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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-17080

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many court locations managed by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service are (a) fully, (b) partially and (c) not accessible for disabled people.

Question reference: S6W-16214

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland's tweet of 19 March 2023, which stated that "A new Emergency Alert mobile phone warning service is being trialled in Scotland from today by the Scottish Government", whether it told Police Scotland that the trial of the UK-wide Emergency Alert system was a Scottish Government-initiated trial.

The Scottish Government has been clear in its communication with partners and stakeholders that the Emergency Alerts System is fully funded and owned by the UK Government; and that the Scottish Government has agreed to participate in a trial coordinated by UK Government, recognising that the content of any alerts issued in Scotland is likely to be in relation to devolved matters.

Police Scotland’s tweet of 19 March 2023 included a link to a post on the main Scottish Government account which directed viewers to the dedicated UK Government Emergency Alerts web pages.

The introductory paragraph on those pages states: “Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby.”

The Scottish Government continues to engage with UK Government and other UK nations, Scottish partners and stakeholders to ensure that the information about the trial is accurate and shared widely.

Question reference: S6W-16373

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with the British Medical Association (BMA) regarding any potential strike action by junior doctors in Scotland.

On 8 December 2022, the BMA Scottish Junior Doctor Committee (SJDC) officially announced their intention to ballot for industrial action. Since this date, the Scottish Government has exchanged correspondence with the BMA on the following dates:

• 12 and 15 December 2022

• 26 January 2023

• 9, 21 and 24 February 2023

• 16 and 17 March 2023

• 5 April 2023

Prior to the BMA SJDC officially confirming their intention to ballot for industrial action, the Scottish Government corresponded with the BMA SJDC on the subject of Junior Doctors pay on:

• 7 October 2022

• 11 and 30 November 2022

• 1 and 7 December 2022

I met with BMA on 11 April 2023 to discuss their concerns around pay and then again on 20 April when we entered into negotiations with Junior Doctors to secure a pay award for 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-16248

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work was carried out to determine that a Memorandum of Understanding with financial partners, as announced on 1 March 2023 on the NatureScot website, was the best vehicle for increasing private funding in nature projects, and what alternative approaches were considered and ruled out.

Question reference: S6W-16258

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15735 by Lorna Slater on 23 March 2023, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether or not producers that have registered for the Deposit Return Scheme after 1 March 2023 have been registered in accordance with regulations.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) producer registration service will only grant registrations that meet the requirements of The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations. All producer registrations granted to date have been registered in accordance with the Regulations. A registration is complete once it has been accepted by SEPA and the producer has been formally notified.

Question reference: S6W-16934

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent estimate it has made of the level of illegal mobile phone use by individuals in charge of a vehicle, and what steps it is taking to address this.

Observational studies covering Great Britain are carried out on behalf of the Department for Transport every four or five years. The latest of these was undertaken in 2021 and published in July 2022. Mobile phone use by drivers: Great Britain, 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There is a significant amount of data in the tables but the headline figures are:

Observed mobile phone use (held to ear or held in hand)

	Great Britain	England and Wales	Scotland
All vehicle drivers	1%	1%	0.9%
Car Drivers	0.8%	0.9%	0.7%

Mobile phone use is identified as one of the ‘fatal five’ by road safety professionals, and campaigning has been consistent for many years. In Scotland, in recent years, this has been undertaken as part of the ‘Drive Like Gran’s in The Car’ campaign, and scheduling would normally support Police Scotland enforcement activity.

Road Safety Scotland (RSS) ran the ‘Mates’ distraction ad from 25 October - 30 November 2021 on TV, radio, video-on-demand, social and digital channels. When the new legislation came into force last year, RSS ran the new G-Force gran mobile phone ad throughout March 2022 on digital channels, video-on-demand, radio and social.

Question reference: S6W-16633

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the topic of Scottish independence was discussed in the meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and the UK's Ambassador to Slovenia on 30 August 2022.

The Ambassador and I met on the sidelines of the Bled Strategic Forum in August last year during which she gave an outline of the Embassy’s work in Slovenia and provided me with an update on the political situation in the country.

The subject of Scottish independence was not an agenda item in discussions. However, Scottish ministers will always be polite enough during international meetings to answer any questions put to them about the Scottish Government's stated policies, including a legal, constitutionally sound referendum, as set out in our Programme for Government.

Question reference: S6W-16293

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to local authorities on future pandemic preparations.

In Scotland, guidance in relation to preparing for emergencies is generally structured around key consequences or themes, rather than specific risks. The Scottish Government’s suite of emergency planning guidance, “Preparing Scotland” ( https://ready.scot/how-scotland-prepares/preparing-scotland-guidance ), covers topics such as response, exercising, scientific and technical advice, preparedness assessments, public communications, and recovery from emergencies, which are all directly relevant to pandemic preparedness.

This guidance is developed in consultation with the organisations which have legal duties in relation to emergency preparedness under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, which includes all local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-17077

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Culture and Major Events Directorate has had with (a) ScotRail and (b) Transport Scotland, regarding planning for rail services during the Edinburgh festivals in 2023.

There have been no recent discussions between the Scottish Government Culture and Major Events Directorate (a) ScotRail and (b) Transport Scotland.

However Culture and Major Event Officials, along with relevant transport stakeholders, routinely take part in the multi-agency Events Planning and Operations Group (EPOG) dealing with Summer Events. EPOG is run by the City of Edinburgh Council as the lead planning authority in respect of Summer Events within Edinburgh, such as Edinburgh Festivals.

Outwith Edinburgh, Transport Scotland continue to discuss planning arrangement for major events with transport deliver partners and key stakeholders through quarterly Major Events Planning meetings in addition to regular event specific meetings.

In addition, ScotRail is required under the terms of its grant agreement to use all reasonable endeavours to provide for reallocation of Passenger Carrying Capacity to serve Special Events.

Question reference: S6W-17081

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all court locations managed by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service are accessible for disabled people.