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-07842

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet its renewable energy targets as part of National Planning Framework 4.

Our draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 10 November, and at the same time published for consultation which closed on 31 March 2022. The draft NPF4 set out how our approach to planning and development will achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045 and proposed a new policy which will ensure significant weight be given to the Global Climate Emergency in planning decisions. It also includes green energy policies which support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis. The draft NPF4 also proposes to designate a national development which would establish the need for a large increase in renewable energy generation and substantial reinforcement and expansion of grid infrastructure throughout Scotland.

We are pleased with the very wide interest shown in NPF4 from across society, befitting a document of its importance to our future. The Scottish Government is now taking some time to carefully consider the broad range of views shared with us before finalising NPF4 for Scottish Parliament approval.

Question reference: S6W-07850

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop a domestic abuse review scheme.

Question reference: S6W-07844

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of children living in unsuitable temporary accommodation have received a wellbeing assessment by each local authority in each year since the recommendation in the Ending Homelessness Together action plan was published.

While the Scottish Government collects data on the number of children living in unsuitable accommodation, it does not ask for returns from local authorities on any wellbeing assessments undertaken. This information would have to be requested directly from local authorities.

We are aware of a number of support assessments undertaken by local authorities as part of their housing assessment to record people’s needs. It is important, as part of this process and alongside the support provided to households experiencing homelessness, that the specific needs of children in the household are identified and met and their rights upheld.

Question reference: S6W-07839

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many households have received support under the Council Tax Reduction scheme in each year since it was introduced, broken down by local authority.

Question reference: S6W-07836

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 14 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support is provided to victims of stalking.

The Scottish Government has long recognised the hugely damaging impact of stalking and acted to criminalise it via the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.

In March 2022 we announced funding of £495,000 over the period 2022-25 from the new Victim Centred Approach Fund to enable Action Against Stalking to deliver expert support to victims and continue their work to improve the understanding of, and response to, stalking behaviours.

We are also providing up to £230,000 a year through the Scottish Legal Aid budget and £384,000 in 2022-23 from the Justice portfolio to the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre to offer free legal information and advice to women experiencing gender based violence, including stalking and harassment.

Question reference: S6O-00976

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to help young people at risk from exclusion from mainstream education.

Question reference: S6W-07522

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in the development of Hillend junction.

Two junction improvement options have been identified and assessed to identify any impacts they may have on journey times along this corridor. The assessment has also sought to take into account the impacts of emerging development in the area.

Engagement with Midlothian Council which is the responsible authority for adjoining local roads is continuing. The intention is to confirm the preferred option in due course, followed by a detailed design process to finalise the junction layout to take into account the site constraints at this location.

Question reference: S6W-07385

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on (a) how many NHS hearing aid repair support appointments there have been and (b) what the (i) average and (ii) longest waiting time for an appointment has been in each year since 1999.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

We would advise contacted health boards to obtain this data.

Audiologists are working on reduced capacity due to the remaining covid restrictions, specifically, reduced numbers of patients have access to the service because of additional infection control measures.

All services have seen a surge in referrals since lockdown has begun to ease and GPs have become more accessible. Waiting lists have grown as a result and services have to balance ensuring that patients receive good quality, efficient and effective treatment with managing the waiting list down.

Question reference: S6W-07378

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been waiting for cancer diagnostic tests and scans in each NHS board, in each month since January 2020.

Question reference: S6W-07386

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the current average waiting time is for someone to receive their hearing aid after submitting it for repair through the NHS.