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-28265

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to undertake a review of the regulation of the audiology workforce, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Question reference: S6W-28172

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to specialist teenage and young adult (TYA) clinical psychology services, as set out in the cancer strategy for children and young people.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving support services for children and young people with cancer. Last year we provided recurring funding for the existing dedicated psychologists for children and young people with cancer.

A review of further psychological support services in Scotland is currently being carried out by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer and the Scottish Government remains engaged with this.

Question reference: S6W-28006

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what strategy it has developed to consider coastal defences.

The Scottish Government recognises the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and the need to consider coastal defences.

Our Dynamic Coast 2 project, published in 2021, helps local authorities and other stakeholders identify where the greatest risks are from coastal erosion this decade and into the future. The 2020 Programme for Government committed £12 million to local authorities, over four years, for coastal change adaptation to allow them to plan for, and protect communities from, the impacts of coastal erosion and sea level rise. We published Guidance in 2023, to support local authorities in the preparation of Coastal Change Adaptation Plans,which includes using nature based solutions as part of coastal protection.

Improving resilience to flooding is a priority for the Scottish Government and we continue to work with, and support, local authorities to fulfil their obligations to reduce the impact of flooding from all sources including coastal. To support flood protection measures, the Scottish Government provides £42 million each year to local authorities. In August 2020, the Programme for Government also committed an additional £150 million over 5 years to support flood risk management actions.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on a Flood Resilience Strategy for Scotland which will lay out what we need to do in the long term to make our places more flood resilient, including at our coasts.

Question reference: S6W-28011

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will remove renewable liquid fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil from the “polluting heating systems” criteria that are anticipated to be within its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.

In the consultation on a Heat in Buildings Bill, we recognise that as a renewable, and potentially net zero, energy source, bioenergy may represent the best option to help decarbonise some homes for which clean heating systems are not suitable. We also want to ensure that owners who have taken the proactive step of installing renewable bioenergy systems are fairly treated.

This is why, in addition to permitting extra time for those currently using bioenergy to meet the clean heat element of the Standard, we sought views on whether a more flexible approach to the use of bioenergy under future regulations is needed.

We are currently analysing the over 1600 responses to this consultation and considering how to take this matter forward in a way that balances the needs of Scotland’s diverse buildings. We would need to balance this flexibility with the need to protect and ensure the supply of bioenergy in other sectors of the economy that also rely on bioenergy to remove emissions.

Question reference: S6W-28012

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on off-grid households in Scotland, whether it plans to work with the heating oil industry in Scotland in relation to the UK Government's planned consultation on the Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation (RLHFO), in order to support a timely consultation process following the UK General Election.

Question reference: S6W-27906

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 12 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that the delivery of payments from the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme will be unaffected by the announcement that a new body, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, has been established.

The Scottish Government recognises the strength of feeling of beneficiaries in Scotland about the future of the current Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS), which has been important both in supporting people, and in providing a service they value, over a number of years.

The UK Government set out its proposals for an infected blood final compensation scheme, and the setting up of a new UK-wide Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), on 21 May. The UK Government proposes that support scheme payments, such as those currently provided by SIBSS, will continue to be paid on an ex-gratia basis until 31 March 2025. From 1 April 2025, SIBSS payments will be taken into account in calculating final compensation awards. Infected and affected people will have a choice of receiving their compensation as a lump sum or as periodic payments. The UK Government has also said that it will ensure that no one will receive less than they do now. In addition, Sir Robert Francis, interim chair of the IBCA, published a Statement of Intent on 29 May 2024 making clear that Regulations setting out details of the compensation scheme will be laid in the UK Parliament on or before 24 August 2024. Currently, he is consulting with infected and affected communities and their representatives.

The Scottish Government will continue to represent the views of Scottish stakeholders to the UK Government during these consultations, including on the question of whether SIBSS members who opt for periodic payments should get those ongoing payments from the support schemes or the IBCA. Having campaigned for years to achieve these outcomes, we do not want people to now feel they have no say in how compensation is paid.

Question reference: S6W-28010

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 11 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many reports of short-term lets operating without a licence have been received by each local authority to date.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information that has been requested. Local authorities will have local arrangements in place for managing reports of licence breaches and non-compliance. I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28008 on 11 June 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-28008

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 11 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many short-term lets it estimates are currently operating without a licence.

Question reference: S6W-28009

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 11 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many inspections of short-term let properties have been conducted to date where they were found to be (a) in breach of their and (b) without an appropriate licence.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information that has been requested, as local authorities are responsible for administering the scheme and making relevant inspections. I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28008 on 11 June 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-28013

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will meet with (a) MSPs and (b) relevant industry leaders to discuss the reported concerns of people living in oil-heated homes in relation to its proposals for the decarbonisation of buildings, in light of its recent announcement that it will review regulations on wood-burning stoves.