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-10829

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent a future shortfall of first-year student accommodation for those aged 17.

The Scottish Government has no direct role in the provision of student accommodation nor any capacity within the private rental market. However, we are aware of the ongoing difficulties faced by students in accessing accommodation this academic year.

We are currently undertaking a review of Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) which will look at a number of issues, including affordability and supply and the findings from this report, along with findings from the New Deal for Tenants Report which considered similar issues in the private rented sector, will inform a student accommodation strategy for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-09627

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Environment Strategy for Scotland, which was published in 2020, and the UK Government’s targets to halt biodiversity loss by 2030, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of current wildlife tunnels and bridges in protecting Scotland's wildlife, and what steps it plans to take to increase the number and size of wildlife tunnels and bridges in order to reduce the reported high level of wildlife casualties on Scotland's roads.

Transport Scotland is responsible for the management and Maintenance of the trunk road network; all other roads are the responsibility of the relevant local authority.

The protection of biodiversity and support for native wildlife are major considerations in the agency's work, whether in the planning and development of new infrastructure or the management of the existing network. Transport Scotland actively engages with stakeholders, its supply chain, statutory bodies and other public sector organisations to seek opportunities to reduce wildlife casualties across Scotland's road network, whilst increasing biodiversity and habitat connectivity. This includes the provision of suitable crossing facilities, such as culverts and bridges, to reduce the barrier-effect of roads. The design of these structures follows best practice guidance and is overseen by professional ecologists to ensure they are appropriate for the local environments concerned and the ecosystems they support.

All trunk road schemes are regularly inspected and assessed to ensure they are fit for purpose. Assessments undertaken through the Scottish Trunk Road Infrastructure Projects Evaluation (STRIPE) provide an early indication of performance and, where appropriate, identify any potential issues, including any crossing points which may not be functioning as required.

Operating Companies, who manage and maintain the trunk road network on behalf of Transport Scotland, are also required to report through an annual Landscape Management Report. This report includes collation of wildlife casualty data which may identify locations requiring more detailed analysis and intervention.

Question reference: S6W-09137

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 4 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for inspections and check-ups on those children who have been registered for home schooling.

Question reference: S6W-09136

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 June 2022

Question reference: S6W-09135

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 June 2022

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of children and young people home educating.

The current home education guidance recommends that local authorities should ordinarily make contact on an annual basis with families known to be home educating in their area and the current Scottish Government consultation on this guidance seeks views on how a local authority may reasonably inform themselves in order to fulfil their responsibilities under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

Question reference: S6O-01182

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it plans to undertake into spoilt ballots at the 2022 local government elections.

Question reference: S6O-01164

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment the finance secretary has made of any impact on Scotland’s financial outlook as a result of the reduction to ScotRail services.

Question reference: S6W-08460

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any adjustment has been made to the future budget for the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme for the 2022-23 academic year, in light of the recent increase in the retail price of milk.

The Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme expands and improves on the UK Nursery Milk Scheme, which it replaced in August 2021, promoting better health outcomes for children through a nutritious and varied diet. All pre-school child care settings who are registered with the Care Inspectorate are eligible to apply to the Scheme if a child in that setting attends for 2 hours or more each day. When a settings registers to the scheme each child will be provided with a serving of milk or non-dairy alternative and a portion of fruit or vegetable every day they attend the pre-school setting.

The budget for the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme in 2022-23 is £12.5 million compared to £9.5 million in 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-08218

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its Rare Disease Action Plan.

As part of our recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, we are reassessing all our priorities to take a systematic, person-centred approach to planning and delivering health and social care services for the people of Scotland.

As we go through a process of realignment, we are taking time to ensure all our strategies are designed around the people using and delivering health and social care services and working together to improve health outcomes. This is even more pertinent for those living with a rare disease.While we expected to publish our Action Plan in the spring, the Rare Disease Action Plan will now be published once this work is complete to ensure maximum impact for the people who need it. This will result in a stronger, interlinked action plan that has a real impact for people with a rare disease.

We will continue to work with Scotland’s Rare Disease Implementation Board and other key partners to progress work that will improve the lives of people in Scotland living with rare diseases.

Question reference: S6W-08219

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has made available for the creation and implementation of its Rare Disease Action Plan in (a) the current financial year and (b) each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government has made £100,000 available for 2022-23 for tests-of-change to improve care co-ordination for people living with rare diseases.

Our Bridge to a Scottish Genomics Strategy project focused on expanding our genomics capabilities to support the diagnosis and treatment of rare and inherited disease. This was a key programme for government commitment for 2017-18, and £4.2 million was made available to NHS National Services Division over 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. A further extension of the Bridge was agreed in 202-/22 with a further £2.3 million made available.While the work of the Bridge has concluded, we have announced a significant increase in the genomics budget for 2022-23, rising to £6.2 million. This funding will support the sustainability of the successes from the Bridge as well as expanding our genomics capabilities further into cancer.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has made available over £600,000 since 2019-20 to Public Health Scotland for the development of the Congenital Anomalies and Rare Diseases Registration and Information Service for Scotland (CARDRISS). A further £169,000 will be provided for 2022-23. The registry will become operational in this financial year. Discussions are ongoing with Public Health Scotland in expanding the registry’s functionality to support our wider endeavours for rare disease.

While the above sets out discreet funding to support those with a rare disease, many of our wider health priorities will equally contribute and deliver improved care for those living with a rare disease.