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-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: S6W-02825

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Royal College of Nursing to discuss the reported increase in nursing and midwifery vacancies.

I last met with the Royal College of Nursing on 1 October 2021, where we discussed a range of issues.

The Scottish Government’s position on nursing and midwifery vacancies is set out in my responses to the Member's associated questions: S6W-02826 and S6W-02827 on 21 September 2021.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-04012

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to decrease the moisture content limit for the sale of firewood to 20%, as set out in its consultation paper, Cleaner Air For Scotland 2, published in October 2020, and, if so, whether it will provide details of the reasons for choosing the 20% limit, in light of hardwood that is airdried for two years in the traditional way reportedly having a moisture content of between 17% and 23%, which may mean that half of all such hardwood is unfit for sale.

The Scottish Government published its new air quality strategy ‘Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 – Towards a Better Place for Everyone’ in July this year. The strategy sets out a wide variety of actions. One action is to work with businesses, and others that might be affected, on proposals to control the sale of the most polluting domestic fuels, which include wet wood. In order to take this forward we have set up a specialist domestic (household) emissions working group, with representation from industry and key stakeholders. These proposals are still at an early stage, further consideration will be required and additional information will be made available in due course.

In taking forward this work, we will be mindful of the potential impact on businesses and domestic users. Any new measures would require to be implemented over a period of time, such as a transitional period during which businesses could adapt to the new requirements without disproportionate costs.

Question reference: S6W-04017

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people included in the latest recorded drug-related deaths statistics were care leavers or care experienced.

The annual drug-related death statistics published by National Records of Scotland ( Drug Related Deaths in Scotland | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) ) does not contain information about the life circumstances of people who have unfortunately died from a drug-related death.

The National Drug-Related Deaths Database (NDRDD) published by Public Health Scotland was established to collect wider and more detailed information regarding the nature and circumstances of people who had a drug-related death. This report does not currently include detail on whether individuals were care leavers or care experienced. However, Public Health Scotland are working with Research Data Scotland to explore the feasibility of widening out data linkage to non-health datasets and care-experience has been identified as an important area to explore.

( https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol-Misuse/Publications/2018-06-12/2018-06-12-NDRDD-Report.pdf ).

Question reference: S6W-03795

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been (a) trained and (b) employed to provide Scottish Prison Service (SPS) Throughcare Support Services in each of the last five years, and whether these services have resumed.

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

The Throughcare Support Service was introduced in 2015 and until its suspension on 13 September 2019, comprised of 3 Regional Managers and 42.1 (FTE) TSS Officers.

Between 2015-2019 a small number of staff rotated in and out of these roles and undertook training as part of the recruitment process. However, no new staff have been trained or employed to provide SPS Throughcare Support Services since the suspension of these services in 2019.

Question reference: S6W-04024

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Interface Care and Discharge without Delay programmes will extend to mental health services.

The ideals and principles of the Interface Care and Discharge without Delay programs extends across all care groups, including Mental Health.

In addition to this work, in March 2021 we issued a £20 million Community Living Change Fund to be used during 2021–2024. This funding will be used to redesign services for people with complex needs including intellectual disabilities and autism, and for people who have enduring mental health problems, avoiding the need for out of area placements and reducing delayed discharges from hospital.

Question reference: S6W-04023

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, when developing the Interface Care and Discharge without Delay programmes, what assessment it made of the current delayed discharges situation for (a) physical and (b) mental healthcare.

The detrimental effects on physical and mental health and wellbeing are well known and documented. Reducing that harm, and ensuring that people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time, is the key ethos behind the improvement programme. Data on the number of, and reason for delay, is collected monthly by Public Health Scotland and will be used, along with other data to measure progress and improvement.

Question reference: S6W-04013

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposal in its consultation paper, Cleaner Air For Scotland 2, published in October 2020, to decrease the moisture content limit for the sale of firewood to 20%, what its response is to reported concerns that producers could only ensure compliance with a 20% limit by kiln drying wood, which may result in increased CO2 output and put many small producers in rural Scotland out of business.

Question reference: S6W-04014

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to set the wood moisture content limit for the sale of firewood to 25% in any legislation that it introduces in this area, in light of reported concerns that a lower limit would not protect small firewood businesses in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-04031

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that older buildings, which may be subject to stricter planning regulations, can become energy neutral, and what support it can offer to the owners of these buildings to help make their properties energy neutral.

Scottish Government is committed to decarbonising all of Scotland's building stock, including transitioning Scotland’s many valuable heritage assets to low and zero emissions heating in a way that respects and protects the special characteristics of these buildings and places. Our Heat in Buildings Strategy recognises that for traditional and heritage buildings, bespoke approaches, including skilled design and construction, may be required. We are working with stakeholders, including Historic Environment Scotland, to develop more solutions to transition Scotland’s historic buildings to zero emissions heating while respecting and preserving the special characteristics of our buildings and places, and where needed continue to build our evidence base and the guidance available for the heat transition in these buildings and areas, including in our approach to regulation.

To ensure property owners have access to suitably qualified installers, we have developed, with industry, installer skill requirements for our Heat in Buildings Strategy which includes skill requirements for any work carried out on pre-1919 buildings where installers will be required to have a 'SQA Level 3 award in Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings'.

A range of guidance is available from Historic Environment Scotland to help with potential options for the installation of micro-renewables technologies, energy efficiency measures and climate change adaptations in listed buildings, traditional homes and buildings in conservation areas. This support can be accessed through the Historic Environment Scotland website at: www.historicenvironment.scot . Of particular interest may be:

Owning a Traditional Property: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support/your-property/owning-a-traditional-property/

Making changes to your Property: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support/your-property/making-changes-to-your-property/

Saving Energy in Traditional Buildings: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support/your-property/saving-energy-in-traditional-buildings/

Domestic loans and grants are available through the Home Energy Scotland service which acts as the gateway to all Scottish Government-funded domestic energy efficiency schemes. Home Energy Scotland advisors can offer free and impartial energy efficiency advice, and advice on how to keep homes warmer and more affordable to heat, and are contactable Freephone on 0808 808 2282. Their website containing details of all Scottish Government energy efficiency schemes available for home owners can be found at: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/home-energy-Scotland .

Additionally, property owners may be eligible for support through heritage-related grant schemes or relevant funds which can be found : https://www.heritagefundingdirectoryuk.org/ .