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: S5W-31498

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made by the inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh following the announcement of its terms of reference in May 2020.

There is a considerable programme of work required to establish an independent statutory Inquiry with separate premises, a dedicated Secretariat and legal team, as well as the necessary infrastructure to manage evidence gathering, hearings and deliberations. The current Coronavirus health pandemic has had an impact on the Scottish Government’s ability to take forward work on the Public Inquiry, as resources needed to be refocused on essential Covid-19 priorities.

Since the announcement of the Terms of Reference in May, my officials have been working with Lord Bracadale and his team to put in place all the resources needed to make an effective start to proceedings, before announcing the formal “setting up date” for the Inquiry. The key appointments of the Secretary, Solicitor, Senior and Junior Counsel to the Inquiry have been made and work continues on the appointment of Assessors and identification of suitable premises. I continue to liaise with Lord Bracadale and will be providing further updates in due course.

Question reference: S5O-04600

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £97 million in UK Government consequentials announced on 5 July for the arts, culture and heritage sectors is still to be allocated, and when a decision will be made on the allocation of any remaining funding.

Question reference: S5W-31423

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 4 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide greater clarity and specific guidance for people and organisations that provide vital services to community groups in community centre settings regarding (a) which provisions can restart and (b) the number of people who can attend gatherings and meetings.

The route map sets out when specific services and activities can be delivered with accompanying guidance for the safe operating of those services available on the Scottish Government’s website at: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/

For example, registered childcare services have been permitted to open from 15 July. The route map also now allows some specific services/activities to be delivered within community spaces from Monday 3 August. Supporting guidance for re-opening community spaces is currently being developed and will be published in due course. We recommend that providers of these services wishing to use community spaces should contact the owner/landlord in the first instance before resuming services.

For all other services/activities, the existing guidance remains in place at this time, which means that other services cannot be provided in these community spaces. People should, therefore, regularly review the Scottish Government website for further changes and updated guidance.

Public gatherings inside or outside are still prohibited, with some exceptions as set out in Scottish Government Guidance. Gatherings or meetings of people are permitted where it is from up to five households when outdoors, up to a maximum of 15 people, or from up to three households when indoors, up to a maximum of 8 people. If someone from one of those households requires a carer, from another household, to assist them for their health and wellbeing, that carer is also permitted to attend.

The Scottish Government is regularly reviewing the rules and route map alongside the latest scientific evidence and our progress in containing the virus, and they will not be in place any longer than is necessary. We thank the public for playing their part in keeping themselves and others safe.

Question reference: S5W-31443

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 4 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much it committed at the COP21 summit in 2015 in Paris to allocate (a) annually and (b) in total by 2021 to its (i) Climate Challenge Fund Malawi and (ii) Climate Justice Innovation Fund; how this compares with the actual amount allocated each year, and whether it is on course to achieve the overall target.

At the UN Climate Conference - COP21 - in Paris in December 2015 the First Minister committed a total of £12 million over the following four years to be spent through the Climate Justice Fund.

That commitment has been exceeded.

The Climate Justice Fund currently operates through three major programmes:

The Climate Challenge Programme Malawi (CCPM) (2017-present)
The Climate Justice Innovation Fund (CJIF) (2017-present)
The Water Futures Programme (2012-present)

Total spend on Climate Justice Programmes 2016-20:

Financial Year	Water Futures	CCPM	CJIF	Other Climate Justice Grant Funding	Total
2016-17	£1,027,906	-	-	£1,865,000	£2,892,906
2017-18	£1,850,054	£61,382	£173,341	£911,277	£2,996,054
2018-19	£1,731,121	£1,026,167	£469,764	£433,069	£3,660,121
2019-20	£1,300,423	£1,403,414	£532,434	£45,000	£3,281,271
Totals	£5,909,504	£2,490,963	£1,175,539	£3,254,346	£12,830,352

Question reference: S5W-31312

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on establishing the inter-ministerial group on policy coherence for sustainable development; when the group is expected to meet; who its members will be, and how its activities will be reported to the Parliament.

The Scottish Government is committed to promoting international development as an essential part of being a good global citizen. Never has it been more important that we engage and support others as we continue the global effort against COVID-19.

Our work on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) – considering not just our needs but the needs of others overseas – remains a vital component as we strive to build a green economy and “leave no one behind” in line with the ethos of the UN SDGs and reiterate in this year’s Programme for Government.

It is clear however that COVID-19 will remain a threat for some time to come. And for that reason, the Programme for Government also sets out my intention to review our approach to international development. The purpose of this review is to ensure that the Scottish Government’s work is focused on where we can make the biggest difference in our partner countries against the backdrop of the new reality of COVID-19. PCSD and how we progress this important approach will be given key consideration as part of this review.

Due to this process, I am unable to give an update on when a ministerial group on PCSD will meet or who will be the key members. I can however assure that Parliament will be fully updated on the outcomes of the review and how best Ministers can deliver on PCSD not least because achieving effective PCSD will require expertise, support and innovation from across Government as well as from wider Scottish society.

Question reference: S5O-04578

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that capacity on public transport allows commuters to travel safely as part of its planning for the reopening of non-essential offices.

Question reference: S5O-04536

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response has been to reports that many community facilities run by charitable trusts are on the verge of collapse due to reduced income caused by the lockdown conditions.

Question reference: S5O-04514

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £97 million in UK Government consequentials announced on 5 July has been allocated as packages of support for the arts, culture and heritage sectors and when a decision will be made on allocation of the remaining funding.

Question reference: S5W-31003

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the (a) UK Government and (b) other devolved administrations ahead of the decision to delay the census until 2022.

Throughout consideration of the options for Scotland’s Census, National Records of Scotland (NRS) engaged with colleagues in the Office of National Statistics (ONS) who are responsible for conducting the England and Wales Census, and with the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) who are responsible for conducting the census in Northern Ireland. Each of the census authorities have had to consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their plans for their respective censuses.

The UK Government and devolved administrations were informed of the decision to move Scotland’s Census to 2022 by myself on 17 July 2020.

Question reference: S5W-31000

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to implementing a shorter delay to the census that was originally scheduled for 2021.