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-04238

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to improving the ability for (a) visually impaired or (b) deaf people to participate in judicial proceedings such as jury duty, and what plans are in place to improve participation of this nature.

Court operational matters, including the system for jury service, fall within the remit of the independent Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS).

In November 2019, SCTS announced new services for jurors with a visual impairment or who are hard of hearing as recommended in Lord Matthews 2018 “Enabling Jury Service” report.

These adjustments and measures widened the accessibility for as many people as possible to serve on include:

easy-to use hearing loop units and magnifiers for use in the courtroom and jury deliberations;
dedicated and trained Jury Liaison Officers, who can be contacted by persons with a visual impairment or who are hard of hearing in advance of attending court as a juror. This will allow the needs of the individual to be explored and any suitable adjustments to be considered and implemented, where possible; and
an information sheet in various formats – including a video with British Sign Language and subtitles aimed at encouraging early contact between the person cited for jury service and the Jury Liaison Officer for that court.

In developing these services, SCTS worked closely with deafscotland and the Royal National Institute of Blind People, who contributed to the training of Jury Liaison Officers.

There is, of course, more to do to support greater accessibility for jurors and SCTS have provided assurances that they will consider further initiatives as opportunities arise during the business planning process.

Question reference: S6T-00284

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which victim support organisations it consulted with ahead of drafting the paper, Consultation on Bail and Release from Custody Arrangements in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00413

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of reported concerns, what consideration it is giving to additional funding for increased security personnel and security for MSPs' surgeries and local offices.

Question reference: S6T-00270

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of numerous attacks on emergency service workers while on duty during bonfire weekend.

Question reference: S6W-03547

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 4 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many two-year-olds are currently (a) receiving and (b) eligible for 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare in the (i) North Ayrshire and (ii) Inverclyde Council area.

The latest annual ELC Census data published in December 2020 as part of the Schools in Scotland Summary Statistics report showed that 178 and 123 two year olds were accessing a funded ELC place in North Ayrshire and Inverclyde Council respectively in September 2020.

In December, the Scottish Government will publish Schools in Scotland, Summary Statistics report for 2021. This report will include figures to show the number of registrations of two-year-olds at national and local authority level in September 2021.

Eligibility criteria for 2 year old funded ELC is largely determined by a parents’ receipt of low or no income ‘ qualifying benefits’ which are administered by UK Government. We do not have robust information on the current eligible population at a local authority or national level due to UK Government restrictions on data-sharing. The Scottish Government is working with UK Government departments and the Office for National Statistics to establish a legal gateway through which we can acquire further UK Government held data which will enable us to measure the eligible population more accurately.

Question reference: S6W-03532

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated estimate of the financial cost to the Isle of Arran economy of the delayed MV Glen Sannox ferry.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken any specific study into the impact of the new vessel delay on the Isle of Arran economy. However, we are very aware of the importance of reliable and regular ferry services upon which our island communities depend, including the people and businesses on Arran. Improvements implemented since 2013 as a result of the Ferries Plan included providing a 2nd vessel from May to September, resulting in increased daily sailings, a longer operating day and an extended summer season.

We continue to work with the yard to do everything we can to ensure that the new vessels enter service as quickly as possible, to deliver the further service improvements our island communities deserve

Question reference: S6W-03540

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of hospital appointments that have been missed on the mainland as a result of delays or cancellations on the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry route.

We have made no specific assessment of the number of hospital appointments that have been missed on the mainland as a result of delays or cancellations on the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry route.

We recognise the impact that ferry disruption has on island communities, and are taking steps to address resilience across the network. The MV Glen Sannox is due to be delivered next year which will improve vessel resilience on this route.

Whenever there is disruption, CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) do their best to assist passengers with a need to travel, particularly those with medical appointments, and will always do everything possible to accommodate passengers on alternative sailings.

In order to address capacity issues, a new policy has been put in place to ensure anyone with a short notice medical appointment who cannot book a vehicle can travel as a foot passenger and CFL will arrange a taxi.

Question reference: S6W-03717

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 1 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the provisions in sections 5 to 7 of the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019 are due to come into force.

The Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019 received Royal Assent on 20 July 2019. Since then a number of sections have been commenced (3, 4, 8, 9,15,40-43, 45-47, 50(3), 52, 53(2) and 3(b), 54, 16(1) partially, 17-39, 44, 48, 49, 50(1)(2)(4), 53 (1) and (3)(a), 55-57, 59-61 and schedule 1 (paragraphs 1, 3, 4 and 5).

The provisions in section 5-7 relate to making electronic monitoring a condition of licence. Electronic monitoring is already a feature of post-release sentence management as a condition of licence, for uses such as Home Detention Curfew. The Parole Board currently have an ability to recommend licence conditions which can include an element of electronic monitoring. These sections of the Act consolidate existing legislation in this area to allow for a continuation of these uses, with the addition of a new use of monitoring of temporary release licence.

The next set of commencement regulations planned for the Act will likely now be early 2022. The provisions for sections 5-7 will be given a commencement date at that point. Those commencement regulations will also bring into force some of the court based uses of electronic monitoring already included in section 3 of the Act. A range of justice partners, including: COPFS, Police Scotland, justice social work and SCTS have been taking forward preparations for those uses and the exact list of disposals and timing of regulations will be dependent on partner operational readiness.

Question reference: S6W-03868

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 1 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Prison Service annual reports and accounts for 2020-21 will be published.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Scottish Prison Service Annual Report and Accounts for 2020-21 which published on 28 October. The report recognises the achievements made by our prison service in 2020-21 in response to the unprecedented challenges of a pandemic.

The Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 requires Scottish Ministers to lay a copy of the accounts and the auditor’s report before the Parliament and to publish the accounts and auditor’s report no later than 31 December 2021.

Question reference: S6W-03534

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its ministers have had with private rented sector representatives in the (a) North Ayrshire and (b) Inverclyde Council area regarding proposals to introduce rent controls.

We have met with a range of private rented sector representatives, including those representing tenants and landlords, and will continue to do so as we progress work on implementing an effective national system of rent controls, including those representing the North Ayrshire and Inverclyde areas. Our aim is to ensure quality, affordability and fairness for everyone who rents a home, whilst carefully examining potential unintended consequences.

This policy is still being developed and will also be consulted on publicly within the new draft Rented Sector Strategy due to be published at the end of this year, providing further opportunities for all stakeholders to share their views. Upon consideration of the consultation responses, a final Rented Sector Strategy will be published later in 2022 and deliver a key commitment, set out in Housing to 2040 , Scotland’s long term vision for housing.