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-04014

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason routine eye tests are conducted more frequently than hearing tests.

Question reference: S6W-30745

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what criteria it selected the members of its Abortion Law Review Expert Group.

The Scottish Government committed to reviewing the law on abortion to ensure that abortion services are first and foremost a healthcare matter.

An expert group chaired by Professor Anna Glasier, the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Champion, has been established to take this forward. The Group will consider the legal framework for abortion and clinical practice with a view to making recommendations where appropriate.

Membership of the expert group consists of clinical, legal, reproductive rights and academic experts. Members were selected to reflect a diverse range of expertise relevant to the healthcare focus of the review and its aim to develop recommendations that best serve the needs of those seeking and providing abortion care, while also considering the complexities of the matter.

Stakeholder engagement is a vital part of the wider review. The work of the expert group is one element of that wider review, and written submissions will be provided to the group from a range of organisations, including pro-life groups. The Scottish Government has written to a range of pro-life groups to ask if they wish to participate in a stakeholder group to feed directly into the wider review. All organisational views will be carefully considered alongside a range of clinical evidence in addition to the recommendations made by the Expert Group.

All minutes of the Expert Group are published online, and can be accessed here: Abortion Law Review Expert Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Question reference: S6W-30746

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the mix is of (a) pro-choice, (b) pro-life and (c) neutral members of the Abortion Law Review Expert Group.

The Scottish Government is not able to speak on behalf of individual members regarding their personal views on abortion. Members were chosen for their professional affiliations and expertise. No members of the Expert Group represent pro-life organisations as the Group is not considering the fundamental right to abortion.

The Expert Group is carefully considering all the evidence before it. Views from a range of perspectives, including those raised by pro-life organisations, will be considered on issues within the scope of the review. As outlined in the answer to S6W-30745 on 14 November 2024 on the work of the group is one part of the wider review and a stakeholder group has been established to represent a range of groups including pro-life organisations. The review will examine all evidence provided.

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-30747

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Abortion Law Review Expert Group is looking at the 24-week limit and whether it should be updated.

As outlined in the Terms of Reference, the Expert Group is considering the appropriate gestational limits for abortion alongside grounds for abortion; pathways for patients; the data and information collected about patients accessing services; regulations; the right to conscientious objection for healthcare workers; and criminal offences related to having or providing an abortion. This is in line with the commitment made by the Scottish Government.

The Terms of Reference can be accessed online; Abortion Law Review Expert Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Question reference: S6W-30911

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 12 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the resignation of Sir Brian May as vice president of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) due to reported concerns over "appalling" animal welfare standards on farms certified under the RSPCA Assured scheme, and what steps it is taking to ensure that animal welfare standards on Scottish farms meet or exceed national and international requirements.

The Scottish Government does not comment on the internal affairs of non-SG bodies.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to improving and protecting the welfare of all animals in Scotland. The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 protects animals in Scotland, including livestock, and in November 2023 we published our own pig welfare guidance to further improve the welfare of farmed pigs. The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010 was updated to include this updated guidance.

Question reference: S6O-03951

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address unnecessary court citations for police officers, in light of reports that over 500 officers are summoned to court each day, with only 10% required to give evidence, leading to an estimated £22.5 million per annum in lost productivity for Police Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03906

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on levels of compliance with ScotRail’s alcohol ban.

Question reference: S6W-28032

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the NatureScot licensing review.

Question reference: S6O-03581

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether a simplified employment process could be introduced for temporary staff working for just two or three days, for reasons such as covering sickness.

Question reference: S6O-03558

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when councillors’ pay is expected to rise.