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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-14050

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding the development and publication of its revised mental health strategy for people in custody, which was originally due in 2021.

Question reference: S6W-14199

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Climate Change Committee’s assessment in its Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland – 2022 Report to Parliament that "Agroforestry and hedgerows offer the opportunity to increase carbon stocks on farms while allowing agricultural production to continue", and whether it will commit to producing (a) targets and (b) delivery reports for agroforestry and hedgerows.

We agree that agroforestry and hedgerows can be incorporated throughout agriculturally productive land, offering carbon sequestration and biodiversity benefits. We support this through grants and the initiatives such as the Integrating Trees Network. The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) is the Scottish Government’s mechanism for providing targeted support to land managers to undertake specific actions on environmental management. Inclusive of contracts issued through the 2022 round of AECS, to date the scheme will have committed over £14.5 million to support the planting or replanting of over 678,000 metres of hedgerows.

In the Climate Change Plan update (CCPu), we committed to ambitious targets for tree planting, rising to 18,000 hectares per year by 2024-25. A range of different types of tree planting, including agroforestry and farm woodlands, contribute to this target which has reporting arrangements in place through the CCPu.

We are aiming to introduce a Natural Environment Bill in year three of this parliamentary session which will contain provisions to put in place statutory targets for nature restoration and a framework for setting, monitoring, enforcing and reporting on those targets.

Question reference: S6W-14198

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board will report on its findings and proposals.

Question reference: S6W-14177

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 30 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timeframe for implementation of the Air Departure Tax.

As outlined in the Scottish Budget 2023-24, the Scottish Government remains committed to introducing Air Departure Tax when a solution to the Highlands and Islands exemption issue has been found. The Scottish Government is carefully considering the implications for this of the UK subsidy control regime that was introduced in January 2023.

Until Air Departure Tax is introduced, the UK Government will maintain the application of Air Passenger Duty in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-14048

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the findings in the report, Still Nothing to See Here?, on prison deaths and fatal accident inquiry outcomes, and whether it accepts the report’s findings regarding the Scottish Prison Service’s suicide prevention strategy, Talk To Me.

The report from Glasgow University covers a range of distinct topics which can be considered individually.

The safe treatment, health, and wellbeing of all those in custody is a priority for this Government and it is vital that people who live in our prisons are supported. It is imperative that when problems do occur, individuals receive the necessary treatment, care and respect, in a timely manner.

Preventing suicide and supporting people who self-harm are key areas for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), including in developing its Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We continue to work closely with NHS Boards, SPS and the National Prison Care Network to implement the healthcare recommendations from the Independent Review of Deaths in Custody. We are also engaging closely with SPS as we implement the new Suicide Prevention Strategy Creating Hope Together and the first 3-year action plan, which includes a focus on key settings where suicide risk is higher, such as prisons.

‘Talk to Me’ (TTM), the SPS Suicide Prevention in Prison Strategy, was developed in partnership with experts in suicide prevention and aims to care for those ‘at risk’ of suicide by providing support based on individual needs and promoting an environment where people in custody can ask for help. The strategy is currently subject to a planned review and the Scottish Government and SPS are committed to making improvements to care and help prevent suicide in custody and the community.

Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAIs) are an independent, judicial process. The Crown Office has significantly reformed its processes to reduce the time taken to investigate deaths and to bring FAIs to court more quickly.

Question reference: S6W-14049

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the Scottish Prison Service will publish its revised mental health strategy for people in custody.

Question reference: S6O-01863

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the ferries task force with Orkney Islands Council.

Question reference: S6W-13112

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £32 million Local Bridge Maintenance Fund was distributed, broken down by each (a) local authority and (b) successful application.

Question reference: S6W-13111

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available for local bridge and causeway maintenance.

The vast majority of funding available to councils is provided by means of a block grant from the Scottish Government. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on maintenance of local roads and bridges, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

The Scottish Government has provided an additional £570 million to local government in 2023-24, however it is for locally elected representatives to manage the allocation of resources and the level of services that are delivered to their local communities.

Question reference: S6W-13113

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to reopen the Local Bridge Maintenance Fund.

While there are not any plans to reopen the Local Bridge Maintenance Fund at this time, the Scottish Government will continue to meet with COSLA and individual local authorities on a regular basis to discuss the issues affecting local government.

The Scottish Government has increased funding to local government by over £570 million in 2023-24, including an additional £147 million of capital funding.