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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-21675

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether patients in Scotland can now view their bloodwork online, and, if so, for what reason there was reportedly a significant delay to this happening compared with England and Wales.

In Scotland, we have some instances where test results are available for patients already, including for those remote managing a condition through My Diabetes My Way and Patients Know Best (Renal). Learning from these digital tools will inform the development of the Digital Front Door for Scotland. The Digital Front Door is not currently a live service but will provide people with the ability to access, view and monitor their own information including medical records and test results over time. We expect the Digital Front Door to be available by the end of this parliamentary term.

Question reference: S6W-21651

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S6W-21015 by Paul McLennan on 20 September 2023, for what reasons it does not report quarterly financial expenditure against resource planning assumptions at the same time that it publishes housing supply statistics.

Resource planning assumptions are only one element of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme budget. Expenditure within a financial year will not correlate directly with approvals, starts and completions as, for example, some projects can span more than one financial year.

The Scottish Government regularly publishes financial information at Autumn and Spring Budget revisions, Provisional Outturn, Final Outturn and Final Accounts. As previously advised in the answer to question S6W-21015 on 20 September 2023, when annual financial year expenditure is concluded and finalised we publish an Affordable Housing Supply Programme annual out-turn report. This reports actual spend compared to original resource planning assumptions alongside wider programme performance information.

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-21660

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been done on the aviation strategy since the consultation closed in January 2022, and whether it will provide an update on when it plans to publish the strategy.

On 6 April 2022 we published an independent analysis of the responses to our consultation on developing an aviation strategy. Amongst other topics, the consultation invited views on the transition to low and zero emission aviation and the role that the Scottish Government could potentially play. Decarbonising aviation is also relevant to the ongoing development of the Scottish Government’s climate change plan and it is important to ensure policy coherence between the two documents. We are also considering the appropriate time to publish the aviation strategy given this context.

In the interim we continue to support the aviation sector in line with our commitment to making Scotland as well connected as its peer nations and regions, and to support and improve lifeline air services for our rural and island communities.

Question reference: S6W-21500

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many care homes have recorded COVID-19 infections among their (a) staff and (b) residents in each week since 1 January 2023.

The following table shows the number of care homes with a confirmed case of COVID-19, by week, for residents and staff since 1 January 2023. This data has been supplied by The Care Inspectorate.

Notes:

Data submitted to Care Inspectorate by care homes for adults and older people in "Confirmed case of COVID-19" notifications.

Data based on date of submission.

Data between 1 January 2023 and 24 September inclusive.

Dates	Week of Year	Number of care homes with confirmed case - staff member	Number of care homes with confirmed case - resident
01-01-23 (Sunday only)	53	6	5
02-01-23 to 08-01-23	1	107	65
09-01-23 to 15-01-23	2	73	62
16-01-23 to 22-01-23	3	55	36
23-01-23 to 29-01-23	4	35	28
30-01-23 to 05-02-23	5	59	38
06-02-23 to 12-02-23	6	78	39
13-02-23 to 19-02-23	7	83	51
20-02-23 to 26-02-23	8	86	49
27-02-23 to 05-03-23	9	82	48
06-03-23 to 12-03-23	10	109	58
13-03-23 to 19-03-23	11	127	72
20-03-23 to 26-03-23	12	127	75
27-03-23 to 02-04-23	13	106	62
03-04-23 to 09-04-23	14	88	54
10-04-23 to 16-04-23	15	66	37
17-04-23 to 23-04-23	16	51	24
24-04-23 to 30-04-23	17	40	19
01-05-23 to 07-05-23	18	31	16
08-05-23 to 14-05-23	19	27	11
15-05-23 to 21-05-23	20	14	9
22-05-23 to 28-05-23	21	22	11
29-05-23 to 04-06-23	22	15	6
05-06-23 to 11-06-23	23	18	7
12-06-23 to 18-06-23	24	15	9
19-06-23 to 25-06-23	25	13	7
26-06-23 to 02-07-23	26	7	7
03-07-23 to 09-07-23	27	10	4
10-07-23 to 16-07-23	28	10	8
17-07-23 to 23-07-23	29	17	4
24-07-23 to 30-07-23	30	20	8
31-07-23 to 06-08-23	31	26	18
07-08-23 to 13-08-23	32	40	23
14-08-23 to 20-08-23	33	38	24
21-08-23 to 27-08-23	34	52	16
28-08-23 to 03-09-23	35	49	19
04-09-23 to 10-09-23	36	41	32
11-09-23 to 17-09-23	37	35	26
18-09-23 to 24-09-23	38	38	18

Question reference: S6W-21718

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what data it currently collects on fires related to lithium-ion batteries used in electric micro-mobility vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters, and, if this data is not currently collected, what plans it has to undertake such data collection in the future.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service utilises the Home Office Incident Recording System (IRS) to capture incident data.

Whilst there is currently no specific category to record incidents caused by lithium-ion batteries, this information can be recorded as “further information” and data can be collected and analysed via keyword search.

Work is ongoing to update the IRS to include more categories to reflect current and future needs in statistical recording and reporting.

Question reference: S6W-21698

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the safety of lithium-ion batteries used in electric micro-mobility vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters.

While product safety policy remains reserved, the Scottish Government fully recognises the harm that the misuse of lithium-ion batteries can bring to those using electric micro-mobility vehicles.

I met recently with Electrical Safety First and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the danger that these batteries can cause.

Raising awareness of the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries is particularly important as e-bikes become more popular. The Scottish Government strongly urges consumers to only buy products from reputable retailers that they know and trust.

It is currently illegal in Scotland to use an e-scooter unless on private property.

Question reference: S6W-21665

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what changes in its budget it is considering to prevent any further closures or reduction of essential community facilities and services.

The Verity House Agreement will better enable local and national government to work together to achieve better outcomes for people and communities across Scotland. The Scottish Government will continue to work in partnership with COSLA to agree a more detailed programme of work, a fiscal framework, and an accountabilities and monitoring framework, to underpin the Verity House Agreement in the coming months.

Decisions on future local government finance settlements will be the subject of negotiations with COSLA on behalf of all 32 local authorities and will be announced as part of the outcome of future Scottish Budgets.

Question reference: S6W-21657

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported concerns raised about the closures and potential closures of community swimming and leisure facilities, and in the context of the reported financial pressures on local authorities, as well as the delivery of Barnett consequential funding as a result of the UK Government's allocation of £63 million to leisure centres with swimming pools in England, what immediate strategies it is exploring to ensure the sustainability of such facilities.

The Scottish Government places great importance on community sports and leisure facilities, such as swimming pools. They are crucial to the wellbeing of all our country and most importantly, for our children and young people to be healthy and active.

We are fully aware that local authorities are facing challenging financial circumstances, particularly in the maintenance and operating of facilities such as swimming pools, largely due to energy costs and other cost of living pressures.

The 2023-24 Local Government settlement of £13.5 billion provides a cash increase in day to day spending of over £793 million, a real terms increase of £376 million. As confirmed this week in the Autumn Budget Revision, all consequentials available from the UK Spring Budget have now been allocated, with the Local Government Settlement increasing by £264 million accordingly.

sportscotland are working with local and national partners to help them assess the impact of any potential facility closures and these discussions will continue over the coming weeks and months. It is vital that all avenues are explored to ensure, where possible, that local clubs and communities have access to sport and leisure facilities.

In addition, sportscotland are supporting Scottish Swimming to undertake the Scottish Swimming Facilities Project. This is a detailed piece of work to accurately understand the current pool provision and life cycle, and to predict the landscape in the short, medium, and long term.

We understand that access to facilities is necessary for a range of sporting activities. That’s why our Programme for Government for 2023 to 2024 sets out our intention to convene a working group, including representatives of sports organisations, community organisations and CoSLA, to explore how community access to community facilities, such as the school estate, can be enhanced. This will be a priority action in our refreshed Active Scotland Delivery Plan.

Question reference: S6W-21004

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to resolve any formal legal challenges regarding Low Emission Zones that have been or may be brought, and what funds it has available to settle any decision against them.

Question reference: S6W-21568

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20160 by Natalie Don on 24 July 2023, whether it will provide an update on when it will publish (a) its research regarding the unmet needs of those people affected by forced adoption, including on access to adoption records and (b) the outcomes of the research by The Lines Between.