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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-08092

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the cost of grid infrastructure enhancements will be shared across all users rather than levied on individual households that are willing and able to afford investing in domestic generation and storage.

The cost of grid infrastructure enhancements is an area of policy reserved to the UK Government. The recent Ofgem reform will mean that from the 1st of April 2023 generation and storage will pay less upfront costs and some of these costs will be socialised across the relevant network.

The Scottish Government wishes to see network costs reformed to support greater uptake of renewables generation and storage. However, this cannot done at the expense of financially vulnerable and fuel poor.

Those most vulnerable are already experiencing difficulties due to the cost of living energy crisis and care needs to be taken to ensure that those least able to pay do not end up paying the costs for those who can afford domestic generation and storage.

The Scottish Government will continue to make the case for comprehensive reform of network charges that supports delivery of net zero at the lowest cost to the consumer.

Question reference: S6W-08082

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many of Scotland’s universities and colleges have formally adopted the IHRA definition on antisemitism, and what steps it is taking to encourage more higher education providers to endorse this definition.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling all forms of racism, including antisemitism. We adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism in June 2017. This is the Scottish Government position and it applies to all Ministers.

Institutions are aware of the IHRA definition of antisemitism and many are actively consulting within their communities on it. I understand that five institutions have made the decision to adopt the definition following detailed consideration. However, as autonomous bodies, adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism remains a matter for each institution to consider individually, with its staff and student communities.

Importantly, Universities Scotland and all 19 higher education institutions have been clear that there is absolutely no place for antisemitism nor racial or religious intolerance of any kind, in higher education.

Universities Scotland is actively engaging with the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) and has welcomed the opportunity to discuss the IHRA definition of antisemitism and current issues faced by Jewish students. It has confirmed that it is working with SCoJeC on a programme of action to share good practice across institutions and to find ways of offering more support to Jewish students across the sector, particularly where communities are very small in number.

UJS offers training to students and most recently, following a successful pilot at an English institution, to university staff on antisemitism. Universities Scotland has advised that this is something that several Scottish HEIs are interested in exploring. You may also be aware that Universities UK produced a practical guide to tackling antisemitism in collaboration with UJS in 2021.

The Scottish Government is actively engaged in consultation with Jewish students, Jewish community organisations, and stakeholders in higher education as part of our wider approach to tackling antisemitism.

On 23 February 2022, I held a round table discussion on antisemitism in higher education with Jewish students, representatives from the Jewish community, and stakeholders from the higher education sector. The event was organised in response to a letter from UJS regarding universities and the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

It was an opportunity for students to share their experiences of antisemitism and also to hear from stakeholders about the work they are doing to confront this issue in practice. The discussion was very productive, with all parties agreeing to undertake positive actions to address antisemitism on campus going forward. A summary of the meeting will be published on the Scottish Government website, and made publicly accessible, in due course.

Question reference: S6W-08046

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated from the Young Patients Family Fund for cancer patients in 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-07990

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of landfill site locations that closed in each of the last five years, and, in each case, how long the site underwent monitoring prior to closure.

The following table provides a breakdown of all landfill sites with a pollution, prevention and control (PPC) permit that are currently in the ‘closure’ phase, in that they are not receiving waste for disposal .

Following the December 2020 cyber-attack on SEPA, it is not possible for SEPA to provide the dates at which sites moved from operational to closure status but in the last five years no PPC landfill sites have entered ‘Definite Closure’ meaning these sites could theoretically become operational again in the future.

All of these sites have been monitored, both by the operator and/or SEPA since before their permit was issued and will continue to be subject to monitoring until such time as an application to surrender the permit is approved by SEPA, i.e. throughout operational, closure, definite closure and after care phases.

Site Name	Status/Phase	Site location
A & M Smith, Bankhead, Portlethen	Closure	Aberdeenshire Council
Crows Nest L/F,Raemoir Rd,Banchory,Aberdeen	Closure	Aberdeenshire Council
Brandon Howe L/F Site, Inverboyndie, Banff	Closure	Aberdeenshire Council
Howe of Byth, Cowbog, New Pitsligo	Closure	Aberdeenshire Council
Hill of Tramaud Landfill, Harehill, Aberdeen	Closure	Aberdeenshire Council
Auchenlosh Landfill Site	Closure	Dumfries and Galloway Council
Galdenoch Waste Disp Site, Leswalt, Stranraer	Closure	Dumfries and Galloway Council
Aucheniness Waste Disposal Site, Dalbeatie	Closure	Dumfries and Galloway Council
Cockenzie Ash Lagoons, Musselburgh	Closure	East Lothian
JM Murdoch, East Capellie Farm L/F, Neilston	Closure	East Renfrewshire Council
West Fortune Transfer Station & Landfill	Closure	Edinburgh Lothian and Borders
Scottish Water, Broadside Landfill, Denny	Closure	Falkirk Council
Scottish Power, Valleyfield Ash Lagoons	Closure	Fife Council
Oatslie Sandpit L/F, Cleugh Rd, Midlothian	Closure	Midlothian Council
Shewalton Landfill Area 2 & 4/5, Irvine	Closure	North Ayrshire Council
Auchinlea L/F Site, Bellside, Cleland, M/well	Closure	North Ayrshire Council
Mossband Farm High Street Newhouse Motherwell	Closure	North Lanarkshire Council
Kingsdale LFS, Firth, Orkney	Closure	Orkney Island Council
Aberfeldy Groundworks Ltd, Mains of Taymouth	Closure	Perth & Kinross Council
SITA, Binn Landfill, Binn Farm, Glenfarg	Closure	Perth & Kinross Council
WH Malcolm Ltd, Reilly Quarry, Houston	Closure	Renfrewshire Council
James Fairbairn, Lamberton Inert Waste L/F	Closure	Scottish Borders Council
Easter Langlee Landfill Site, Galashiels	Closure	Scottish Borders Council
Shetland Gas Plant Peat Store, Sullom Voe	Closure	Shetland Islands Council
Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site, South Ayrshire	Closure	South Ayrshire Council
GCC, Cathkin L/F, Cairnmuir Rd, East Kilbride	Closure	South Lanarkshire
Rigmuir Landfill Site, East Kilbride	Closure	South Lanarkshire
Muirhouse LF, Muirhouse Quarry, Strathblane	Closure	Stirling Council

Source: Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

Question reference: S6W-08005

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether research has been commissioned for the next Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey or equivalent, and, if so, when it anticipates that this data will be published.

There are currently no plans to recommission the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Attitude Survey (SALSUS). Over the past 4 years, the Scottish Government has been working with local authorities in developing a Health and Wellbeing Census. This Census is currently underway in Scottish schools and contains some key, high-level data which were previously collected in SALSUS. Results from the 2021/22 HWC are expected to be published towards the end of 2022.

Question reference: S6F-01094

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will convene an emergency summit on abortion healthcare in response to anti-abortion rights action in Scotland and around the world.

Question reference: S6F-01081

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report published last Friday, Owning the Future: A framework of regulations for decarbonising owner-occupied homes in Scotland, commissioned by the Existing Homes Alliance.

Question reference: S6F-01083

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-01082

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what meetings the Scottish Government has had with the private and voluntary nursery sector regarding the delivery of its early learning and childcare strategy.

Question reference: S6F-01075

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.