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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: S6W-28658

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 19 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 16 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take, or has taken, prior to the commencement of the provisions under the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 that prevent any child found guilty of an offence being sent to a young offenders' institute, to ensure that there is the necessary capacity in secure accommodation for the under 18-year-olds who are required to be sent there.

Action to prepare and plan for this transition began prior to the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 receiving Royal Assent, and is ongoing. To support the relevant commencement and transitional provisions laid in the Scottish Parliament yesterday, intensive engagement with relevant partners across the sector has taken place. This to ensure readiness and capacity within secure care and wider children’s services, so that the children being moved are safe and well supported. The action included officials recently visiting each of Scotland’s four secure centres to ensure any additional support could be identified and put in place, and regular ongoing engagement with key delivery partners, including the Scottish Prison Service, secure accommodation providers, the Care Inspectorate, Social Work Scotland, COPFS, and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service.

Each of the children currently in Polmont YOI has a bespoke “Child’s Plan”, grounded in the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), Curriculum for Excellence and the SPS Vision for Young People in Custody (refreshed in 2021). A tailored transfer, matching and orientation process is being prepared for each child to transition to secure accommodation, along with action to inform and reassure their families.

Question reference: S6W-28657

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 19 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 16 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will commence the provisions under the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 that prevent any child found guilty of an offence being sent to a young offenders' institute.

The Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (Commencement No.1 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2024 were laid in the Scottish Parliament on 15 August. The Scottish Government does not generally lay secondary legislation during Parliamentary recess. However, Scottish Ministers are taking action to end the practice of detaining children in Young Offenders’ Institutions as soon as possible, having identified the earliest point at which delivery agencies and partners could safely deliver the change.

Question reference: S6W-28758

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the data that it published on 15 January 2020 in response to the freedom of information request FOI/19/02661, what subsequent calculations it has made of the emissions that could be generated by extra flights between Heathrow Airport and airports in Scotland if a third runway was built at Heathrow.

Question reference: S6W-28767

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the UK Climate Change Committee’s report to the Scottish Parliament, which was published in March 2024, what its response is to the assertion that there (a) is no strategy for decarbonising aviation and (b) has been no progress in addressing aviation demand growth.

The assertion that there is no Scottish strategy for decarbonising aviation does not take into account that aviation is reserved or that the UK Government’s Jet Zero Strategy applies throughout the UK. Separately, the Scottish Government’s Aviation Statement has now been published and describes actions we will take to contribute to the global effort to reduce CO2 emissions. The Statement also emphasises that Jet Zero should benefit Scotland and that Ministers will work with the UK Government to secure this aim.

The Scottish Government’s response to the UK Climate Change Committee's report will be published in the coming months.

Question reference: S6W-28764

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Transport Scotland paper, Aviation Statement and Key Priorities, what projections it has made of the country's aviation emissions in (a) each year between 2023 and 2030, (b) 2040 and (c) 2045.

Question reference: S6W-28759

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what organisations and companies were met in preparation of the Transport Scotland paper, Aviation Statement and Key Priorities, and on what dates.

The Scottish Government publicly consulted on developing an Aviation Strategy, based on the questions in the Discussion document to inform the development of an Aviation Strategy (transport.gov.scot) . Officials also held four stakeholder workshops to examine specific issues in more depth. The workshops included representatives from the aviation sector and environmental organisations.

Transport Scotland published the non-confidential consultation responses and an independent analysis of these responses and the stakeholder workshops (which also notes all participants): Aviation Strategy - Analysis of consultation responses | Transport Scotland

Due to Covid restrictions, the consultation noted was conducted online only between October 2021 and February 2022.

Question reference: S6W-28765

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the assertion in the Transport Scotland paper, Aviation Statement and Key Priorities, that it expects to follow a similar CO2 emissions reduction trajectory to that set out in the UK Government’s Jet Zero strategy, what consideration it has given to the UK Climate Change Committee’s 2023 report to the UK Parliament that this is “high risk” due to its reliance on nascent technology, and what policy frameworks it will put in place to ensure that emissions reductions in the aviation sector occur if these technologies are not delivered on time and at sufficient scale.

The UK Government’s Jet Zero strategy, with its associated emissions trajectories, will apply throughout the UK. As the Aviation Statement makes clear, it is therefore vital that Jet Zero should benefit Scotland and Ministers will work with the UK Government to secure that aim. Scottish Ministers support the harnessing of new technologies across aerospace to meet climate targets. In addition to the technology-related actions in our Aviation Statement, the Scottish Government has established an expert working group to provide recommendations on increasing the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-28761

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its commitment set out in the Transport Scotland paper, Aviation Statement and Key Priorities, that it will contribute to the global effort to reduce CO2 emissions in international aviation by 5% by 2030, how it will measure (a) Scotland’s contribution to this target and (b) the impact of its support of the building of a third runway at Heathrow Airport, as set out in its memorandum of understanding with the airport.

Question reference: S6W-28770

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains its policy position that the building of a third runway at Heathrow Airport should deliver 200 extra flights to airports in Scotland per week.

Question reference: S6W-28769

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 14 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the UK Climate Change Committee's report to the Scottish Parliament, which was published in March 2024, what its response is to the recommendation that it should publish a detailed strategy for decarbonising aviation as soon as possible in 2024, and that this should set out the capability of the technologies that will be prioritised to achieve this aim, whether it expects to achieve this before the end of the year, and, if so, by what date.

The Scottish Government’s response to the UK Climate Change Committee's report, including its recommendations on aviation, will be published in the coming months. Our new Aviation Statement clearly sets out the Scottish Government’s actions to support decarbonising aviation and Ministers’ intention to meet regularly with aviation stakeholders to discuss the progress made on reducing emissions. The Aviation Statement should be considered alongside the UK Government’s Jet Zero decarbonisation strategy, which applies across the UK.