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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: S6O-01718

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of air pollution is on mental health.

Question reference: S6O-01710

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-01713

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-13233

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the publication of the finalised Hydrogen Action Plan.

Today the Scottish Government will publish its finalised Hydrogen Action Plan.

The Hydrogen Action Plan sets out the strategic approach and actions required to support the development of the hydrogen economy in Scotland over the course of this Parliament. The development of a domestic hydrogen sector and hydrogen production for export, supported by a strong supply chain, will play an important role in supporting a just transition to net zero by 2045 and presents significant long-term economic opportunities.

In the Action Plan, we refresh our commitment to providing the supportive policy and regulatory environment required to enable Scotland to take a pioneering role in a growing global industry and to support our vision for Scotland to become a leading hydrogen nation in the production of reliable, competitive, sustainable hydrogen.

The unpredictable and uncertain outlook for global energy markets has only strengthened the case for accelerating our domestic hydrogen production. The Action Plan has been updated to reflect consultation feedback on the draft Action Plan and the energy developments over the past year. Notably, these updates include the addition of a new chapter dedicated to ‘Scotland’s Hydrogen Export Ambitions’ that seeks to highlight the scale of the export opportunity, Scotland’s competitive advantage and the initial actions we will take at home and abroad to support Scottish companies to participate in and benefit from the development of the international hydrogen market.

The opportunity for Scotland within the developing global hydrogen market is significant. This Hydrogen Action Plans sets out the steps we will take to support Scotland’s growing hydrogen economy and sends a strong signal to the market for future hydrogen development. The Hydrogen Action Plan will be available from 9.30am today on www.gov.scot

Question reference: S6W-13228

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by George Adam on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when its proposed consultation on electoral reform will be published.

Question reference: S6W-12746

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to introduce trials for a four-day working week in the public sector.

Question reference: S6W-12732

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Circularity Scotland Ltd meets the requirements and could be designated as a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, in accordance with section 5 of the Act.

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Scheme Administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd, is a privately owned company. This arrangement is consistent with the polluter pays principle and is the same approach used by many similar schemes internationally.

The Scottish Government has not given any consideration to its designation as a Scottish public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Question reference: S6W-12864

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03099 by Kate Forbes on 28 September 2021, whether it will provide an update on whether the subsea cables to (a) Colonsay, (b) Iona, (c) Lismore, (d) Eigg, (e) Eday, (f) Flotta, (g) Hoy, (h) Rousay, (i) Sanday, (j) Shapinsay, (k) Stronsay, (l) Fair Isle, (m) Unst, (n) Whalsey and (o) Yell will be laid by the end of 2022.

Question reference: S6W-12780

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of its Private Sector Rent Statistics Scotland, 2010 to 2022, what steps it is taking to reduce private sector rents in the seven areas of Scotland that have seen average rents increase above the rate of inflation.

The Scottish Government is committed to introducing a national system of rent controls with an appropriate mechanism to allow local authorities to introduce local measures, by the end of 2025, and to do so in a way which is robust and provides lasting benefit to tenants.

We consulted widely earlier in 2022 on our New Deal for Tenants draft strategy which sets out a whole range of reforms, including the vision and principles for a future model of rent control. We published an independent analysis of all of the consultation responses in August.

In the meantime, the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act which came into force on 28 October 2022 introduced a rent cap to protect tenants from high rent increases.

We have also made support available to tenants in the private rented sector who are struggling with high housing costs.

This includes £68.1m to mitigate the bedroom tax, helping over 91,000 households to sustain their tenancy, and up to £13.5m which has been made available to mitigate against the impact of other UK Government welfare cuts.

We will extend the eligibility criteria of our £10m Tenant Grant Fund so local authorities can use any remaining funds to support people who are struggling with arrears resulting from the rising cost of living, and will be investing up to a further £5m in Discretionary Housing and giving local authorities more flexibility in their prioritisation of households for Discretionary Housing Payments.

The introduction of longer-term rent controls is being carefully considered alongside our emergency response for the rented sector to the costs crisis and the operation of the temporary rent cap will inform our plans to implement an effective and long term model of rent control.

The consultation responses to the New Deal for Tenants, and our ongoing engagement with stakeholders, will inform our work to develop the approach to long term rent control in Scotland and we will publish further details on our planned approach in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12674

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04901 by Mairi McAllan on 24 December 2021, whether it will provide an update on which of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works are (a) under construction and (b) at the planning or other stage of development, broken down by (i) the expected completion date, including the reason for any date being beyond the 2021 timeframe, (ii) the number of properties that will be protected and (iii) the (A) initial forecast and (B) final expected cost of each.

Local authorities are responsible for the development and delivery of flood protection schemes. The 2015-2021 Flood Risk Management Strategies included 42 formal flood protection schemes. Local authorities were expected to start work on development of these schemes by 2021. However as flood protection schemes can have significant impacts on individuals, communities and the environment, and so require careful and detailed planning and consultation, it was recognised that construction work may not be completed within the 2015-2021 timeframe.

Schemes (a) under construction are as follows:

Scheme	(ii) Properties protected	(i) Completion Date	(iii A) Initial cost (£ million) (1)	( iii B) Estimated final cost (£ million) (2)
Upper Garnock	600	2023	15.5	18.5
Hawick	970	2023	37.4	78.6
Stonehaven	376	2023	19.9	27.5
Caol and Lochyside	296	2023	8.4	15.7
Arbroath	530	2023	1.4	13.5
Campbeltown	770	2023	9.3	15.2

Schemes (b) under development are as follows:

Scheme	Stage	(ii) Properties protected	(iii A) Initial cost (£ million) (1)	( iii B) Estimated Final Cost of Scheme (2)
Kilmacolm – Glenmosston Burn	Confirmed (3)	Not held	0.5	0.5
Comrie	Confirmed (3)	189	15.7	28.4
Millport Coastal	Confirmed (3)	657	12.1	48.6
Dumbarton - Gruggies Burn	Confirmed (3)	370	14.5	20.0
Quarrier’s Village	Confirmed (3)	60	0.2	0.4
Dumfries - Whitesands	Confirmed (3)	166	18.9	37.5
Water of Leith (Coltbridge, Gorgie, Saughton) Phase 3	Confirmed (3)	75	Not held	Not held
Mill Burn Millport	Confirmed (3)	124	1.1	1.7
Musselburgh	Under development	2500	8.9	95.9
Milnathort	Under development	79	1.9	2.2
Stranraer	Under development	350	0.4	1.2
Langholm	Under development	200	2.0	15.5
Newton Stewart/ River Cree	Under development	270	7.5	18.5
South Kinross	Under development	Not held	3.2	3.8
Bridge of Allan	Under development	Not held	4.4	17.3
Callander	Under development	30	2.4	4.7
Haddington	Paused (5)	320	8.5	8.5
Stirling	Paused (5)	810	26.2	86.6
Grangemouth FPS	Paused (5)	2980	111.5	420 (4)
St Andrews - Kinness Burn	Paused (5)	133	3.2	3.2
South Fords	Paused (5)	58	1.4	1.4
Scone	Paused (5)	44	0.7	0.8

(1) Note: Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17.

(2) Note: Final Scheme costs are the latest estimates provided by local authorities. Differences between these latest estimates and initial cost estimates arise because flood protection schemes are put forward for prioritisation at various stages of their development to fit with Flood Risk Management Planning cycle set out in the FRM Act. Costs are revised over time as designs are finalised and more detailed investigations are carried out and as new information emerges.

Schemes will only be taken forward for construction if they receive the necessary statutory and regulatory approvals so the expected completion date is not yet known.

More detailed information on each of the schemes can be obtained from the relevant local authorities whose responsibility it is to develop and deliver flood protection schemes and who are best placed to answer specific questions on each of the schemes.

(3) Note: Formally confirmed under Flood Risk Management Act (2009).

(4) Note: The reasons for cost variations set out in Note 2 also apply to Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme. The presence of critical national infrastructure (port, refinery and fuel distribution) and the scale of the overall project (27km of defences) means that the variation may be larger than other flood protection schemes.

(5) Note: In July 2021 COSLA recommended to Scottish Ministers that the flood protection schemes prioritised in the first cycle which were not yet “legally committed” were paused and that a review of projects was undertaken to examine the status of each project and carry out an assessment of whether the project is still suitable to proceed. Six schemes remain paused and an SG/COSLA working group is now investigating ways to progress with the paused schemes and proposed schemes put forward for cycle 2.