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-00360

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what improvements it considers it has made in the delivery of education in Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale.

Question reference: S6F-00411

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what public advice the Scottish Government has issued regarding the discharge of fireworks, given that new regulations came into force on 30 June 2021.

Question reference: S6W-03710

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-27833 by James Wolffe QC on 13 March 2020, what progress has been made with regard to the possible introduction of diversionary driving courses, including a Speed Awareness Course, as an alternative to prosecution.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) are currently engaged with criminal justice partners, including the Police Service of Scotland, Transport Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service to develop relevant infrastructure and guidance for the possible introduction of Speed Awareness Courses in Scotland.

The possible introduction of Speed Awareness Courses in Scotland requires enabling legislation. The United Kingdom Government has introduced the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which is currently being considered by the House of Lords. The Bill includes provision for police forces in England and Wales to recover costs from drivers who are the subject of a road traffic diversionary courses.

Whilst the Bill does not include substantive provision to allow Police Scotland to recover costs from drivers, the Bill makes provision for the Secretary of State to make such provision for Scotland, similar to that provided for in England and Wales, by statutory instrument. Any such provision by statutory instrument would require to be made following passage of the Bill.

Question reference: S6O-00286

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to improve the rural economy in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency.

Question reference: S6F-00343

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2021

To ask the First Minister, in light of this being Libraries Week, what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that some libraries remain closed.

Question reference: S6O-00265

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is giving to maintain bus services in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency.

Question reference: S6W-02721

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what data it has on the number of people eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine but who are unable to have one due to needle phobia; what support is provided to such people, and, for the purposes of COVID-19 vaccination certification, whether such a phobia is considered a valid exemption, and, if so, what evidence would be required to secure an exemption.

The Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland do not currently hold data on the number of people eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine who are unable to receive one due to needle phobia.

As every individual case is different, all those who suffer from needle phobia should initially seek support from their GP, clinician or local health board so that adjustments can be made to accommodate their specific needs. Their local medical team will be more aware of their specific requirements. The staff delivering the vaccines are skilled and experienced, and will be used to dealing with more nervous patients, some of whom have phobias.

Phobias are not covered under the current version of the vaccination certification policy, and are therefore not considered a valid exemption.

Question reference: S6F-00211

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had regarding the functioning of Corporate Travel Management.

Question reference: S6W-02022

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-26335 by Kevin Stewart on 25 November 2019, whether it will consider amending the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to curtail peat extraction permissible under current licences.

The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to amend the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 in order to limit peat extraction for those with valid planning permission. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 does however include a requirement for the Scottish Ministers to have regard to the desirability of preserving peatland when preparing the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4). The Scottish Government’s NPF4 Position Statement (Published November 2020) outlines an intention to rebalance the planning system so that climate change is a guiding principle for all plans and decisions, and states that the Scottish Government will aim to restrict commercial peat extraction for horticulture purposes.

Question reference: S6O-00023

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the efficacy of both the NHS COVID-19 vaccination helpline and the missed appointments system.