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-03256

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the future replacement of oil or LPG heating systems in low-income households.

Households eligible for assistance under Warmer Homes Scotland will be offered low-carbon alternatives, where these are technically appropriate for the property. These include High Heat Retention Heating Systems, Air Source Heat Pumps, Ground Source Heat Pumps, Micro-hydro, Micro-wind and Micro-CHP systems (Micro-CHP systems are not suitable for off gas grid properties). Some of these measures may be of particular benefit to households living in rural and island areas that are not served by the gas grid. Warmer Homes Scotland operates a national pricing mechanism, meaning that rural and island homes aren’t disproportionately affected.

Since April 2021 our Area Based Schemes have included additional funding to provide low carbon and micro-generation measures as part of a whole house approach. Local councils are encouraged to offer these measures to households living in or at risk of fuel poverty, where this is technically feasible and will result in lower energy bills. We also provide additional funding and support for remote rural and island communities to reflect the delivery challenges in these locations, including higher installation costs.

The shared policy programme also commits to provide additional support for rural and islands homes which require bespoke and targeted advice.

Question reference: S6W-03255

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether an island impact assessment was conducted in relation to the withdrawal of new or replacement oil or LPG heating systems through the Warmer Homes Scotland fund and Home Energy Scotland loans.

In 2019 the Scottish Parliament set ambitious climate change emission reduction targets to net zero emissions by 2045 and a 75% reduction by 2030. This means that by 2030, emissions from homes and buildings will have to fall by 68% against current levels. Transforming the way we heat our homes and buildings, in order to meet these legally binding targets, will touch the lives of almost everyone in Scotland.

The Scottish Government recently consulted on the draft Heat in Buildings Strategy which states that by 2030 around 50% of homes will need to convert to a zero or low emissions heating system, including the vast majority of 167,000 off-gas homes that currently use high emissions oil, LPG, and solid fuels.

A number of respondents offered their support for the consultation paper’s suggestion that the immediate focus should be on low and no regrets interventions and that one of these should be the deployment of individual building heat pumps in buildings off the gas network which currently use high carbon heating fuels. However, there was also concern that the combination of being off-gas grid and living in a hard-to-treat property presents risks around increased fuel poverty.

The Scottish Government has a strong offer of fuel poverty support suitable for those in rural and island areas. Both Warmer Homes Scotland and our Area Based Schemes, which target fuel poor households, take a “zero emissions first” approach to the provision of new heating systems. Ending the provision of new oil/LPG systems through these schemes, in favour of offering low carbon alternatives, is a further step on this path to phasing out these polluting technologies. This year we have increased funding to a record £50 million for Warmer Homes Scotland (an increase from £32 million in 2020-21) and £64 million for our local authority led Area Based Schemes (an increase of £9m compared with 20-21).

The shared policy programme also commits to provide additional support for rural and islands homes which require bespoke and targeted advice.

Question reference: S6W-03003

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the consultation on its draft Licensing Order and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for short-term lets.

Question reference: S6W-02513

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the change to arrangements for regular smear tests for women over 50 from every three years to every five is related to capacity issues.

It is not. The change to routine cervical screening intervals from three years to five years is due to the implementation of a test for high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) as the primary screening test in March 2020. The new test is more effective at identifying those at risk of developing cervical cancer, meaning women who don’t have HPV will be invited for a cervical screening test every five years instead of every three.

Question reference: S6W-02512

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the scientific evidence it received to justify the change in arrangements for regular smear tests for women over 50 from every three years to every five.

The cervical screening programme routinely invites anyone with a cervix who is between the ages of 25 and 64 for a test every 5 years. This is in line with the recommendation given by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), to change the primary screening test from cytology (looking at cervical cells through a microscope to find those which could develop into cancer) to testing for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). The new test is more effective at identifying those at risk of developing cervical cancer, meaning those who don’t have HPV will be invited for a cervical screening test every five years instead of every three. The Scottish Government, along with the rest of the UK, is advised on all aspects of cervical screening including the move to HPV testing by the UK NSC.

Further information on the UK NSC’s recommendation can found on the following website: https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/cervical-cancer/.

Question reference: S6T-00179

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research stating that no recommendations to improve practice are made in nine out of 10 fatal accident inquiries into deaths in prison.

Question reference: S6O-00188

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board will publish its recommendations on future agricultural policy.

Question reference: S6W-02331

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage and facilitate the safe disposal of disused flares and other time expired pyrotechnics (TEPs) in island and rural communities.

Disused flares and other time expired pyrotechnics are likely to be hazardous (special) waste and should be classified and managed as such. Advice on management of special waste is provided by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Guidance is provided on how to classify special waste, how to consign this waste, and how to pay for the waste to be moved safely.

Some manufacturers of flares and pyrotechnics offer takeback schemes. There are specialist hazardous waste disposal companies and operators who can manage this waste in the correct manner.

With regard to maritime flares, maritime safety is a reserved matter. Certain HM Coastguard locations are licensed to store flares, and will accept flares for disposal at their discretion. There are a small number of coastguard operations bases in island and rural locations in Scotland where flares can be taken for safe disposal.

Question reference: S6O-00125

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the procurement of low-emissions ferries to replace the current internal fleet.

Question reference: S6W-01945

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what baseline data local authorities will be required to use to establish an over-provision policy for its short-term let licensing proposals.

Short-term lets can offer people a flexible and cheaper travel option, and have contributed positively to Scotland’s tourism industry and local economies across the country. However, we know that in certain areas, particularly tourist hot spots, high numbers of lets can cause problems for neighbours and make it harder for people to find homes to live in. The Scottish Government considers regulation of short term lets to be vital in balancing the needs and concerns of residents and communities, alongside wider economic and tourism interests.

Guidance for local authorities on overprovision is set out in chapter 3 of the Licensing guidance part 2: supplementary guidance for licensing authorities, letting agencies and platforms .

In considering whether there is or would be overprovision in any locality, licensing authorities must have regard to:

1. the number and capacity of licensed short-term lets in the locality,

2. the need for housing accommodation in the locality and the extent to which short-term let accommodation is impacting the availability of housing, and

3. such other matters as they consider relevant.

We have set out in guidance for local authorities that the data which licensing authorities use to evidence overprovision should be drawn from reliable sources, for example using data from their licence schemes.