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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-08848

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the (a) maximum and (b) minimum number of patients for a pharmacy practice should be.

The Scottish Government does not stipulate the maximum or minimum number of patients that can access a community pharmacy. Health Boards are responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical care services within their areas, taking into consideration neighbourhood, the adequacy of existing pharmaceutical services in the area and the necessity and desirability of approving an application to secure adequate pharmaceutical services in the area.

Community pharmacy owners are responsible for ensuring that pharmacies are safe and effective for pharmacy teams and patients. This includes setting safe staffing levels in line with the guidance provided by the regulator, The General Pharmaceutical Council.

Question reference: S6W-08660

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there are potential risks associated with any increased prevalence of instant win games offered by the new operator of the National Lottery.

The Scottish Government recognises that there are potential risks associated with playing instant win games. Instant win games can have some of the characteristics of commercial gambling products such as increased speed of play and instant gratification which are associated with higher risk of harm. Instant access to these activities through online methods can also create more continuous-play formats which are the most highly associated with harms.

The Scottish Government understands that the Gambling Commission, the body responsible for the regulation of the National Lottery, has recently investigated the National Lottery £10 instant win games. These have now been withdrawn due to the possible link between higher priced games and problem gambling. The new operators of the National Lottery are obligated to ensure that those at risk from gambling harms are protected from them. The Scottish Government would therefore expect the new operators to take the appropriate measures to protect people from harm.

Question reference: S6W-08662

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many National Lottery tickets have been sold in Scotland in each year since 2015.

Question reference: S6W-08661

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the economy in Scotland of any decline in National Lottery ticket sales.

Ministers were alerted to a decline in National Lottery ticket sales and to a consequent reduction in National Lottery good cause income in December 2016.

A mitigation strategy has been in place since October 2016 for a collaborative approach bringing together DCMS, the Gambling Commission, distributors and Camelot to address falling sales.

This includes Camelot undertaking a strategic review to return the lottery to growth; distributors promoting the link between National Lottery and Good cause projects; DCMS and the Gambling Commission are working with lottery distributors on potential levels of income if current trends continue.

Good cause returns for 2019-20 and for 2020-21 were better than expected and a total of £1,887 million was raised in 2020-21.

Question reference: S6W-08655

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with National Lottery (a) distributors and (b) funding recipients in Scotland regarding the possibility of Good Causes funding being raised from sales of lottery tickets by a company with reported links to Russia.

Question reference: S6W-08666

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any implications for Scotland of the potential awarding of the fourth National Lottery licence to Allwyn, in light of its reported links to Russia and its potential role in raising funds to be distributed to charities and local community groups in Scotland and the rest of the UK through Good Causes funding.

Question reference: S6F-01183

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022

To ask the First Minister what her position is on whether Scotland’s Census 2022 has been a credible exercise.

Question reference: S6O-01169

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to support college and university students impacted by the cost of living crisis.

Question reference: S6W-08440

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans to meet with any refugees who arrived in Scotland during periods when Welcome Hubs were unstaffed, in order to support them and make them feel welcome.

To confirm, the Welcome desk at Glasgow airport is staffed and my officials continue to work in partnership with the local authority to provide support and services for all arrivals. I am aware of one incident where an individual arrived to an unattended desk, however there was signage in place directing them to contact a helpline number. The individual in question is being well supported and is safely housed, and has expressed gratitude to the Health and Social Care Partnership for all their support and assistance.

Question reference: S6W-08441

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking in response to recent reports of the Glasgow Airport Welcome Hub being unstaffed despite reassurances that face-to-face advice would available from 8.00 am to 10.00 pm.

The Welcome desk at Glasgow airport is staffed to coincide with individuals from Ukraine arriving who may require assistance and my officials continue to work in partnership with the local authority to provide support and services for all arrivals. The welcome desks are staffed during daytime hours, outwith these hours, they can phone the Scottish Refugee Council helpline number who can give advice based on the appropriate visa route.