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-03430

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made towards implementing its Vision for Justice in Scotland Delivery Plan.

Question reference: S6O-03428

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a further update on the Scottish Prison Service’s work to address reported noise disturbance at HMP Stirling.

Question reference: S6O-03433

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update ahead of the introduction of the proposed Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Bill, including in relation to the potential overturning of any wrongful convictions of postmasters in Scotland that were based on evidence from the Post Office’s Horizon computer system.

Question reference: S6O-03427

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the constitution secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the delivery of its commitment to invest at least £100 million more in culture and the arts by the financial year 2028-29.

Question reference: S6O-03425

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that over half of applications to Creative Scotland could be turned down as a result of "standstill funding" from the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-26998

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many times Dr Hilary Cass has met with (a) clinicians in Scotland and (b) Scottish Government officials, and when.

Scottish Government only holds information on meetings between Dr Hilary Cass and Scottish Government officials that are attended by Scottish Government.

Scottish Government has met with Dr Hilary Cass and members of the Cass Review team on a number of occasions. Several of these meetings included clinicians from Health Boards in Scotland. Scottish Government understands separate meetings between clinicians and/or NHS Health Boards and Dr Hiliary Cass and the Cass Review team may have taken place, but does not hold information regarding frequency or dates of such contact.

b) Available information indicates that Scottish Government officials have met with Dr Hilary Cass in her capacity as Chair of NHS England’s independent review of gender identity services for children and young people in either direct meetings, or meetings where Dr Cass was also an attendee, on:

21-09-2022

21-11-2022

17-01-2023

20-09-2023

16-11-2023

22-11-2023

19-12-2023

Dr Cass also updated MSPs on the ongoing work of her review on 29-09-2022. Officials attended that MSP-chaired meeting as observers.

Question reference: S6W-27086

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether SEPA has assessed any impact of flea and worm treatments used for companion animals on the environment.

SEPA have developed a new analytical technique to screen environmental water samples for a range of chemical substances, including a range of pesticides and pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary).

Through targeted screening methodology, this helps identify and provide estimated concentrations for approximately 450 chemical substances including medicines used to control parasites. Monitoring began late 2023, with initially around 100 monitoring locations (rivers and lochs) expanding to over 300 locations in 2024.

This investigative monitoring programme was designed to help SEPA understand chemical pressures on Scotland’s water environment. SEPA are finalising monitoring results for substances used in veterinary medicines to treat parasites in companion animals and will share as it becomes available, with other UK regulators and agencies through the UK cross-government Pharmaceuticals in the Environment group. In addition, SEPA are also exploring options for making this data more widely available.

Question reference: S6W-27031

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the current status is of the Climate Emergency Economic and Investment Leadership Group that was announced in the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan.

The Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) provided an important springboard for net zero skills planning and significant progress has been made since its publication, notably in strengthening the evidence base through the CESAP Pathfinders, which provides a better understanding of the skills requirements in the transition to net zero, focusing on investment, demand, and provision across the CESAP sectors.

A separate Economic and Investment Leadership Group has not been established however, an Implementation Steering Group (ISG) was established in 2021 to bring together senior experts from across industry, academia, and public-sector agencies. The group has fostered collaboration and promoted innovative approaches in priority sectors for building a fair, green and growing economy.

Significant work has also started on the commitment for Scottish Government to take responsibility for skills planning at a national level and to strengthen regional skills planning. This commitment will be a key mechanism for supporting the transition to net zero.

Question reference: S6W-26820

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 May 2024

To ask to the Scottish Government what incentives there will be for landlords to comply with the new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) regulations, in light of the reported current lack of enforcement by local authorities.

The Scottish Government is not proposing any change in requirements that landlords will have to comply with as part of proposed amendments to EPC regulations, and therefore is not aware of the need for any incentives to do so. It will remain a legal requirement for landlords advertising a property for rental to ensure that there is a valid EPC.

We have proposed reducing the validity period from 10 years to 5 years and so in these circumstances a landlord may have to update their EPC more frequently. As set out in our consultation on EPC reform in 2023, this will ensure the EPC provides a more up-to-date assessment for current and prospective tenants of a property.

As part of the wider reform of EPCs in Scotland, we are currently reviewing the EPC operational framework in Scotland. This includes a review of the current enforcement mechanisms in place.

The Scottish Government is currently considering responses to the consultation and as set out in our response to S6W-26036 we intend to publish our response to the EPC reform and Heat in Buildings Bill consultations at the same point later this year.

Question reference: S6W-27072

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what changes it has made to procurement guidance since 2019 in order to reduce the amount of crumb rubber infill being discharged into seas and rivers.

Public bodies have their own procurement policies and this should reflect their priorities in the design and construction of sports facilities.

There are already alternatives on the market such as cork, corn husks and olive pits amongst others. sport scotland are part of the UK Artificial Grass Pitch forum monitoring work on the long-term viability of these products. St Andrews University has already installed a full-size 3G pitch with cork infill, and there is research and development continuing across the industry with more products in the market.