Chamber and committees

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-15208

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the avian flu virus, what actions are being taken to monitor (a) it, (b) how and where it is changing and (c) the population being affected, in light of reports of avian flu being detected in non-avian wild mammals.

In addition to statutory surveillance for Avian Influenza in poultry and wild birds, he Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) conducts surveillance in wild mammals at risk of being infected with the avian virus on behalf of the Scottish Government. In the event of a positive result, genetic analysis is performed by the APHA and the UK Health Security Agency.

In February 2023 genetic analysis carried out on historical samples from two positive Scottish seals, collected in 2021 and 2022, identified a genetic mutation associated with increased risk to mammals. As a single mutation, this does not indicate that this virus is becoming fully adapted to a mammalian host, nor will trigger mammal to mammal transmission.

Question reference: S6W-14580

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many operators of vessels have been prosecuted for turning off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) in waters around (a) Scotland and (b) Shetland in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-13777

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, how many (a) cards were issued and (b) new applications were received on (i) 1 September 2022 and (ii) 1 January 2023.

As of the end of day 29th August 2022 there were a total of 499,822 National Entitlement Cards issued for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. This is the closest data available for 1 September 2022.

As of the end of day 2 January 2023 there were a total of 639,795 National Entitlement Cards issued for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. This is the closest available data for 1 January 2022.

The figures above include cards issued as a result of first time applications, replacement cards and cards which may no longer be active.

This data is supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO). NECPO support the 32 local authorities by assisting with the integration of various national and local public services on the National Entitlement Card (NEC) and are the joint controller with local authorities of this data.

Transport Scotland does not hold application information as the Improvement Service are in charge of applications made through getyournec.scot and all other applications are managed by local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-13658

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12743 by Jenny Gilruth on 23 December 2022, what progress has been made on confirming Northern Isles Ferry Services fares and opening Serco NorthLink Ferries bookings for dates beyond 31 March 2023.

I announced on 15 January that fares on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks will be frozen for six months.

Building on the 3 month freeze I announced in early November, ticket prices will be held at current levels until the end of September to help people and businesses in both Shetland and Orkney.

With the fares confirmed, Serco NorthLink Ferries will imminently be opening their bookings until the end of September.

Question reference: S6W-13663

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11067 by Maree Todd on 3 October 2022, when the updated Scottish Good Practice Statement incorporating the key changes in practice from the NICE guideline will be published on the Scottish Government's website.

Question reference: S6O-01818

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with NHS Shetland to address waiting times for NHS dentistry and orthodontic treatment.

Question reference: S6W-13780

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding its work on the Digital Identity Scotland (DIS) Programme.

The Scottish Government is delivering a digital identity service which aims to improve people’s access to digital public services by providing them with a safe, secure, easy and reusable way to prove who they are or that they are eligible for a public service. We are working in partnership with Disclosure Scotland to launch a private Beta (a live trial involving the first applicants to access the service) early this year. This will include:

The ScotAccount secure sign on which will enable users to use one account to securely log in to a variety of public services, using an email address, password, and two-factor authentication codes via text message.

The Verify Your Identity feature, which people can use to confirm their identity to a public service, using official documents (initially a passport, UK driving licence, or UK biometric residence permit).

Following the private Beta launch, further developments planned for later this year will include adding other methods for two-factor authentication and identity verification; and work to add an attribute store, which will provide users with a choice to reuse verified personal information to apply for other services.

Question reference: S6W-13560

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) mobile network operators about improving the resilience of mobile network mast infrastructure in Scotland in order to support the continuation of vital communication links during power outages and other major incidents.

The security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications network is reserved to the UK Parliament.

The Scottish Government works closely with UK Government, industry, Ofcom and other Devolved Administrations through the Electronic Communications – Resilience and Response Group (EC-RRG), which helps to plan for and respond to disruptive events.

Scottish Government officials also regularly engage with individual telecoms operators around disruptive events, such as Storm Arwen and the recent subsea cable break impacting Shetland, to help coordinate response and debriefs.

Our £28.75 million investment via the Scottish 4G Infill Programme is delivering new mobile infrastructure in 55 locations, which is improving 4G coverage and strengthening resilience of networks serving rural and island communities.

Question reference: S6W-12743

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the Serco NorthLink Ferries booking system will open for bookings for dates beyond 31 March 2023.

Question reference: S6W-13195

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the energy sector regarding the creation of a local tariff for Shetland to help any households that are currently facing fuel poverty.

Energy pricing and the powers to create local tariffs are reserved to the UK Government. However, we will continue to engage with BEIS about its Energy Price Guarantee review for April 2024 and the consideration of social tariffs for domestic consumers, especially for those in or at risk of fuel poverty.

The First Minister has also chaired two energy summits since August. These have discussed the impact of UK Government measures in response to the energy crisis and agreed that these should be more support targeted towards vulnerable households and businesses, including those living in rural communities.