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-02269

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards establishing a public inquiry into COVID-19.

The Scottish Government remains committed both to a public inquiry to be set up this year to consider matters in relation to Scotland’s handling of the pandemic, and to placing bereaved families at the heart of our work to establish an inquiry including in the development of Terms of Reference.

During the first 100 Days of the new administration, the Government has held discussions with the UK Government on its plans for a public inquiry, as well as with stakeholders including representatives of bereaved families. To ensure that lessons are learned, we will now proceed to establish a Scottish public inquiry. The inquiry will be established by the end of this year.

As the beginning of a process of engagement with stakeholders and others with an interest, and to inform development of the Terms of Reference, the Scottish Government has today published a set of draft aims and principles for an independent COVID-19 public inquiry in Scotland under the Inquiries Act 2005: www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-inquiry-establishment. This document will form the basis of a process which will allow us to listen to the views of those affected by COVID-19, including the bereaved families, on what they wish for a public inquiry to focus on, and marks an important step in the progress of its establishment. Discussions are underway with the Lord President to identify and appoint a chair for the Scottish Covid inquiry, in line with our previous commitment that we would wish it to be led by a judge.

In considering the Terms of Reference for the inquiry, and to ensure that all the areas that need to be considered are covered in a way that gives confidence to bereaved families and others, the Scottish Government will continue discussions with the UK Government on the planned UK inquiry.

Question reference: S6W-02062

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much water is lost due to leakage and what action it is taking to reduce water waste.

At 31 March 2021, Scottish Water reported leakage at 463 Megalitres per day – a reduction of over 55% since 2006. Scottish Water continues to invest to maintain and replace assets to further drive down leakage.

Part 7 of the Water Resources (Scotland) Act 2013 allows Scottish Water to make a water shortage order if it believes there is a serious deficiency of water supplies in an area. Scottish Water also encourages customers to use water efficiently year-round and has information on its website at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Your-Home/Save-Water/Water-Saving-Advice. In addition, Licensed Providers, such as Business Stream, work with non-domestic customers to promote efficient water use to generate environmental and financial savings. In the last year alone, Business Stream has helped its customers save over £14 million through water efficiency savings. Business stream has also recently launched a £100k water efficiency fund to help public sector bodies deliver water efficiency projects.

Question reference: S6W-00867

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the (a) current and (b) future provision of sustainable transport, and what its response is to reports that Sustrans/Places for Everyone has been suspending applications for community projects, including some that were fully prepared for introduction.

The vision of our National Transport Strategy is that we will have a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system, helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors. The Strategy embeds the Sustainable Travel Hierarchy into decision making, by prioritising walking, wheeling, cycling and public and shared transport options in preference to single occupancy private car use.

It also confirms that future transport investment decisions will be made in line with the Sustainable Investment Hierarchy, ensuring that transport options that focus on the need to travel sustainably and reduce inequalities are prioritised.

I can confirm that Sustrans notified Transport Scotland of its decision to pause applications to the Places for Everyone (PfE) fund for all new projects, due to the fund currently being oversubscribed. Funds continue to be available for the delivery of existing PfE projects. Sustrans will review this position again in September 2021.

Question reference: S6W-00614

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 18 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken on each of the 65 recommendations in the Salmon Farming in Scotland report published by the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on the 27 November 2018.

Question reference: S6O-00060

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to an NASUWT Scotland survey, which suggests that 53% of teachers have considered leaving the profession in the last year, feeling demoralised, unsupported and unrecognised.

Question reference: S6W-00075

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of its planned spending on walking, cycling and wheeling over the next parliamentary year, until May 2022.

Spend on walking, wheeling and cycling increased to £115.5 million in 2021-22 and is budgeted over the financial year, rather than the parliamentary year. The budget for active travel is presented in the following table on the basis of the published Level 4 budgets:

Active Travel Budget	2021-22 (£m)
From Sustainable and Active Travel Capital	74.4
From Sustainable and Active Travel Resource	6.3
From Future Transport Fund - Cycling Infrastructure	10.9
Local Government Capital Grant - Cycling Walking Safer Routes	23.9
Total	115.5

Question reference: S6W-00080

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which suppliers of bicycles will be used to fulfil its policy of providing every child who cannot afford one with a bicycle.

Question reference: S6W-00074

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its policy of providing a bicycle to every child who cannot afford one will be administered.

Question reference: S6W-00076

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out the eligibility criteria for its policy to provide a bicycle for children who cannot afford one.

Question reference: S6W-00077

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has allocated to fulfil its policy to provide a bicycle for children who cannot afford one.