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: S6F-00200

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding reports of retail stock and staff shortages in the run-up to Christmas.

Question reference: S6F-00195

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to the increase in ambulance waiting times in parts of Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-00189

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to tackle public displays of anti-Irish racism and anti-Catholic prejudice.

Question reference: S6F-00174

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00173

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-01507

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it has set for the regular use of lateral flow tests by members of the public.

The Scottish Government has used a number of initiatives to promote regular testing using lateral flow devices. This includes:

Running targeted campaigns to promote the importance of testing through platforms including TV, radio and social media.
Promoting free access to lateral flow test kits that are delivered directly to a person’s home.
Introducing Pharmacy Collect – a service that allows the collection of free lateral flow test kits from over 1000 pharmacies throughout Scotland

The Scottish Government has worked with NHS Inform to promote information on how to accurately take an LFD test. This included commissioning a video from Professor Jason Leitch with instructions on how to take the test. This has been translated into multiple languages including BSL, Arabic, Polish and Urdu. Information on NHS Inform pages , for example on where to get a test, has also been translated.

The Scottish Government continues to produce testing information and campaigns to help aid the use and promotion of testing and will continue to do so throughout the course of this pandemic.

Question reference: S6W-01463

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 30 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to minimise the loss of farming opportunities for new entrants to farming that might arise as a result of plans to increase forestry cover.

All applicants to Scottish Forestry for woodland creation grants are expected to undertake pre-application due diligence to identify significant issues from the proposal.

Depending upon the agricultural land classification as defined by the James Hutton Institute, the applicant may be required to consult with Scottish Government Rural Payment and Inspectorate Division (SGRPID) to obtain feedback upon the likelihood of the proposal having a negative impact upon the agricultural sector and jobs in particular and then act on any issues identified with appropriate mitigation.

In addition, to support the development of increase woodland cover on existing farmland, Scottish Forestry has developed a Forestry Grant Scheme option called “Sheep and Trees”. This option was developed in partnership with the National Sheep Association Scotland, National Farmers Union Scotland and SGRPID, to better integrate forestry and farming practices, and provide new opportunities for farm enterprises; it is available to new tenant farmers with landlord or leasehold approval.

Scottish Government is also working on the “integrating trees on your land – farming for a better climate” 2 initiative. This initiative involves showcasing opportunities, through case studies, for farmers to integrate trees planting in the wider farm enterprise with a view to helping new entrant farmers to adopt a more holistic and diverse approach to their enterprise.

Question reference: S6W-01407

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 30 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what carbon-impact assessments have been completed for the planting of additional forestry, and what analysis it has carried out regarding whether this will help with achieving its net zero targets.

The contribution of additional new planting towards Scotland’s net zero targets has been calculated by the Scottish Government using an economy-wide model that projects future CO ₂ emissions and removals to 2045.

The forestry element of the model uses data from the forestry part of the UK GHG projections for Scotland and from estimates of forest growth following planting. The model is responsive to different levels of woodland planting in future. The UK GHG projections show the forest estate in Scotland remaining a carbon sink throughout the period to 2045.

Question reference: S6W-01088

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been provided to each NHS board to help cover the cost of free hospital parking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The total cost from April 2020 to date for Scottish Government to remove car parking charges at the PFI hospital car parks at Ninewells Hospital, the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh was £6.97million, inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

We are unable to provide the cost at each of the individual hospitals as disclosure of this particular information would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the commercial interests of the contracted PFI company’s business operations.

Question reference: S6W-01809

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 30 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent communication it has had with the UK Government regarding Hong Kong residents moving to Scotland.

Scotland is a welcoming nation and those who decide to come to Scotland from Hong Kong and elsewhere will be welcomed for the positive contribution they will bring to our communities, economy and society. The British National (Overseas)visa scheme was launched on 31 st January and as of the end of March 2021 a total of 34,300 have applied for the visa.

Scottish Government has been engaging with UK Government to clarify the numbers of individuals coming to Scotland. through this visa route. This information will be key in ensuring the availability of relevant information and advice. Scottish Government has prepared an online welcome pack for individuals arriving in Scotland via the British National (Overseas) visa scheme which will be linked to our Moving to Scotland resource.

We will continue to press the UK Government for further information on numbers.