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-10712

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it plans to do with the £5 million that it previously committed to the Islands Bond scheme, and whether it will be spent on measures that aim to tackle the depopulation of islands.

The £300,000 allocated to the Islands Bond this financial year will now be used to shape a range of tests to help inform policy in an islands context, based on the feedback gathered through our engagement on the Islands Bond since October 2021, (including meeting over 100 island residents across 12 island communities in spring 2022).

These Practical Policy Tests (PPTs) will help to inform the development of our action plan to address depopulation as set out in our 2019 National Islands Plan, and also help to inform our future funding requirements so that we can tackle the depopulation challenges across our islands.

This work complements the £8.3 million provided to implement the National Islands Plan in the current financial year. This continues our record of delivering significant investment in key island-based projects, such as our £1.3 million contribution towards the rebuild of the Fair Isle Bird Observatory, and the £550K transformational Kerrera Road project.

Annual budgets will continue to be set through the annual parliamentary budget Bill process and the annual budget will be based on the latest fiscal information.

Question reference: S6W-10709

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of its aviation strategy, particularly in relation to improving lifeline services and island connectivity.

The online public consultation on developing a Scottish Government aviation strategy ran from 18 October 2021 until 21 January 2022. 93 responses were received, 38 from individuals and 55 from a broad range of stakeholder organisations. Officials also ran a series of online stakeholder workshops each of which focused on a particular area of the consultation document, namely international connectivity and airfreight; transition to low and zero-emission aviation; domestic connectivity; and governance arrangements in the Highlands and Islands.

On 6 April we published an independent analysis of the consultation responses, including summaries of the main points from the workshops noted above, and those responses where consent to publish was provided.

Work is ongoing across government to develop the aviation strategy, including in relation to Highlands and Islands connectivity, building on the suggestions from the consultation and relevant Scottish Government strategies and polices. The aviation strategy will also inform the development of the Islands Connectivity Plan.

Question reference: S6W-10711

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) discussions it has had on and (b) consideration it has given to improving lifeline interisland services in Orkney.

I met with Orkney Islands Council on 8 th August during my visit to the Northern Isles, where we discussed a range of issues including inter-island connectivity.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges for local authorities with responsibility for ferries and has provided more than £136m over the last 5 years through the Local Government settlement and Specific Grant. A total of £33.095m has been made available for local authorities in 2022-23, including £13.402m for Orkney, which fully funds the Council to operate inter-island ferry services.

Question reference: S6W-10710

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address strategic objectives one, two and three of its National Islands Plan, following the announced cancellation of its Islands Bond scheme.

Scottish Government support for islands, and progress made towards delivery of the National Islands Plan, including strategic objectives one, two and three, is recorded in our annual report, presented to parliament each year. The first of these was the National Islands Plan: annual report 2020 , published 23 March 2021. The most recent report was the National Islands Plan: annual report 2021 , published 23 March 2022.

Furthermore, within the National Islands Plan, Scottish Government committed to publishing a detailed Implementation Route Map that addresses each of the 13 Strategic Objectives and accompanying commitments listed in the Plan.

The Implementation Route Map details how we will deliver our priorities over the lifetime of the National Islands Plan. It identifies the methods we will use to monitor progress towards fulfilling the many commitments in the NIP and sets out how we’ll deliver our work over the short, medium and long-term.

Question reference: S6W-10722

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what commitments it has given to the energy sector to assist in developing research and delivery of a cleaner, greener energy system, and to deliver a fair and just transition to net zero.

The Scottish Government supports research and development in a renewable energy system through a range of funds, ensuring Scotland will be at the forefront of new transition opportunities. Our Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray has offered £20 million to projects this year, ranging from testing and promoting emerging technologies such as electric vehicle battery recycling, offshore green hydrogen, and decommissioning, to innovative projects such as a digital innovation lab and a supply chain pathway and challenge fund.

This builds on support offered through our £75 million Energy Transition Fund (ETF) and £100 million Emerging Energy Transition Fund (EETF). The ETF supports four projects: the Energy Transition Zone, Global Underwater Hub, Net Zero Technology Transition Programme, and Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub, which will all support the sector to make progress on energy transition. The first tranche of the EETF’s hydrogen investment programme was launched via the £10 million Hydrogen Innovation Scheme with a focus on innovation in green hydrogen, storage and distribution technology. To provide a coordinated vision for the sector, our upcoming Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will set out the energy system’s role in delivering a just transition to net zero and climate resilience.

Question reference: S6W-10424

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the NHS patient travel reimbursement scheme will be reviewed following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-01360

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government to which budget line the £5 million previously allocated to the Islands Bond scheme will be reallocated.

Question reference: S6W-09704

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the remaining single carriageway sections of the A9 south of Inverness are due to be upgraded to dual carriageway.

Work to determine the most suitable procurement options for the remaining sections of the A9 dualling is ongoing. This is a complex exercise which looks at a number of factors including how the project can be delivered most efficiently by the industry, whilst minimising disruption to road users and helping to support economic recovery post-COVID. An update on the outcomes of this complex piece of work will be provided when the work is completed.

Question reference: S6W-09354

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 21 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that children have adequate access to food throughout the school holidays.

Tackling poverty and inequality is a key priority for this government. We know that holiday periods can present challenges for families, which is why we have provided local authorities with £21.75 million of funding for alternative holiday food provision for families eligible for free school meals. This support is available to those families on the basis of low income, regardless of the age of their children and is being provided directly to families in the form of vouchers or cash payments. In addition to this, we have invested a further £10 million into a targeted summer holiday programme for 2022, designed to reach those school age children and their families who can benefit most from access to free holiday childcare, activities and nutritious food.

Question reference: S6W-09331

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 20 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s announcement regarding roll-out of the cost of living payment from 14 July 2022, whether it can confirm if it will be responsible for handling the additional £300 cost of living payments for pensioners who are in receipt of winter fuel payments, and, if this is the case, whether it will provide details of the roll-out of these payments.

While Winter Fuel Payment is one of the benefits that will be devolved to the Scottish Government, we have not yet taken over responsibility for its administration. This means that the current rules governing the rate of payment, who is eligible to receive, and when and how it is paid, is set by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This £300 change represents an increase in the base amount paid by the DWP for Winter Fuel Payment, which is normally paid in November, whereas the additional payments from 14 July are a one off payment for those in receipt of a variety of benefits, rather than an increase to the payment rates.