Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 42951 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-14361

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest reported NFU Scotland Intentions Survey results, which found that "almost two-thirds of all respondents identified future agricultural policy as the most significant threat" to their business.

We continue to support active farming and food production with direct payments to provide certainty to the industry. We delivered 2021 Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) payments to schedule with over £564 million issued. In 2022, we brought forward the payment date to as early in the year as was practicably possible in order to provide support to businesses with immediate cash flow challenges. Over 17,356 businesses have already benefitted from this change with around £417.4 million paid out to date.

The Scottish Government is working with the industry and partners with an interest in delivering a thriving, sustainable, rural economy, to co-develop and co-design future agricultural support structures and delivery, to offer clarity, and through a just transition, avoid cliff edges for Scotland’s farmers and crofters.

The Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB), co-chaired by Cabinet Secretary RAI and NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy, provides advice to the Scottish Government on actions that will assist the sector in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises at pace, and enable it to make targeted investment for longer-term benefits and outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-14379

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to ensure that people with type 1 diabetes receive appropriate and timely access to technologies to improve glycaemic control and their quality of life.

As part of the Scottish Diabetes Group, there are several sub-groups working on delivering commitments specific to Type 1 Diabetes. These include commitments to improving education and self-management and also inpatient care. Closed Loop Systems are also being considered for potential inclusion in the new Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway co-odinated by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. Projects centred on access to technologies will have a particular focus on increasing access for those living in the most deprived areas of Scotland, using SIMD data.

Question reference: S6W-14169

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many new health and care technologies have been tested in a digital testing environment, and which ones have been taken forward for further development or implementation, since 2007.

All health and care systems are tested during development, implementation and rollout, and this is a critical part of the process for all technologies in use. All health boards have test environments or suitable processes in place to do this which is supported by national test infrastructure, environments and resources from NHS NES and NHS NSS. If I can refer the member to response in S6W-14170 on 7 February 2023. It is not possible to give an exact figure on how many new health and care technologies have been tested due to the wide range of activity and the multiple organisations involved in testing since 2007.

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-14324

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13582 by Lorna Slater on 18 January 2023, whether it will provide details of any preceding assessment of material switching.

Question reference: S6W-13934

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10553 by Jenny Gilruth on 20 September 2022, what the ScotRail budget for Rail Passenger Services (a) is for 2023 and (b) was in each of the years set out in the answer; how much of the budget remained unspent at the end of each of those years, or, if there was an overspend, how much the overspend was, and from which budget line any overspend was funded.

The draft budget for rail passenger services for (a) 2023-24 is £458 million, as published in December and remains subject to the Parliamentary approval process.

The following table sets out (b) budget against expenditure and explanations for variances that are included in the published outturn statements within the Scottish Government consolidated accounts each year.

Year	Budget £m	Expenditure £m	Comments
2016-17	266	266	No variance
2017-18	311	170	The underspend is offset by an overspend on the capital budget and relates to the reclassification of Fixed Track Access Charges expenditure.
2018-19	183	155	The underspend is offset by an overspend on the capital budget and relates to the reclassification of Fixed Track Access Charges expenditure.
2019-20	150	180	The overspend is due to increased revenue support in response to COVID-19 that was agreed to be funded within the wider SG budget.
2020-21	659	659	No variance
2021-22	568	534	The underspend is due to higher than expected fare box revenue that reduced requirement for COVID-19 support.
2022-23	431		Full year not complete. No overspend is expected at this time.

Question reference: S6W-13793

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in securing a long-term reliable bus service between Dumfries and Edinburgh.

My officials have been in contact with the relevant local transport authorities in respect of bus services between Dumfries and Edinburgh. Regarding the 101/102 service, Houston's Coaches have had a bid approved by SPT, Scottish Borders Council and Swestrans for 3 years with a start date of 1 April 2023. SPT are currently working with Houston's to finalise the contract. Scottish Ministers, however, do not have the power to intervene directly in the provision of bus services due to the de-regulated bus market, which has operated across the United Kingdom since the 1980s.

Question reference: S6T-01171

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that M&Co will close all of its 170 stores, resulting in almost 2,000 job losses.

Question reference: S6T-01164

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to bring the strike action by teachers to an end.

Question reference: S6F-01802

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 February 2023

To ask the First Minister, in light of reports of people being forced onto prepayment meters, what steps the Scottish Government is taking to support vulnerable people in Scotland with rising energy costs.

Question reference: S6F-01815

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 February 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether oil and gas companies are investing enough of their profits to support a just transition in Scotland.