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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: S6O-02005

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the recruitment of breast cancer oncologists in NHS Tayside.

Question reference: S6W-14914

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021, what (a) EU regulations, (b) pieces of EU tertiary legislation and (c) EU decisions have come into effect since the Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament, and in relation to which of those it has (i) considered using and (ii) used the powers in section 1(1) of the Act.

Information relating to EU legislation, regulations, tertiary legislation and decisions that have come into effect since the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Act 2021 was passed by the Scottish Parliament and the present is in the public domain and can be found at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html

For the period between the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)(Scotland) Act 2021 coming into effect and 31 August 2021, information relating to the Scottish Government's use or considered use of the section 1(1) power of the Act is in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2022/eu-alignment--continuity-act--6-may.pdf

For the period 1 September 2021 - 31 August 2022 information is also in the public domain and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/eu-continuity-act--draft-annual-report-for-laying--final--27-oct-2022.pdf

Since 1 September 2022 the Scottish Government has used the section 1(1) power in respect of The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022. These amended the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014 to implement partially Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption. Since 1 September 2022 the Scottish Government has not considered further use of the section 1(1) power.

Question reference: S6W-14988

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether Marine Scotland will have sufficient capacity to process applications for offshore windfarms through the ScotWind process.

Over the last 12 months Marine Scotland Directorate has recruited a significant number of new staff across Marine Scotland Licensing Operations Team, Marine Scotland Planning and Policy Division and the science function within Marine Scotland to address increased demands expected from processing ScotWind applications. Resources will be kept under review in light of the number of lease options awarded for ScotWind and applicants’ proposed timelines. In addition, the Marine Scotland Directorate has established a streamlining team to identify and implement efficiencies in consenting processes.

Question reference: S6W-14990

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated the time that it will take for (a) Marine Scotland and (b) any statutory consultees to process applications for offshore windfarms through the ScotWind process.

The Scottish Government target for a decision on an offshore windfarm is 9 months from the point that an application is submitted. This is what we would expect for high quality applications which are based on the scoping opinion issued by the Scottish Ministers, although that timeframe will be subject to responses received from statutory and non-statutory consultees and any complications which may arise from those. This timeline is likely to be challenging for applications of more variable quality or those required to submit additional information under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, or which require a derogation under the Habitats Regulations. Statutory consultees, other than the relevant planning authority, have a 30 day or 42 day period, depending on the location of the wind farm, to respond to consultations on applications. Extensions to this period may be granted. Relevant planning authorities have a period of four months to respond.

Question reference: S6W-14989

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any statutory consultees will have sufficient capacity to process applications for offshore windfarms through the ScotWind process.

As well as providing funding to increase resource within the Marine Scotland Directorate of Scottish Government in relation to planning and consenting for ScotWind, the Scottish Government has provided additional funding to NatureScot, a key statutory consultee, to secure a number of new posts in light of the increased statutory consultee demands expected from the ScotWind process. As with the resources within Marine Scotland Directorate, the resources required by NatureScot to meet the demands arising from ScotWind will be subject to applicants’ timelines and will be kept under review.

Question reference: S6W-14987

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to invite nominations for the Access for All programme for the 2024-29 control period, prior to submitting nominations to the Department for Transport, and what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government in relation to the programme.

As the member will know, rail accessibility is reserved to the UK Government. However, my officials are in regular dialogue with the Department for Transport on matters of rail accessibility.

Nominations seeking Access for All funding for Control Period 7 (2024-2029) were submitted to the Department for Transport in time for the 16 September 2022 deadline. The Department for Transport is anticipated to announce successful nominations in Spring 2023.

Question reference: S6W-15265

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recently reported comments made by venue operators at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, concerning short-term let regulations, that “unless secondary letting is also available in all types of property, including tenement stairs, there will simply not be enough accommodation for August's Festivals”.

Question reference: S6W-15246

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with representatives from TATA Steel regarding the sale of Dalzell and Clydebridge steelworks, and whether the minutes of the meeting will be made publicly available.

Question reference: S6T-01181

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on pay negotiations between teaching unions and COSLA, in light of the EIS rejecting the most recent offer and reports that industrial action is set to continue.

Question reference: S6W-14311

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many potholes have been repaired in each of the last five years.

Transport Scotland, through its Trunk Road Operating Companies and Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) Concessionaires, is responsible for the management and maintenance of the strategic trunk road network, including motorways. Repair of potholes on all other roads is the responsibility of the local authorities.

The Scottish Government fully funds the inspection and repair of all potholes that present, or could present, an immediate hazard to trunk road users. These are defined as Category 1 defects within the term maintenance contract, which also sets out strict timescales for their repair. Following identification of Category 1 pothole defects, the Operating Companies are required to make the defect safe by 6am the following morning, preferably by completing a permanent repair. Where this is not possible then a temporary repair is required within the same timescale with permanent repairs required 28 days. The following table shows the number of Category 1 potholes identified and repaired in each of the last five whole years.

Financial Year	Number of Potholes
2017-2018	13,354
2018-2019	11,989
2019-2020	12,660
2020-2021	12,949
2021-2022	9,679