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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: S6T-01236

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent comments by the Chief Executive of CalMac, what action it is taking to prevent island residents being impacted by any reliability issues affecting their ferry services over the next two years.

Question reference: S6T-01225

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that small shops in Scotland fear they cannot survive because of the costs and impacts of the Deposit Return Scheme, what its position is on Circularity Scotland’s confirmation on 1 March that retailers who use Reverse Vending Machines would have to wait one month for payment for returned bottles, rather than the previously expected seven days.

Question reference: S6F-01899

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on the Scottish Government's progress towards reducing the number of people on hospital waiting lists and ending long waits for NHS treatment.

Question reference: S6F-01901

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what impact the proposed pay settlement for teachers, if accepted, will have on other Scottish Government budgets.

Question reference: S6F-01903

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

To ask the First Minister, in light of Scottish Apprenticeship Week this week, how the Scottish Government is supporting people into apprenticeships.

Question reference: S6F-01887

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support homeowners seeking to reduce their energy bills.

Question reference: S6F-01875

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-01876

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-14922

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct Transport Scotland to fully remove graffiti from the concrete piers of the category-C listed Kingston Bridge in Glasgow instead of masking it with grey primer paint, and whether it will consider commissioning professionally-painted murals on the piers as a permanent solution to repeated incidents of large-scale graffiti vandalism of the bridge in recent years.

Any proposals for artwork on the bridge piers should be commissioned via Glasgow City Council. Whilst Scottish Ministers and Transport Scotland are responsible for the structure including the bridge piers, Glasgow City Council (GCC) own the land below the bridge, are planning authority and are responsible for the public realm area and local roads below the bridge. The Scottish Government via its Transport Scotland would consider any such proposals favourably, as was the case in advance of the Commonwealth Games and CoP26.

The South-West Operating Company AMEY currently uses grey masonry paint designed to match the existing pier surface colour, to quickly cover over any graffiti particularly where it is offensive.

Question reference: S6W-14740

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what national guidance has been developed for the introduction of plant-based menus in (a) schools, (b) hospitals and (c) nursing homes.

The Scottish Government recommends the Eatwell Guide as the main UK consumer facing resource which shows the types and proportions of foods and drinks that are required for a healthy balanced diet and reflects a translation of the population level dietary goals for Scotland.

The Eatwell Guide illustrates that animal-based products, such as meat and dairy, can be included as part of a healthy balanced diet, but in much smaller proportions than that of plant based foods. The sustainability of the Eatwell Guide was assessed by the Carbon trust and they concluded that moving from our current diet towards the Eatwell Guide would be a more sustainable way of eating, with a 32% lower environmental footprint than our current diet.

Within the context of the Eatwell Guide , sector-specific guidance that considers nutrition and sustainable food provision is also in place for (a) schools, (b) hospitals and (c) nursing homes, as follows:

Schools

All food and drink served in schools must comply with the school food and drink Regulations. The associated Healthy Eating in Schools guidance supports provision of a balanced and nutritious diet which includes plant based foods such as fruit and vegetables alongside a wide range of other food and drinks rich in a variety of key nutrients.

Hospitals

Food provision in NHS Scotland must be compliant with the Healthcare Improvement Scotland Food Fluid and Nutritional care standards as well as the Food in Hospitals: National Catering and Nutrition Specification - both of which have a robust evidence base. Food in Hospitals recognises that meat free options can be valuable and can contribute to overall menu content however the menu structure outlined within Food in Hospitals must recognise the differing needs of those are nutritionally well and those who are nutritionally vulnerable and as such, menus for patients must be sufficiently varied to ensure that the needs of both those groups are met.

Care homes

While there is no specific guidance around plant-based foods for care homes, the Health and Social Care Standards , which all social care services must adhere to, include standards on food and nutrition, emphasising the importance of healthy meals and snacks.

To support care homes in meeting people’s food and fluid needs, the Care Inspectorate has produced a guide for older people and adult care homes - Eating and drinking well in care: good practice guidance for older people .

In addition, My Health, My Care, My Home - healthcare framework for adults living in care homes - provides a series of recommendations aiming to transform the healthcare for people living in care homes, and include a recommendation that “Religious and philosophical beliefs in relation to food and diet should be enquired about and catered for.”