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: S6W-30810

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the management of the City of Glasgow College regarding the long-term future of the Trade Union Education Centre.

I raised this issue with the Principal of City of Glasgow College on 29 October 2024, who assured me the College remains committed to providing trade union education.

The Scottish Government welcomes the new partnership agreement reached between the College and the Trade Union Congress. I encourage both parties to continue to work collaboratively to find ways to ensure sustainable delivery of trade union education at the City of Glasgow College on a longer-term basis.

Question reference: S6W-31054

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to review the Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 in light of the reported growing market share of so-called high puff-count vapes.

We share concerns regarding the growing market share of high puff-count vapes, however the definition of single-use within the Regulations sets out that a vape must be refillable and rechargeable. In addition to a rechargeable battery, it must have a replaceable coil in order to be considered rechargeable and a refillable or replaceable container to be refillable. It is otherwise single-use and its sale and supply will be banned in Scotland when the ban comes into force next year. We have worked closely with Trading Standards to ensure that there are no loopholes in the definition of a single-use vape in the Regulations that manufacturers can exploit. We will continue to work with Trading Standards to monitor developments in vape design to ensure that the ban is fit for purpose and properly enforced.

Question reference: S6W-31055

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it plans to implement to regulate so-called high puff-count vapes, in light of them reportedly not being addressed in the Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024, and reported concerns regarding their accessibility to young people and the potential health risks associated with their use.

The Scottish Government shares concerns about the rise in popularity of high puff-count vapes, their accessibility to young people and the associated health risks they pose. The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 set out that in order for a vape to be considered reusable, it must be both refillable and rechargeable. By refillable, this means that the vape must contain a single-use container which is separately available for purchase by an individual user and can be replaced by the user in the normal course of use, or a container that can be refilled by the user in the normal course of use. By rechargeable, it means that the vape must have both a battery that can be recharged, and a coil which is separately available for purchase by an individual user and can be replaced by the user within the normal course of use.

High puff-count vapes are typically designed to include a USB charging port to allow for the battery to be recharged. Many of these devices contain an extra 10ml container of e-liquid as well as the standard 2ml already built inside the vape. However, if they do not allow for the coil to be replaced or for the replacement or refilling of the e-liquid container by the user, they remain single-use in practice. We will continue to work with Trading Standards to monitor developments in vape design to ensure that the definition is fit for purpose and that manufacturers comply with the ban on single-use vapes.

Question reference: S6W-31336

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to identify the staffing needs for taking forward the climate change policy package in line with the factsheet that it published on 18 April 2024.

Question reference: S6W-31281

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much it spent on the guidance, School uniform and clothing in Scotland: Guidance for schools and education authorities, which was published in September 2024.

Question reference: S6W-31344

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it started mitigation works for the potential closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery.

Question reference: S6W-31308

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being taken to improve communication with families regarding the status of post-mortem examinations in Aberdeen.

Question reference: S6W-31355

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery fits alongside its plans for a Just Transition for Grangemouth.

Question reference: S6W-31296

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure the (a) quality and (b) accuracy of post-mortem examinations conducted by locum pathologists in Aberdeen.

Question reference: S6W-31299

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost is per post-mortem examination conducted by locum pathologists in Aberdeen.