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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-07185

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is putting in place to support businesses that are adversely impacted by government guidance on pursuing hybrid working where possible.

Hybrid working is one of the ongoing behaviours that will help to manage COVID-19 effectively for the long term and may have benefits that go beyond the need to control the virus. We will work with employer and business organisations and trade unions to understand the economic impacts, exploring the opportunities and challenges of hybrid working as evidence and practice develops.

As set out in the recently published Strategic Framework, the Scottish Government encourages employers to engage with employees to consider hybrid working models where feasible and appropriate. However we recognise that employers are best placed to understand how their operations work most effectively and their employees’ and requests for flexible working, based on consultation with staff and unions. We trust organisations to make balanced and risk-assessed decisions in line with their business practices.

We recognise the many challenges faced by businesses throughout the pandemic and have provided businesses with £4.5bn of support since the start of the pandemic. In December we announced a £375m support package for firms impacted by the necessary measures introduced to control the spread of Omicron. We have also confirmed an £80m Covid Economic Recovery Fund for local authorities to support local economies and cities recover from the pandemic.

City centres have been heavily impacted and that is why the Scottish Government has convened a City Centre Recovery Task Force, run in partnership with our seven cities, through the Scottish Cities Alliance. It is working to identify innovative actions aimed at assisting city centres through their economic recovery, and will deliver its report this spring. We have allocated £6 million to the City Centre Recovery Fund this year to deliver the priorities of the Task Force and encourage people to return and enjoy all that our city centres offer. We are also working collaboratively with COSLA and partners on ways to support our town centres and prepare a response to the 2021 independent review of the Town Centre Action Plan and its recommendations with a shared action plan by spring 2022.

Question reference: S6W-06993

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the Transport Scotland Fair Fares review will be published in full.

The Fair Fares Review is part of a broad package of work being undertaken to ensure that there is a viable and sustainable transport system for the future. As part of this work we are taking forward activities to facilitate a safe and confident return to public transport as more people begin to travel between their home and their place of work, and as demand for leisure travel also increases.

The Fair Fares Review is being taken to forward to address a range of issues for public transport alongside our activities to support Covid Recovery. The recommendations and findings of the Fair Fares Review will be provided as they emerge on an ongoing basis throughout the review.

Question reference: S6W-06997

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Ferguson Marine confirmation that “at least 400 cables will need to be addressed with the worst case 939 cables” on MV Glen Sannox, how much it estimates each scenario will cost to remedy.

Question reference: S6W-07070

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it first became aware of potential issues with the dual-fuel engines ordered from the Finnish company, Wärtsilä, for the delivery of two ferries for the CalMac fleet.

Question reference: S6W-07071

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the two dual-fuel engines ordered by Ferguson Marine for the delivery of two ferries for the CalMac fleet are fit for purpose.

Question reference: S6O-00919

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to demonstrate the viability of apprentice programmes as an alternative to a university education, in light of a UCAS report published in 2021 reportedly showing that young people are advised against apprenticeships.

Question reference: S6O-00922

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding matching Ukrainian refugees with households in Scotland that have registered under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Question reference: S6O-00923

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what assessment it has made of GP numbers and surgery provision in the north east.

Question reference: S6O-00921

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the consultation on a draft national plan to end the need for food banks.

Question reference: S6O-00920

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current levels of unmet need and staff vacancies in social care.