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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: S6O-01615

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with relevant stakeholders to support animal welfare over winter.

Question reference: S6W-11910

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Short Life Working Group on Facilitating Peaceful Assemblies in Scotland.

I am pleased to confirm that the report of the working group has been submitted to me and I am today publishing the report: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781804358184 .

I am extremely grateful to the Working Group and all those who gave evidence to them, for delivering a very thoughtful report. I have accepted the main conclusion that a Parades Commission, along the lines of the one in Northern Ireland, is not required in Scotland.

The report also highlights a range of other conclusions and recommendations on how the processes surrounding processions could be improved. I can confirm that the Scottish Government will now engage with partner organisations, including COSLA, Local Authorities, Police Scotland and human rights experts, to examine the conclusions and recommendations in more detail and consider which should be taken forward. These considerations will include looking at the practicalities of implementing the conclusions and recommendations in a way which would ensure human rights are maintained, and how we might go about piloting key recommendations.

Question reference: S6O-01488

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with the UK Government on matters impacting the Scottish economy.

Question reference: S6O-01389

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the National Planning Framework 4 will be equipped to attract investment to north east Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-01379

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the renewable energy sector.

Question reference: S6W-09790

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 July 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 12 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the independent analysis of the responses to the Not Proven Verdict and Related Reforms consultation.

The independent analysis report of the responses to the not proven verdict and related reforms consultation will be published today, 12 July 2022 and will be available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781804356890 .

The consultation received 200 responses, of which 21 were from organisations and 179 from individuals, and these will also be published today, where we have permission to do so, at https://consult.gov.scot/justice/not-proven-verdict/ .

We must now give careful consideration to the full range of views received on these complex issues. The findings from this consultation analysis, along with a range of other information and evidence from engagement and consideration of the issues, will inform the decision making process on any potential recommendations for reform.

Any potential reforms will be considered alongside wider work, including the outcome of the current consultation on improving victims’ experiences of the justice system . That consultation includes consideration of those recommendations of the Lord Justice Clerk’s review on improving the management of sexual offence cases which require legislative change to implement.

Question reference: S6O-01216

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the support being made available to people with long COVID.

Question reference: S6O-01203

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest assessment is of the impact of Brexit on Scotland’s food and drink sector.

Question reference: S6W-08747

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update regarding the public consultation on legislative proposals from the Dame Elish Angiolini report of the Independent Review of Complaints Handling, Investigations and Misconduct Issues in Relation to Policing.

I am pleased to confirm the publication today of the Scottish Government’s consultation on legislative proposals arising from Dame Elish Angiolini’s report into Police Complaints Handling, Investigations and Misconduct Issues.

The consultation is available via the Scottish Government website, as well as it’s Citizen Space portal at https://consult.gov.scot/ and Police Complaints, Investigations and Misconduct: A Consultation and will run until 16 August 2022.

Once the consultation has closed and the responses analysed, a summary of this analysis will be published publicly and I will ensure Parliament is kept informed.

We wish to hear from those interested in police complaints and conduct, including those who may have previously had a negative experience in dealing with police. The responses will inform how to improve transparency and further strengthen public confidence in the police.

We commend the significant progress already made by partners to drive improvements in this area, and their ongoing commitment to deliver change.

Question reference: S6W-08540

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve victims’ experiences of and confidence in the justice system.

A public consultation on improving victims’ experiences of the justice system will open from today, 10 May 2022, until 3 August 2022. It will be available at https://consult.gov.scot/justice/victimsconsultation .

The consultation focuses on proposed legislative reforms with particular reference to victims of sexual offences. It takes forward our Programme for Government commitments to introduce a statutory right to anonymity for complainers in sexual offence cases, establish a Victims’ Commissioner and carefully consider the recommendations from Lady Dorrian’s Review into the management of sexual offence cases that require a legislative basis to deliver.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving victims’ experiences of the justice system by putting them at its centre. This consultation explores how to do this by making the justice system more trauma informed and person centred. It is an important part of a wide-ranging programme of work to bring about transformational change necessary to ensure our justice system is trusted, modern, smart and effective.

We will continue to take an open and collaborative approach to achieve this aim, and this consultation will seek to capture the views of a broad range of stakeholders including legal professionals, the third sector and those with lived experience of the system.

I look forward to considering the full range of views received.