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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: S5W-15714

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the report of the Independent Advisory Group on the Use of Biometric Data in Scotland, what its position is on introducing (a) a new legislative framework for biometrics, (b) a code of practice covering the acquisition, retention, use and disposal of DNA, fingerprints, facial and other photographic images and all existing, emerging and future biometrics and (c) an independent biometrics commissioner, and whether it plans to introduce these before the end of the parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government response, which sets out next steps for taking forward each of the recommendations, is available at http://www.gov.scot/About/Review/biometric-data/sgresponse .

We will now work closely with Police Scotland and other stakeholders to develop detailed proposals and, subject to further consultation, would seek to introduce primary legislation later in the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S5W-15787

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to coordinating its plans for a deposit-return scheme with that announced by the UK Government.

Question reference: S5W-15648

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government who is on its expert panel to consider how to reduce single-use plastics; when the panel will report; which stakeholders the panel has engaged with, and what funding it has been given.

Question reference: S5W-15413

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 4 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with representatives of the tourism sector in (a) Orkney and (b) Shetland regarding any impact of the uncertainty regarding the date for introducing Road Equivalent Tariff on ferry routes serving the Northern Isles.

Transport Scotland officials regularly engage with a variety of stakeholders through a number of established engagement groups, which include representation from VisitScotland and the tourism sector. The impact of the introduction of RET has been discussed at these recent meetings.

I am aware that there is keen interest in the Northern Isles for further news on this issue. Details on the fares reduction and the specific timing of introduction will be made available as soon as is practicable.

Question reference: S5W-15412

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 4 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is committed to making Road Equivalent Tariff available on ferry routes serving Orkney and Shetland from the start of the summer 2018 timetable.

Question reference: S5W-14994

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14439 by Michael Matheson on 27 February 2018, whether it will place a copy of PIRC's written submissions and the Scottish Government's responses in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Question reference: S5W-14604

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions a request has been made by each prison in the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) estate seeking (a) authorisation and (b) an extension of an order to remove a prisoner from association with other inmates in accordance with section 95 of the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011 in each of the last three years, also broken down by gender; how many requests were (i) declined, and for what reason and (ii) authorised by (A) ministers, and (B) SPS officials, broken down by position.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

The initial decision to remove a person from association in accordance with Rule 95(1) of the Prison and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011, is applied locally by Governors or SPS Controllers at private prisons and does not require any further authorisation. There is however no data collected centrally on this process and the information requested in the question cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

The following table provides a breakdown, by year, of all approved Rule 95 extensions:

Year (April-March)	Rule 95 Extensions
2015-16	955
2016-17	933
2017-18 (April -Jan)	876

The following table provides a breakdown of the reasons provided for refusals to extend Rule 95 applications by gender.

Reason For Refusal To Extend Rule 95 Application	April 2015- March 2016	April 2016- March 2017	April 2017- January 2018
Insufficient information contained in application	13 x Males	7 x Males	8 x Males 1 x Female
Insufficient intelligence provided to support the application	9 x Males	4 x Males	3 x Males
Application submitted after the expiry period	9 x Males 1 x Females	15 x Males	8 x Males
Errors on paperwork	8 x Males 1 x Female	7 x Males	5 x Males
Incorrect classification/ no longer required	2 x Males	3 x Males	4 x Males
Total	41 x Males 2 x Females	36 x Males	28 x Males 1 x Female

It is the responsibility of an identified senior SPS operational manager to approve or decline Rule 95(11) and (12) extension applications on behalf of Scottish Ministers. As an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government, SPS exercises these statutory functions on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S5F-02117

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the capacity of the Scottish Police Authority, and whether the organisation is fit for purpose.

Question reference: S5O-01859

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what it sees as the key roles of student associations in representing the interests of students at colleges and universities.

Question reference: S5W-14440

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) to the Convener of the Justice Committee on 5 February 2018, in light of the PIRC's comment that "the shortage of resources throughout 2017 has undoubtedly impacted on the speed at which the investigation team has been able to complete its work", what discussions and correspondence it had with the PIRC regarding this matter, broken down by date, and whether it will publish the minutes and notes of the meetings, and copies of the correspondence.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14439 on 27 February 2018

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government does not routinely publish the details of correspondence and notes of meetings with public bodies.