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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-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-09676

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 July 2022

To Ask the Scottish Government whether it undertook an Island Communities Impact Assessment prior to the preparation of the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme (Bute House Agreement), and whether it will provide details of any such impact assessment.

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.

Question reference: S6W-09328

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the avian flu outbreak, what measures it is putting in place to manage wild geese.

Expert advice from virologists and epidemiologists within Scottish Government and the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA), shows that avian influenza is circulating widely in wild bird populations. There are very few effective interventions that will prevent the spread of the disease in wild birds. However, the Scottish Government, NatureScot and APHA have put in place a response plan which aims to:

Ensure effective triage and testing is in place. This intelligence is used to link wild bird movements into national risk assessments and biosecurity measures, and identify any new species contributing to wider infection pathways.
Provide advice on disposal of diseased carcases of wild birds.
Monitor impacts on colonies/mortalities.
Provide advice on access restrictions for bird ringing, research, licensable activities and land management activities.
Develop future conservation/management plans for species affected by HPAI.

With regards specifically to geese; following the suspension of licences for goose management as I outlined in my response to S6W-09329 on 15 July 2022 and in all cases where licences to manage geese with lethal control were suspended, NatureScot made offers of support with non-lethal scaring to protect grass crops. That support generally was in the form of a contribution towards the purchase of scaring equipment such as gas guns and other bird scaring equipment.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-09329

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the avian flu outbreak, what consideration it has given to the culling of wild geese.

The Scottish Government is not currently considering culling wild birds where Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is detected, as this would not be a practical or proportionate method of impact mitigation.

Current advice to all keepers of poultry and other captive bird keepers is that the enhanced biosecurity requirements that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone in November 2021, remain in force, as infection continues to circulate in the environment. Keepers are advised to maintain scrupulous biosecurity standards and to continue applying such standards as best practice. These practices include the cleansing and disinfection of equipment, vehicles and footwear and the storing of feed, water and bedding to minimise the risk of virus contamination from wild birds.

In Autumn 2021, NatureScot suspended all licences to shoot Svalbard barnacle geese in the Solway area in light of the HPAI outbreak.

In February 2022, when HPAI was confirmed within the Greenland barnacle goose population, NatureScot suspended licences to shoot Greenland barnacle geese on Islay and on Uist. These licences had been issued to prevent serious agricultural damage.

NatureScot will review whether similar arrangements are required when geese and other waterfowl populations return to their wintering grounds. If culling licences to prevent agricultural damage are suspended in the autumn then alternative support for land managers and owners will be considered.

Question reference: S6W-09357

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its timetable for enshrining the human right to food in Scots Law.

The Scottish Government has committed to the introduction of a Human Rights Bill within this Parliamentary session (2021-26) and we will consult on proposals this year.

The Human Rights Bill will incorporate the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which includes a right to adequate food as an essential part of the overall right to an adequate standard of living, into Scots law, as far as possible within devolved competence.