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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-14624

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight mechanisms it has in place to monitor the decisions made by Circularity Scotland in respect of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Scotland’s deposit return scheme is being delivered and funded by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland. This model is in line with standard practice in other schemes across Europe. The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 set out the obligations of a scheme administrator including that they must provide any information requested by the Scottish Ministers or SEPA for the purposes of monitoring compliance with the requirements in regulations. Scottish Ministers and Scottish Government officials continue to work with Circularity Scotland ahead of the launch in August.

Question reference: S6W-14561

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of available accommodation in Glasgow and the surrounding areas to relocate the reported 1,111 Ukrainians still onboard MS Ambition by 31 March 2023.

Analysis has been undertaken to estimate how many guests on MS Ambition will likely be matched into longer term accommodation based on the availability of hosted and Responsible Social Landlord properties in Glasgow and the surrounding areas. Analysis into the availability of accommodation for guests disembarking MS Ambition remains ongoing and is being revised as new data becomes available via the monitoring of the disembarkation process.

Question reference: S6W-14559

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to house the reported 1,111 Ukrainians currently onboard MS Ambition after 31 March 2023.

Since November 2022, Scottish Government officials and Glasgow City Council engage regularly to undertake a Joint Assurance Review to ensure exit planning for the exit of the MS Ambition remains on track.

Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have been meeting with guests to help them make an informed decision about their next accommodation and where possible, we are seeking to move a displaced people according to their needs. The lack of suitable properties in Glasgow however means that it is unlikely that everyone on board MS Ambition will be able to be accommodated in Glasgow.

Should guests be unable to secure alternative accommodation or not accept an offer of accommodation from the Scottish Government matching team or Glasgow City Council, they will be allocated alternative welcome accommodation before 31 March 2023.

Question reference: S6W-14587

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13427 by Lorna Slater on 19 January 2023, what further work is currently underway to ensure that the interactions between minimum unit pricing and the Deposit Return Scheme are understood, and what discussions it has had with the industry on this issue.

Scottish Government officials are undertaking work to ensure that the interactions between Minimum Unit Price and the Deposit Return Scheme are fully understood. This work includes engagement with stakeholders.

For example, a planned evaluation of the Deposit Return Scheme will explore consumer behaviours prior to the scheme’s introduction, a year after implementation and two years after implementation.

Question reference: S6W-14747

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what sector-specific skills development plan it has with the aquaculture sector.

The Scottish Government worked with Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and others in the aquaculture sector to develop an Aquaculture Skills Action Plan in December 2018. The Action Plan was developed following a sector skills review ‘Skills review for the aquaculture sector in Scotland’, undertaken on behalf of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and published in the same year.

Lantra is the skills interests organisation of land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation businesses and organisations across Scotland, and their activities are supported by the Scottish Government. Lantra coordinate the Aquaculture Skills Group that progresses the Aquaculture Skills Plan, with support from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre and other stakeholders in the aquaculture sector.

The Scottish Government is also considering the skills and development opportunities required for aquaculture and other land-based sectors through the work of the independent Commission for the Land-Based Learning Review. The Commission reported the conclusion of its review in January 2023. As committed to in the Programme for Government, we will consider the recommendations made by the Commission in its review and produce a response.

Question reference: S6W-14709

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with stakeholders to write the guidance documents that will accompany the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), specifically those relating to national developments on peatland and wild land areas, and, if so, how stakeholders can participate in this process.

Our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Delivery Programme, published November 2022, provides an overview of actions to be taken to support delivery, including the preparation of guidance documents.

Our Onshore Wind Policy Statement, published December 2022, also sets out our commitment to convening an expert group, including representatives from industry, agencies and academia, to provide advice to the Scottish Government on how guidance could be developed to support both our peatland and onshore wind aims.

Question reference: S6W-14803

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14221 by Neil Gray on 31 January 2023, whether the date reconciliation project has been completed.

The statistical release on Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme expressions of interest data reconciliation exercise was published by the Scottish Government on 17 February 2023: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-expressions-of-interest-data-reconciliation-exercise-february-2023/ . This is a one-time ad-hoc release of management information and does not constitute an Official Statistics or National Statistics release.

Question reference: S6T-01181

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on pay negotiations between teaching unions and COSLA, in light of the EIS rejecting the most recent offer and reports that industrial action is set to continue.

Question reference: S6T-01182

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a report by WWF Scotland that states that Scotland will fall "significantly short" of its target for decarbonising heating in homes.

Question reference: S6F-01844

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on how it is responding to the Climate Change Committee's report on progress in reducing emissions in Scotland.