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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-00669

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the latest Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund.

Question reference: S6W-05090

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will fulfil its Programme for Government commitment to launch a public consultation on the three verdict system and whether the not proven verdict should be abolished.

A public consultation on the not proven verdict and related reforms will open today, 13 December 2021, until 11 March 2022 and will be available at https://consult.gov.scot/justice/not-proven-verdict .

The Scottish Government recognises the strong case that can be made for the abolition of the not proven verdict but we also understand that there are many who have principled and informed objections to such a reform, or highlight the complex impact that moving to two verdicts could have on the wider Scottish criminal justice system.

We will continue to take an open and consultative approach to these matters and as part of 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.

This Government will listen carefully to what consultees tell us before we weigh all the evidence and reach a decision.

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

Question reference: S6W-04495

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker MSP (on behalf of the SPCB) on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what assessment was made of users' safety when updating the Scottish Parliament garage entry system.

In designing the new service yard and garage, both the safety of the overall operating system and the safety of those using and accessing the garage were fully considered and assessed.

Design assessments were made in relation to users’ safety and these assessments included:

· A design specification, setting out the safety requirements of the new system.

· An access report, covering the proposed flow of vehicle travel in the system.

· A design risk assessment. This was carried out by the gate manufacturer to reduce or eliminate risks from gates and barriers with appropriate safety measures.

· Safety features including automated traffic controls and safety sensors on all moving parts, including all barriers and gates.

· A health and safety review which resulted in updated health and safety arrangements in the service yard area.

The design process set out the safety standards the component parts of the new vehicle entry system was required to comply with. These included the European Standards relating to the safety of security gates and barriers. These were therefore installed and commissioned to appropriate European Directives. This process was carried out in conjunction with the Parliament’s Health and Safety Adviser.

In addition, a review of existing health and safety arrangements in the service yard area was carried out as part of the new system design. Existing arrangements include a 5mph speed limit in the service yard, annual training including vehicle movement toolbox sessions, marked pedestrian walkways and the requirement for pedestrians to wear hi-vis clothing at all times in this area. These existing assessments are considered appropriate in addressing any safety risks in the area.

Question reference: S6O-00433

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received the Low Income Pandemic Payment.

Question reference: S6O-00387

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is engaging with oil and gas businesses in the north east, as Scotland transitions to a net zero economy.

Question reference: S6W-03794

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 October 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support mental health and wellbeing in local communities.

I have today announced a £15 million Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund. This is in recognition of the important role that small, grass roots, community groups play in supporting adult mental health and wellbeing and aims to build on the excellent examples of good practice we have seen emerge throughout the pandemic.

It also reflects the importance that the Scottish Government places on promoting good mental health and early intervention for those in distress, ensuring that individuals can access a range of different types of support to match their needs.

Question reference: S6O-00204

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to engage with traditionally hard-to-reach groups.

Question reference: S6O-00092

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help protect people participating in football activities, particularly children and young people, in light of research suggesting a link between repeated heading of footballs and dementia later in life.

Question reference: S6W-00857

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 June 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its current activity on suicide prevention and its plans for a new long-term suicide prevention strategy.

The Scottish Government’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan was published in 2018. Many of the key actions in the Plan have been delivered, including the launch of Scotland’s social movement: ‘United to Prevent Suicide’; production of learning resources to support suicide prevention; and guidance to encourage, inform, and support local suicide prevention approaches. Pilot services to support those bereaved by suicide will go live this summer and work continues to develop processes for reviews of all deaths by suicide.

Our Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan sets out our commitment to work with COSLA and stakeholders to produce a new long-term suicide prevention strategy for Scotland. The new strategy will be outcomes-focussed, and its development will be directed by the voices of lived experience. It will be informed by data and evidence, and adopt a cross-government approach to ensure the Government continues to take all actions it can to reduce the number of people who die by suicide. The new strategy will be published in September 2022, supported by a full delivery plan.

In the meantime, continued focus, pace and evaluation on suicide prevention will be achieved by extending activities under the current Action Plan for a further year, up to the point the successor strategy is published. This approach has full backing from partners, including COSLA and the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group. This approach will be backed by additional spending on suicide prevention in 2021-22, through our £120 million Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund.

Question reference: S6O-00051

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will make available to businesses in light of the continuation of the current COVID-19 restrictions.