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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-03576

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what subsidised training schemes are in place for people seeking to train as (a) HGV and (b) bus drivers.

There are a number of subsidised training schemes provided by Scottish Government in regards to HGV and Bus Driver training:

Employability Fund - offers employability and skills training for unemployed individuals across Scotland. HGV driver training is available to eligible individuals through this fund.
Modern Apprenticeships – learn on the job to gain the experience you need and work towards a recognised qualification. The Freight Logistics framework applies to HGV/LGV. As part of this framework apprentices will be offered the opportunity to study SVQ Driving Goods Vehicles at SCQF Level 6.
Individual Training Account – to help people develop the skills they need for work. Up to £200 contribution towards a training course, which can include HGV and Bus driver training.

Question reference: S6W-03585

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £250,000 provided to the Humanitarian Emergency Fund in relation to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has been spent to date.

On 2 September 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture announced that £250,000 would be made available from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) to provide critical help for the people of Afghanistan.

Given the volatile operating environment on the ground in Afghanistan, our NGO partners have been unable, as of 19 October, to operate safely to deliver much needed humanitarian assistance. However, we are in close contact with our partners and as soon as assurances over the safety of their staff in Afghanistan are forthcoming, disbursement will commence.

Question reference: S6W-03455

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Lord President and Lord Justice General recommending to the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland that an extra 15 fee paid sheriffs and 15 fee paid summary sheriffs be appointed.

In January 2021 I announced that £50 million would be allocated to support the justice system “Recover, Renew and Transform Programme”, which includes addressing the national requirement for a higher number of both sheriff and summary sheriff roles to manage the backlog in the sheriff courts that occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

To support this programme of work, the Lord President made a formal request to Scottish Ministers for 15 fee paid sheriffs and 15 fee paid summary sheriffs to be appointed by the end of 2021. In April 2021, Scottish Ministers formally requested the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland (JABS) begin the recommendation for appointment process to fill these roles. Subsequently recommendations for appointment are expected to be received from JABS in November 2021.

Question reference: S6W-03482

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland Working Group will report.

The Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland Working Group, chaired by the Baroness Helena Kennedy, is on track to produce its final report to Scottish Government by early February 2022, meeting the one year recommendation set by the Justice Committee.

The Working Group on Misogyny and Criminal Justice is working independently to consider how the Scottish criminal justice system can better deal with misogyny, and if the group recommends a specific criminal offence of misogynistic harassment the Scottish Government will carefully consider its advice.

Question reference: S6W-03404

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which of its agencies are involved in assessing the level of medical drugs in (a) watercourses and (b) public water supplies.

In Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is the environmental regulator responsible for making sure that watercourses are protected. As part of its role, SEPA monitors for contaminants of emerging concern, such as certain pharmaceuticals, in the water environment.

SEPA also works in collaboration with Scottish Water on its Chemicals Investigation Programme (Scotland), which analyses concentrations of a number of chemicals, including some pharmaceuticals, entering and leaving waste water treatment works across Scotland.

Scottish Water is responsible for monitoring and assessing public drinking water supplies to ensure that there is no danger to human health.

Question reference: S6W-03401

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the World Health Organization (WHO) publication, Global Air Quality Guidelines, on 22 September 2021, and what plans it has to set new targets to meet the new air pollution levels set out by WHO.

Question reference: S6W-03081

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government on (a) reforming family reunion rules to enable child refugees in Europe to settle with family members already resident in Scotland and (b) establishing a new UK-wide scheme to enable child refugees in Europe to be resettled in the UK, including in Scotland.

Asylum is reserved to the UK Parliament and handled by the Home Office. This includes family reunion and the establishment of refugee resettlement schemes. UK immigration rules currently only allow for the reunion of dependent children under 18 and spouses, or long term partners, with refugees already living in the UK.

The Scottish Government has repeatedly urged the UK Government to review its family reunion policy and to consider expanding eligibility so that more people can be reunited safely with their family in the UK. Most recently, I raised concern about the impact of the Nationality and Borders Bill on family reunion rights in my letter of 1 September to the Home Secretary. The Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration replied on 19 October. He responded on some of the points raised and indicated further discussion with Scottish Ministers should follow. The Scottish Government will continue to press the UK Government for clarity on the implications of this legislation for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-03367

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects all relevant businesses to fully support and comply with the Deposit Return Scheme from the launch day onwards.

Question reference: S6F-00388

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is regarding the use of facial recognition technology in schools.

Question reference: S6F-00377

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the First Minister, in light of COP26, what action the Scottish Government is taking to showcase the role that Scottish agriculture can play in reducing carbon emissions.