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-00593

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its handling of Freedom of Information requests against the 20 working day statutory timescale.

Question reference: S6O-00597

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the UK Government to discuss the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and what the outcome was.

Question reference: S6O-00613

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is progressing plans for carbon neutral islands.

Question reference: S6O-00612

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it has made to support the rural economies of Scotland's islands, in light of the anticipated impact of the Omicron variant.

Question reference: S6O-00607

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that public transport is accessible to disabled people.

Question reference: S6O-00608

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent actions it has taken to support the rural economy on Arran.

Question reference: S6O-00605

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is tackling fuel poverty in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley.

Question reference: S6O-00602

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support ferry services in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00575

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the scale of the problem of sexual assault faced by girls at school.

There is no place for harassment or abuse of any form, whether in the workplace, schools, in the home or in society. Through our Equally Safe delivery plan and review of Personal and Social Education, we are taking action aimed at preventing sexual harassment and gender-based violence, in order to develop positive relationships amongst children and young people.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education take matters of safeguarding very seriously. This is a well-established priority and approaches to safeguarding and child protection are evaluated in every school inspection.

We have committed to commissioning an independent review to establish positive practice and further areas for improvement, during this parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-05016

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what additional measures it is planning to put in place in response to reports of confirmed avian influenza cases in wild birds and hens in Dumfries and Galloway and Angus.

On the 3rd of November, and in response to an increase in risk to poultry of highly pathogenic avian influenza linked with increasing numbers of wild birds testing positive for the disease, the Scottish Government, along with Defra, DAERA and the Welsh Government, acted swiftly to declare an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole of the UK. This declaration legally required keepers to apply strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease. These measures were further enhanced on 29 November, requiring all bird keepers to house their birds or otherwise keep them separate from wild birds.

When outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been confirmed, such as those in Angus or Dumfries and Galloway, a 3 km Protection Zone and 10 km Surveillance Zone are declared around the infected premise. Within these zones, movement restrictions are applied on poultry, other captive birds, carcasses, eggs, and a range of poultry product and associated equipment, all aimed at halting the spread of the disease. A full epidemiological investigation is carried out in every case to identify the source of the virus and any potential onward transmission routes.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with other UK administrations and its operational partners to put out communications to keepers ensuring they are aware of the risk and to promote compliance with the Avian Influenza prevention zone biosecurity measures. Whether keepers have just a few birds or thousands they must take action now to protect their birds from this highly infectious disease.