Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-07865

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage will be included in the work to make an informed policy decision on the contribution of North Sea production to the global climate emergency and to Scotland’s economy, security and wellbeing, as outlined in the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme, in light of the programme stating that “we do not have an entirely shared vision for the role of hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage across the whole economy”.

As part of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Government has committed to undertaking a Programme of Work and analysis to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with our climate change targets and the goal of the Paris agreement to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.

The Programme of Work will provide a balanced and informed analysis of the role that technologies such as hydrogen and CCUS can play in our just transition to net zero – with a focus on the potential of the sector, and its infrastructure and assets. The Scottish Government published its draft Hydrogen Action Plan on 10 November 2021 and will publish the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan in Autumn 2022.

Question reference: S6W-07863

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the work to make an informed policy decision on the contribution of North Sea production to the global climate emergency and to Scotland’s economy, security and wellbeing, as outlined in the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme, being due by the end of 2022, how this work and its findings will be taken into account in its Energy Strategy, which is due later in 2022.

Question reference: S6W-07862

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the work to make an informed policy decision on the contribution of North Sea production to the global climate emergency and to Scotland’s economy, security and wellbeing, as outlined in the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme, and at what specific stage this work is currently at.

As part of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Government has committed to undertaking a Programme of Work and analysis to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with our climate change targets and the goal of the Paris agreement to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. This work is detailed in the Scottish Government’s response to question S6W-03953 on 25 October 2021.

The Programme of Work’s evidence base and some of its initial outputs will feature in the Scottish Government’s draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP) which will be published in Autumn 2022. The ESJTP will consider the whole energy system as part of the strategy and indicate the change required in electricity generation, heat, transport and all energy demand across Scotland.

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: S6O-00994

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact on its Covid Recovery Strategy of its decision to end the universal provision of lateral flow tests.

Question reference: S6F-01011

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 April 2022

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to bring down the cost to tenants of private rent in the coming year.

Question reference: S6W-07525

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Community Safety, during a debate in the Parliament on 10 February 2022, that “an independent Scottish Government analysis is under way to look at lessons that have been learned internationally about implementing laws to challenge men’s demand [for prostitution]”, who is carrying out this independent analysis, and whether that individual or organisation has previously publicly expressed views as to their preferred model for implementing such laws.

An evidence review on international approaches to challenging demand is being carried out by Scottish Government’s Justice Analytical Services (JAS), and will be published later this year as an official social research report.

As is the case with all Analytical Services Divisions within the Scottish Government, JAS provide impartial evidence-based advice to support policy development - with all social research needing to comply with the Scottish Government’s ethical principles. These principles specifically require researchers to consider and address ethical risks to protect against distortion and bias in the interpretation of findings.

This analysis will support the development of a model for Scotland which effectively tackles and challenges men’s demand for prostitution, whilst taking into account Scotland’s unique legal and societal landscape.

Question reference: S6W-07528

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it took to determine whether LKJ Research, which is reportedly the successful bidder for the contract to produce national lived experience research relating to the current support service provision and needs of service users with lived experience of prostitution in Scotland (Contract reference no: JAN438058), is a registered company or charity in Scotland or the UK.

The contract has been awarded to sole trader Laura Jones, trading under LKJ Research. As outlined in the response to S6W-07527 on 19 April 2022, following the review of the tender received, there was consensus from the evaluation panel (comprising of Scottish Government officials) that the criteria for awarding the contract had been met.

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-07527

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many suppliers were approached under the Quick Quote process to bid for the contract to produce national lived experience research relating to the current support service provision and needs of service users with lived experience of prostitution in Scotland (Contract reference no: JAN438058); how many suppliers submitted bids for the contract, and whether it will publish the criteria by which bids were assessed.

In November 2021, 10 organisations were invited to submit a bid to tender through the Public Contract Scotland website, to undertake lived experience engagement relating to the current support service provision and needs of service users who are engaged with, or have lived experience of prostitution in Scotland, to better inform future service design. From those invites, one supplier responded with a tender for this work.

The evaluation criteria applied included the quality questions set out in the invitation to tender. These included an understanding of the current policy context regarding prostitution and the proposed approach to delivering a service mapping exercise and lived experience engagement. The invitation also asked for CVs of staff, setting out relevant experience, qualifications, and examples of recent relevant commissions in order to demonstrate the capability to deliver requirements. The criteria also assessed value for money, the price of the tender was evaluated against the value of the contract, this included a review of the costs submitted.

Following the review of the tender received, there was consensus from the evaluation panel (comprising of Scottish Government officials) that the criteria for awarding the contract had been met, and to award the contract.

Question reference: S6W-07526

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the reference group that is advising the short life working group on tackling prostitution has met, and whether it will provide an update on the reference group’s activities.

Recognising the range of interests and experience related to the work of the short life working group (SLWG) considering fundamental principles which will underpin a model for Scotland to effectively tackle and challenge men’s demand for prostitution, a reference group was established. The reference group receives regular updates on this work and has the opportunity to input through e-mail. It does not hold meetings.

Following meetings of the SLWG which considered how support services should be reflected in the principles and how local and national approaches should be considered within the model, the reference group were contacted with questions related to these themes, seeking their views. The feedback from the reference group will be taken into account when developing the principles.

The final meeting of the SLWG will take place in April 2022, with further stakeholder engagement taking place on the draft principles, prior to their finalisation. This will include further opportunities for engagement with the reference group.

Question reference: S6W-07877

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 14 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report by Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol) and the Article 11 Trust on the policing operation at COP26.

It is testament to the hard work and planning of Police Scotland that fewer than 100 COP26-related arrests were made while the event was taking place.

The Netpol/Article 11 report has been carefully considered by the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), who now await a report from Independent Advisory Group on the policing of COP26 which is chaired by John Scott QC.

While Police Scotland are operationally independent of ministers, the service continues to learn from their activities on an ongoing basis.

Once the IAG findings are presented, all observations and recommendations will be for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority to consider and act upon where appropriate.

Chamber and committees