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: S6O-00873

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding reducing VAT on fuel to help mitigate increases in the cost of living for households in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06139

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of changes in work patterns and increased hybrid working impacting on commuting, whether it will consider, as part of ScotRail moving into public ownership, liaising with VisitScotland to discuss increasing tourism on the rail network by combining rail tickets with discounted entrance charges to participating national attractions.

VisitScotland already works closely with ScotRail as a key national partner. The relationship includes liaising on matters relating to the visitor experience and running joint marketing campaigns, including a spring 2022 campaign to promote family days out in Scotland's cities.

ScotRail Trains Limited have been charged with producing a Market Growth Strategy, from April 2022, that develops and implements appropriate products and services to address post–Covid markets including, in particular, tourism. To assist with the development of that strategy and in furtherance of the relationship that exists between ScotRail and VisitScotIand. I have asked my officials to establish with them what more can be done to promote tourism and, in particular, actions to encourage visits to national attractions by rail.

Question reference: S6O-00792

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what resource impact COVID-19 has had on the timetabling and delivery of legislation and other proposals set out in its Programme for Government.

Question reference: S6F-00842

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report by Andrew Webster QC into the handling by Scottish Borders Council of school assault allegations, in particular those relating to the abuse of vulnerable children in the Tweeddale Support Unit.

Question reference: S6W-06138

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the advice is for choirs in relation to COVID-19; (a) whether and (b) when face coverings should be used during rehearsals and performances with social distancing, and (i) whether and (ii) when social distancing should be maintained during rehearsals and performances.

The approach to face coverings for choirs is grounded in evidence and draws on the expert advice which reflects the unique features of the activity and the environments. This is because the virus spreads when an infected person talks, sings or even breathes heavily, and droplets and aerosols from their mouth or nose are launched into the air. At this stage of the pandemic many of the more intrusive restrictions have been lifted, but the virus and the harms that it causes have not gone away. We still continue to see hospital admissions and deaths as a result of COVID and the impacts of long COVID can be significant. That is why it remains important to maximise the use of the remaining measures such as face coverings.

Performers can of course temporarily remove their face covering in some limited indoor situations if other steps are taken. For example, when they are performing or rehearsing they can remove their face covering if they are separated from others by a distance of at least one metre or by a screen or partition.

Question reference: S6W-05857

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take action to stop the culling, through NatureScot, of Greenland barnacle geese on Islay, in light of the reported strain already on the species population due to the effects of bird flu on the Svalbard population on the Solway, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S6O-00718

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many instances of failure to comply with the 20 mph in Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale have been recorded since its introduction, including how many fines were subsequently issued, as part of the enforcement of 20 mph speed limits.

Question reference: S6F-00662

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2022

To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government can provide to people struggling to pay their energy bills.

Question reference: S6F-00612

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 December 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the recent survey by the Educational Institute of Scotland, which found that at least 50% of teachers said their wellbeing was poor or very poor.

Question reference: S6O-00586

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to prevent the casual purchase of pets for Christmas.