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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: S5W-36008

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Ministerial Taskforce for Population.

Today, the Scottish Government’s Ministerial Population Taskforce has published Scotland’s first ever national Population Strategy. This document is called ‘A Scotland for the Future: The Challenges and Opportunities of Scotland’s Changing Population’ and can be found here.

Scotland is facing a number of demographic challenges. From falling birth rates, to increasingly ageing population to spatial imbalance across our local authorities. The Ministerial Population Taskforce was established to tackle these large-scale issues.

Our strategy outlines why addressing each of these challenges is vital to the long-term sustainability of our economy, public services, and communities as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

It is clear there is no quick fix to these complex issues. This strategy is the beginning of a conversation about population sustainability as a ‘national challenge’ for Scotland.

As a first step, the Strategy sets out 36 initial actions, including a series of next steps for the Scottish Government’s Population Programme to engage the public, other political parties and other partners from both the public and private sector.

Question reference: S5O-05127

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent representations it has made to the UK Government regarding visas for people wishing to work in Scotland, and whether it is able to clarify the visa requirements for student internships to ensure that these international exchanges can continue.

Question reference: S5O-05082

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it has been working with COSLA to ensure that fast growing local authorities, such as Midlothian, are effectively funded through COSLA’s funding formula.

Question reference: S5O-05046

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish National Investment Bank will support the economic regeneration of communities when the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Question reference: S5W-34943

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the plans to upgrade the Sheriffhall roundabout; what investment is planned as part of this; by what date work will commence, and what the timetable is for each stage.

The Scottish Government remains committed to undertaking improvements at Sheriffhall in its £120m investment as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal and continues to progress the scheme through the statutory processes.

Following publication of draft Orders on 5 December 2019 Transport Scotland received a significant number of representations, including objections, to the proposed scheme. These are currently being reviewed and considered. This process is being informed by the recent conclusion of the Public Transport and Active Travel Review work which is available at https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/a720-sheriffhall-public-transport-active-travel-review-report/ .

Should we be unsuccessful in removing all objections a public local inquiry may be required.

Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set.

Question reference: S5O-05014

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is being provided to Scotland’s food and drink industry in response to exporting issues as a result of Brexit.

Question reference: S5W-34690

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce guidance or legislate to exempt a person who lives with someone who is shielding from COVID-19 from having to go to work, similar to the approach taken during the first lockdown.

Family or household members living with someone on the shielding list were not advised not to go into work during the first lockdown. The Chief Medical Officer’s letter of 26 March 2020 did ask people to minimise time spent with others in their household and to keep 2 metres apart where possible.

Scottish Government advice remains that everyone should work from home if they possibly can.Stay at home regulations came into effect on 5 January 2021 which placed a duty on employers to take all reasonable steps to minimise the spread of coronavirus. This included supporting staff to work from home for those roles that can be undertaken remotely. If staff were working from home during the first lockdown in March 2020 they should be working from home now.

New Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on working from home was published on‎ 19 January 2021. This guidance is intended to support employers and the self-employed to continue to facilitate working from home in line with the stay at home regulations. This guidance can be applied across any sector or role where working from home is possible. Organisations should make every reasonable effort to make working from home the default position. Where a worker can perform their work from home, they should continue to do so.

As set out in this guidance, all employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working.

Family members from the same household should also work from home where possible. However, if this is not possible, they can still go into the workplace. It is the employers responsibility to make sure the workplace and duties are Covid-safe. We advise that household members should discuss their concerns with their employer (especially if this is causing anxiety), explaining that they live with a family member who has health concerns and is on the shielding list.

We are asking people to stringently follow and observe the FACTS guidance for a safer Scotland in order to reduce transmission of Covid-19.

Some employers may offer additional financial support for employees who are off work for caring or coronavirus-related reasons.

Employers can also, at their discretion, furlough people through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which has now been extended until April 2021. They may also be able to furlough people in the event that they have caring responsibilities resulting from covid-19.

In the absence of employment powers, we strongly encourage all employers to apply Fair Work principles, and a flexible approach to dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 on workers and workplaces, to protect the health and wellbeing of their workforce.

Question reference: S5O-04946

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to continue positive collaboration with European countries following the UK's exit from the EU.

Question reference: S5O-04912

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received an update from the UK Government on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and how it might impact on Scotland's public finances.

Question reference: S5O-04833

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it is providing to the holiday accommodation sector regarding the relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions over Christmas.