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-29526

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the negotiations between Transport Scotland and Ambassador Living in relation to concluding the Ferrymuir Gait access issue.

Question reference: S6O-03741

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported reduction to the Investing in Communities Fund and any impact on its aim of addressing poverty and disadvantage.

Question reference: S6W-29242

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to NHS boards regarding the positioning of pharmacies that offer supervised methadone supply.

Question reference: S6W-29243

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding antisocial behaviour since April 2024.

We fully support local authorities, and Police Scotland, who lead on preventing and tackling antisocial behaviour and are best placed to work with their local communities using the powers available to them. I have regular direct engagement with COSLA’s Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing discussing a range of issues, including on developing a strategic and sustainable long-term approach to antisocial behaviour and fireworks safety. Officials regularly engage with Local Authorities and COSLA on community safety matters, including antisocial behaviour. Since April 2024, this has included discussion on sharing best practice on local partnership working to prevent and tackle antisocial behaviour.

Question reference: S6W-29241

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour is expected to report on the efficacy of the Scottish Government’s current approach to antisocial behaviour.

Question reference: S6W-29011

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 28 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to ensure that people using motorhomes for recreational activities such as camping do so in a manner that respects the environment and local area.

The Scottish Government recognises that Tourism is a vital part of the Scottish economy both nationally and locally.

We are working closely through the Visitor Management Group with the relevant agencies, Local Authorities and National Park Authorities to ensure those visiting areas of natural beauty are aware of their responsibility in respecting the local environment. The Group was established in 2020, by the then Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Tourism, because of tourism pressures in rural areas. It meets regularly with a cross Government approach to address issues caused at rural pinch points in scenic countryside areas. This includes addressing such issues as managing visitor dispersal, the impact of motorhomes, littering, environmental damage, public toileting and antisocial behaviour.

VisitScotland undertook research, on behalf of the Visitor Management group, in 2023 to better understand the motivations and behaviours of people visiting Scotland in campervans and motorhomes. The full results are here:

Motorhomes, Caravans and Camping - Industry Research | VisitScotland.org

The research found that many visitors do wish to do the right thing and are actively seeking out information on issues such as parking and waste disposal. We all want to see responsible tourism, which balances the needs of local communities, visitors and the environment. The response to any visitor pressures needs to be a combination of visitor messaging, encouraging responsible behaviour and visiting at quieter times of year, alongside practical responses such as improved infrastructure, as well as engagement and education.

In that regard, VisitScotland will continue to promote responsible visitor messaging, and we will do that alongside partners such as local authorities and others who lead on infrastructure and ranger services. In more extreme cases it will be for local authorities, roads authorities or Police Scotland to manage any infringements.

VisitScotland promote Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Scotland on their website Scotland's Responsible Tourism Promise | VisitScotland and A Guide to Outdoor Safety in Scotland | VisitScotland.

Although the access rights enshrined in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 relate to responsible rights of non-motorised access to land, the three key principles within the accompanying Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) provide useful general guidance: that people should respect the interests of other people, care for the environment, and take responsibility for their own actions. The SOAC provides further advice on how to wild camp responsibly, should those using motorhomes decide to hike from their parking space. Local authority and National Park Authority access officers take the lead role in assisting land managers to manage access.

We would ask that all visitors to our rural areas behave in a manner that respects and protects our environment so everyone for generations to come can enjoy the great Scottish outdoors.

Question reference: S6W-28986

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its publication, Scotland’s Long COVID Service, will be updated to reflect any research undertaken and guidance provided since 2021.

There are no current plans to update the publication ‘Scotland’s Long COVID Service’.

The guideline ‘Managing the long-term effects of COVID-19' was first issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) in December 2020 and updated in November 2021. NICE continues to check for the publication of new evidence and consider whether it would change any recommendations in the guideline. No evidence to update the recommendations has been found since the last update in November 2021.

NHS Inform has a dedicated microsite (https://www.nhsinform.scot/long-covid) which provides information for people living with long COVID .This was reviewed and where necessary updated in 2023 following user research with people living with long COVID.

Question reference: S6W-28515

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered any further increase in the rate of relief available via the Water Charges Reduction Scheme.

The Scottish Government recognises that the cost of living crisis continues to place pressure on household budgets. However, previous industry research has shown that customers facing affordability issues can be found across all Council Tax bands. Therefore, at this time there are no plans to increase the Water Charges Reduction Scheme discount further as this would also have the effect of placing an additional burden on the general customer base who may also be struggling to afford water and sewerage charges.

Question reference: S6W-28514

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money has been spent on the administration of Sheriff Officer fees for the recovery of water and sewage charge debts from those in receipt of full Council Tax Reduction (CTR) in each year since CTR was introduced, broken down by year.

Question reference: S6W-28516

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the contribution of the cost of administering Sheriff Officer fees for recovering water and sewage charge debts to public sector debt.