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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-19210

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the recommended minimum distance is between onshore wind turbines that are greater than 150 meters tall.

There is no minimum distance as such in relation to turbines of specified sizes. Development proposals and any potential impacts are considered on a case-by-case basis. All planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), adopted in February this year, forms part of the statutory development plan alongside the relevant Local Development Plan.

Part 2 of NPF4 sets out the policy framework for use in the determination of planning applications. Matters concerning project design and mitigation are set out in policy 11(e).

Question reference: S6W-19228

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18369 by Jenni Minto on 12 June 2023, whether it can provide exact numerical figures of how many of the (a) 20 short-term, (b) 29 medium-term and (c) 66 total actions in its Women's Health Plan 2021-2024 have been achieved.

Work has commenced on all 20 of the short term actions in the plan, with 12 now considered to be ‘complete’.

As set out in the Report on Progress, it is the case that a number of the short term actions will necessarily continue beyond their short-term timescales and will be ongoing throughout the life of the plan.

Work continues apace on the final eight actions, where it is considered that work needs to continue to augment the outputs achieved in the one year timeline set out in the Plan.

The Plan’s medium term actions are for delivery within one to three years. Work has commenced on the majority of these actions, with two already completed and the remainder progressing well and on track for completion by August 2024.

Work is ongoing with partners across Scotland to deliver the aims, priorities and actions in the Plan.

Question reference: S6W-19180

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S6W-14049 by Keith Brown on 30 January 2023, in light of the anticipated date of spring 2023 having passed, when it now anticipates that the Scottish Prison Service will publish its revised mental health strategy for people in custody.

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

SPS now anticipate the publication of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy to be completed by end of October 2023.

Competing priorities impacted stakeholder capacity to contribute within the planned timeframe, and a need to divert SPS resources to support several acute cases of mentally unwell people in SPS care have contributed to a delay in publication. The revised date now reflects the impact of those delays, whilst ensuring sufficient time is allocated in order to analyse the critical evidence gleaned from mental health experts and those in our care with lived experiences.

Question reference: S6T-01488

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported delays in processing times for Adult Disability Payments.

Question reference: S6T-01482

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to increase the resilience of Scotland's 999 emergency telephone service, in light of UK-wide technical issues over the weekend that rendered the service unusable for many users.

Question reference: S6F-02299

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government's commitment to roll out universal free school meals, in light of reported concerns that there will be further delays to the expansion of universal free school meal provision for P6 and P7 pupils, and that no progress has been made on its commitment to establish a secondary school pilot scheme.

Question reference: S6F-02297

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to help raise awareness of the importance of stem cell donation in the treatment of blood cancer and blood disorder.

Question reference: S6F-02291

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-02283

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02284

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.