digital assets take many forms and will vary from one individual to another. Solicitors are best placed to offer advice tailored to a person’s specific circumstances and the Law Society of Scotland offers training and advice to its members on digital legacies and digital assets.

Question reference: S6W-30624

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to bring forward legislation in relation to any future Commonwealth Games to be held in Scotland and, if so, (a) when and (b) what matters will be covered.

The Scottish Government will not bring forward any legislation in relation to the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

For the 2014 Games, the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2008 Act was passed to support Government Guarantees in relation to street trading, advertising, ticket touting, and transport and provide for the acquisition of land for facilities and the funding of the Organising Committee. However, a key condition of the Scottish Government’s support for the 2026 Commonwealth Games is that Scotland will only act within its existing legal framework. This condition has been clearly communicated to both Commonwealth Games Scotland and the Commonwealth Games Federation and is accepted by all parties.

Question reference: S6W-30372

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27244 by Jim Fairlie on 13 May 2024, whether it will provide an update on how many concessionary bus passes have been issued to young people under the age of 22 since the launch of the scheme in (a) Inverclyde, (b) North Ayrshire, (c) West Dunbartonshire and (d) East Dunbartonshire.

Question reference: S6W-30281

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many control test inspections on farms have been conducted by Scottish Government Agricultural Wages Inspectors in 2024 to date.