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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 31843 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-03667

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding reports that access to second-day PCR testing, following arrival into the UK from abroad, is cheaper in England, and what steps it is taking to mitigate any such disparity in affordability between Scotland and England.

As with the rest of the UK, fully vaccinated travellers arriving into Scotland from non-red list countries are required to take a test no later than the end of day 2 after their arrival. Currently, the test needs to meet a minimum standard which tends to mean that a PCR test is required, although some other tests can meet the standard.

Travellers can choose to purchase a PCR test via CTM, the UK booking portal for international travel, where costs are currently £68 for a day two test and £136 for day two and eight tests, regardless of where a traveller lives in the UK. Alternatively, a traveller can book a test via one of the private providers listed on the gov.uk site. The average cost of these tests are between £55-£65 across the whole of the UK.

From 24 October, fully vaccinated travellers arriving into England from non-red list countries will be able to take a lateral flow test with photo verification for their day 2 test. This will be followed up with a confirmatory PCR test, should they receive a positive result.

We have confirmed we will align with these changes, however we have only recently received details of the proposal from the UK Government and are reviewing these prior to confirming a date for implementation.

Question reference: S6W-03604

Asked by: Jenni Minto, MSP for Argyll and Bute, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult on legislation to extend the framework for licensing of activities involving animals and, if so, within what timescale.

The Programme for Government 2020-21 commits the Scottish Government to consult on legislation to extend the new framework that came into force on 1 September for the licensing of animal welfare establishments, dog, cat and rabbit breeding and pet sales to performing animals and animal care services.

We plan to bring forward consultations in this area in due course after allowing a period of familiarisation with the recent licensing changes, so that the practical experiences of local authorities in implementing these can be considered in any future proposals.

Question reference: S6W-03645

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many Funeral Support Payments have been made since the scheme was launched.

Social Security Scotland routinely publish information as part of the quarterly Official Statistics release ‘Funeral Support Payment’. This includes information on the number and value of payments made since launch. In the most recent publication, which covered data up until the end of June 2021, 9,865 payments had been issued since the launch of Funeral Support Payment.

Information on Funeral Support Payment was last published on the 24 August 2021 and provided information up to the 30 June 2021. This publication is available from:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/funeral-support-payment-high-level-statistics-to-30-june-2021/

Question reference: S6W-03649

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its ministers have had with the university and college sector regarding the workforce skills needed by the construction industry in the future.

Question reference: S6W-03646

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which powers and responsibilities it plans to remove from local authorities under its proposed National Care Service.

The Independent Review of Adult Social Care recommended that accountability for adult social care should be transferred from local authorities to Scottish Ministers, creating a National Care Service.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on proposals for the remit and role of a National Care Service and wider proposals for community health and social care. The consultation also seeks views on whether children’s social work and social care services, and justice social work, should be included in the National Care Service.

Scottish Government welcomes ongoing engagement with local authorities and their participation in this consultation process. All responses to the consultation and engagement events will be carefully analysed to inform the Government’s position on the role and remit of the National Care Service. We will continue our engagement with key partners and stakeholders across the range of proposals for the new legislation.

Question reference: S6W-03746

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether its consultation on alcohol marketing will include proposals to curb alcohol industry sponsorship of sports.

Question reference: S6W-03668

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given a contract to deliver any NHS services to private healthcare provider, Oviva.

Question reference: S6W-03648

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support (a) disabled people and (b) people considered to be furthest from the labour market into green jobs.

Our ‘A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan’ sets out key actions we as a Government will take to meet our commitment to reduce the employment gap between disabled people and the rest of the working age population by at least half by 2038. This Action plan will be refreshed in Spring 2022; and we are working closely with our partners, including disabled people themselves and the organisations that represent them, as we develop this. The Young Person’s Guarantee will ensure that every person aged between 16 and 24 – including disabled people and those from low socio-economic groups will have the opportunity to study, take up an apprenticeship, job or work experience, or participate in formal volunteering. The transition to net zero presents opportunities to put this into practice. This year we have provided £27 million for Fair Start Scotland to provide tailored support for unemployed disabled people to move into fair and sustained work.

We are also providing over £8.65 million for the Parental Employability Support Fund in 2021-22, and will invest at least a further £15 million across 2022-24. This helps low income families identified as being most at risk of experiencing poverty, including disabled parents to increase their earnings, by gaining and progressing in fair work, providing intensive, person centred key worker employability support. In August we launched phase 1 of The Green Jobs Workforce Academy. The Academy makes it easier for individuals of all backgrounds at any stage of their career to consider how their skills and experience can be built upon to launch a green career. Finally, The Individual Training Account scheme continues to support the unemployed or those in low paid work with the opportunity to access £200 towards training.

Question reference: S6W-03589

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 08 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its environmental targets, the reported urgency of the climate and nature emergencies, and the role that Scotland’s peatlands play as a carbon store and habitat, whether it will have a licensing scheme in place for muirburn, including a ban on almost all burning on peat, in time for the next muirburn season starting on 1 October 2022.

As we set out in our recent Programme for Government, we are committed to delivering the recommendations of the independent Grouse Moor Management Group review (the ‘Werritty Review’) as a matter of urgency.

This will include tighter regulation, including licensing, and oversight of muirburn, and a ban on burning on peatland (expect in very limited cases as part of an approved habitat restoration programme).

We will also undertake a review of the current definition of peatland, taking expert advice on whether it should be revised and a stricter definition imposed.

The timing of the legislation will depend on the future legislative programme for the Parliament, which will be set out in due course.

Question reference: S6F-00388

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is regarding the use of facial recognition technology in schools.