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-13604

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by Peel NRE that its decision to withdraw plans for a facility in Clydebank to turn plastic waste into fuel for buses and cars was made due to the Scottish Government’s moratorium on thermal treatment facilities, which “creates a negative environment”, and what assessment it has made of the number of jobs and value of investment that could result from such a facility.

The Scottish Government’s priority is to move to a circular economy, which means reducing our demand for raw material, increasing reuse and repair, and recycling more. Where we do produce unavoidable and unrecyclable residual waste, we must ensure we treat it responsibly.

In terms of waste incineration, the independent review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy made it clear that Scotland does not need additional waste incineration facilities to treat our unavoidable and unrecyclable municipal residual waste beyond those for which planning permission has already been granted. That is why National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), as approved by parliament on 11 January, makes clear that development proposals for energy-from-waste facilities will not be supported except under very limited circumstances. The independent review did not consider waste to fuel facilities, such as the proposed plastics to hydrogen development.

Scottish Government has not assessed the number of jobs or value of investment that could result from such a facility. However, available evidence suggests that delivering a circular economy provides local employment opportunities and lower cost options to access goods. 10,000 tonnes of waste can create up to 296 jobs in repair and reuse, compared to 1 job in incineration, 6 jobs in landfill or 36 jobs in recycling.

Question reference: S6W-13381

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports in the Sunday Mail on 18 December 2022 that 1,029 Police Scotland officers retired between January and October 2022, and that the number of police officers is at its lowest level in 14 years.

As I said in my answer to Donald Lumsden (S6O-01659), policing is and will continue to be a priority for the Scottish Government. Scotland has a higher number of officers than at any time during the last administration – and more per head of population than England and Wales (30 officers per 10,000 population in Scotland, compared to 24 officers per 10,000 population in England and Wales (at 31 March).

Officer numbers fluctuate due to the cycle of recruitment and retirement, and this was further impacted by last year’s police pension changes. However, I was pleased to see that Police Scotland welcomed around 900 new recruits in 2022.

Our officers are the best paid in the UK, which recognises the hard work and dedication of the police workforce across Scotland. Basic starting salary for a constable in Scotland is around £5,000 more than in England and Wales and the maximum salary is also higher.

Question reference: S6T-01103

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by the Chief Inspector of the Constabulary that some Police Scotland officers lack empathy and show outdated attitudes in domestic abuse cases.

Question reference: S6W-13382

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding the reported 150% increase in burst water pipes in December 2022.

The Scottish Government and Scottish Water are in regular dialogue about a number of issues, including the potential for burst water pipes.

I was briefed in person by Scottish Water on the expectations that the recent thaw would bring a substantial increase in the number of bursts across Scottish Water’s network and I was reassured that additional response teams were ready to tackle that anticipated situation.

Question reference: S6W-13603

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been diagnosed with kidney failure and in need of a transplant in (a) the NHS Ayrshire and Arran area and (b) Inverclyde in each year since 2016, and what the average waiting time to receive a transplant has been in each year since 2016.

The number of patients that have been or are on the active kidney transplant waiting list as of 31 March each year since 2016 in the NHS Ayrshire and Arran and the Inverclyde local authority postcode areas is as follows:

Postcode Area	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	37	27	20	26	33	15	20
Inverclyde	7	7	5	7	8	9	11

Some patients who receive a living donor transplant may never be registered on the waiting list for a deceased donor transplant so those patients would not be included in the table above.

The risk-adjusted median waiting times for kidney only transplants for adults in the various UK transplant centres are published annually by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). In Scotland, kidney transplants are undertaken at the Edinburgh and West of Scotland (Glasgow) Transplant Units; patients living in either Ayrshire and Arran or Inverclyde would receive their transplant at the Glasgow Unit. The figures for those adults registered at the Glasgow transplant unit from 2016 were published in the 2019-2022 NHSBT annual reports as follows:

Year published	Patient Registered	Waiting time (days)
		Unadjusted median	95% Confidence Interval	Risk-adjusted median
2022	01-04-16-31-03-19	622	566-678	626
2021	01-04-15-31-03-18	644	579-709	689
2020	01-04-14-31-03-17	622	558-686	689
2019	01-04-13-31-03-16	699	622-776	721

Please note that there are significant differences in waiting times depending on a number of factors, such as the patient’s blood group and also antibodies they have from previous pregnancies, transplants or blood transfusions.

Question reference: S6W-13576

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the current backlog and waiting times for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Sandyford Gender Identity Clinic.

Question reference: S6W-13271

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by the National Farmers Union Scotland that "deteriorating and unreliable" lifeline services to and from island communities are "increasingly impacting on the farmers and crofters who depend on them", and what assessment it has made of the economic impact of cancelled and delayed ferry services on the crofting industry.

I have not received any correspondence from the National Farmers Union for Scotland on this matter.

The Scottish Government has undertaken reports on the economic condition of crofting, and the measures to support crofting in Scotland. The latest of these was published on Tuesday 20 December 2022, https://www.gov.scot/publications/economic-condition-crofting-2019-2022/ .

The importance of farming and crofting to our rural and island areas is fully appreciated by the Scottish Government.

I am aware that the NFU have raised an issue in relation to agricultural vehicles and CalMac’s systems. I am more than happy to meet with the NFU to discuss their concerns and to ensure systems are improved to support agricultural traffic when using the CalMac fleet, however I note I am yet to receive any formal representation from the NFU on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-13588

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports on 22 December 2022 that HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland has criticised the “disappointing underuse” of HMP Castle Huntly, with only 100 inmates housed at its last inspection out of a capacity of 285.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS welcomes the Chief Inspector’s report and her recognition of many areas of good practice at HMP Castle Huntly.

Like many areas of public life, SPS continues to recover from the global pandemic. Despite this, SPS has been working towards making further improvements to the progression of those people in our care. This has resulted in an increase of 25 percent in the population of HMP Castle Huntly since April 2022.

We have also commenced a review of population management and progression, which will identify any barriers to safe progression for those in our care to the Open Estate and reduce the risk of reoffending to the public.

Question reference: S6W-13577

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Commencement of Sections 10 to 40 of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 will allow Sexual Harm Prevention Orders to be made in Scotland. Commencement of these provisions has been coordinated with the UK Government in order that we can commence the necessary provisions at the same time, to allow UK wide recognition of these orders. These provisions are expected to be commenced in the early part of this year.

Question reference: S6W-13580

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 12 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many students have (a) applied for and (b) received discretionary funds to support their higher education in each year since 2020.

In the academic year 2020-21, there were 33,761 applications to the Higher Education Discretionary Funds across colleges and universities. The Discretionary Funds include the additional Covid Fund, introduced to support students during the pandemic.

27,500 applications were successful.

These figures come from the financial returns provided by colleges and universities, and reflect the applications made to them. The overall total applications number is not disaggregated into individual students’ applications - it could include several applications being made by the same individual student.

Data for 2021-22 is not yet available, and is due to be published in the annual SAAS Statistical Publication in August.