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-18771

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on Scottish academic standards and the reputation of Scottish higher education of the proposed regulation changes reportedly adopted by many Scottish universities that would enable students to progress, or graduate, without final marks or degree classifications.

The Scottish Government is greatly concerned about any adverse impact on students resulting from industrial action, and fully expects universities to put in place appropriate mitigations to minimise disruption to studies. As autonomous bodies, universities are responsible for their own academic and assessment regulations and policies.

During this period of industrial action, while the nature and scale of any impact will vary between and within institutions, the Scottish Funding Council has been working closely with the Quality Assurance Agency, Universities Scotland and institutions across the sector to monitor mitigation arrangements, prioritise the integrity of academic standards and manage the impact on the student learning experience, including any implications for completion of studies and awarding of degrees.

Question reference: S6W-19067

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress, including the timetable, regarding the proposed legislation to end conversion practices.

Conversion practices that try to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity are harmful, discriminatory, and have no place in our society. We are clear in our commitment to introduce legislation to end conversion practices in Scotland.

Detailed proposals for legislation are now being developed, taking careful consideration of the report of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, the work of the Expert Advisory Group on Ending Conversion Practices, experiences from other countries and engagement with stakeholders, including those with lived experience of conversion practices.

These proposals will be published in a public consultation.

Question reference: S6W-19202

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a public consultation on a Human Rights Bill for Scotland.

The Scottish Government has published a public consultation on a Human Rights Bill for Scotland today, 15 June 2023 and it will be open until 5 October 2023. The consultation seeks views on policy proposals to inform a new Human Rights Bill, which will be a significant milestone in Scotland’s human rights journey, building on past work to embed a human rights culture.

Publishing this consultation delivers on our commitment to bring forward proposals in the first half of 2023 and will be supported by a broad programme of engagement. I would encourage everyone with a view to respond. The consultation is available at https://consult.gov.scot/equality-and-human-rights/a-human-rights-bill-for-scotland-consultation/ .

Question reference: S6O-02244

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government and universities regarding the potential impact on visas for international students at Scottish universities of any delays in marking assessments.

Question reference: S6F-02014

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on what recent engagement the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding the proposed development of the Rosebank oil and gas field, in light of the Scottish Government's draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Question reference: S6O-02091

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent reported comments by the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland regarding children and families with no recourse to public funds being unable to access frontline services in Scotland, what action it can take within devolved powers to monitor the situation of any such children and families, including any support that can be provided.

Question reference: S6O-02043

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what its most recent analysis of the provision of legal aid found in relation to geographic area and types of cases covered.

Question reference: S6O-01972

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to define green jobs, including green energy jobs, to help ensure that investment and resources can be targeted to achieve a low-carbon economy.

Question reference: S6F-01743

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that dozens of people living in Scotland with no recourse to public funds are being made homeless and forced to sleep rough on the streets or in cars.

Question reference: S6W-13735

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the public was reportedly not made aware of a rise in radioactive particles found between February and March 2022 on the Dounreay foreshore until eight months later, when reports appeared in the press in November 2022.

The monitoring of the Dounreay foreshore area is undertaken by Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL) which is a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and is agreed and regulated by SEPA.

All radioactive particle finds are removed, analysed and reported on the DSRL website. The finds in February and March 2022 were reported on the DSRL website in March and April 2022. The Dounreay Stakeholder Group was also provided with information regarding the particle finds in a written update from SEPA at one of its subgroup meetings in April 2022.

The NDA and SEPA remain content that the monitoring and retrieval programme in place continues to provide appropriate protection for the public.