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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-06061

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 16 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure a return to in-person learning on a permanent basis for further education courses that are practical subjects.

Current guidance is being reviewed in collaboration with the sector, taking into account advice provided by the Covid-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Colleges and Universities. The Scottish Government’s 4 Harms approach ensures that the fullest range of impacts is taken into account in developing measures or guidance in all sectors, including for universities and colleges. Some students will already be receiving full time in-person teaching in line with our advice to prioritise students whose qualifications/progression are at risk. It is also for institutions to determine an appropriate balance between online and in-person teaching where that focuses on the reduction and management of risk and a cautious approach to keep people safe.

Question reference: S6W-06136

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 11 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the resignation of Terry A'Hearn, as Chief Executive of SEPA, will have on the current review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy, and when it anticipates that SEPA will have a new Chief Executive in post.

Dr Colin Church was appointed as independent Chair of the review into the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy in Scotland in November 2021.

SEPA, as with other stakeholders, has the opportunity to submit a response to the ongoing call for evidence and to participate in the review process led by Dr Church . I do not expect Mr A’Hearn’s resignation to have an impact on SEPA’s participation in the review process but this is a matter for SEPA and Dr Church to determine.

SEPA have started the process of recruitment and expect a Chief Executive to be in post later this year.

Question reference: S6W-05917

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional financial support will be made available to households to help meet the new fire alarm standard, in light of the recent increase in energy prices and the extra pressure this puts on household budgets.

We know that some homeowners may not be able to meet the cost of fitting the necessary alarms which is why we provided £500,000 through Care and Repair Scotland to help elderly and disabled people. We have also made available a further £500,000 to Care and Repair to extend this support beyond 1 February 2022.

This is in addition to the £1m funding provided to SFRS for its Home Fire Safety Visit programme to owner occupied properties assessed to be at high risk from fire.

We also provided £15m loan funding to social landlords to support them to fit compliant alarms for all tenants.

Flexibility is built into the existing legislation through a provision setting out that the work should be done “within such period as is reasonable in all the circumstances”, allowing flexibility for home owners unable to install alarms by 1 February 2022.

Question reference: S6W-05394

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the use of the CitizenCard as valid ID for the purposes of the vaccine certification scheme.

Question reference: S6O-00743

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with National Records of Scotland and other organisations, on the challenges facing people affected by historic forced adoption when seeking to access records.

Question reference: S6W-05854

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 2 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which operators have been found liable under the Environmental Liability (Scotland) Regulations 2009 of causing (a) land damage, (b) water damage and (c) damage to protected (i) habitats and (ii) species, and what penalty was imposed.

Question reference: S6W-05762

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of NHS never services.

We wrote to NHS Boards on the 10 December to set out measures intended to support NHS Scotland to manage the continuing pressures resulting from the pandemic and the emerging threats posed by Omicron. Services which were considered essential under this direction included primary care services, vaccination, urgent and unscheduled care and drug and alcohol services. It is for local Boards to determine how they apply this guidance.

Boards were advised to review their planned care activity in line with the Clinical Priority Framework to support the delivery of urgent care and urgent cancer care. Patient safety will always remain at the forefront of any decisions made related to service delivery.

Question reference: S6W-05856

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04556 by Maree Todd on 6 December 2021, whether it will provide an update on its scoping exercise, including the remit and timeline; on what dates the roundtables will take place, and who will be invited to participate in the roundtables and to inform the work to improve miscarriage care and support for women who experience complications during pregnancy.

The scoping exercise referred to in S6W-04556 will help the Scottish Government to establish current service provision for miscarriage care and support that is available to women who experience unexpected pregnancy complications across all 14 Health Boards and will issue shortly. The issue of the questionnaire has been delayed due to service pressures within the NHS because of the ongoing pandemic. The first roundtable is expected to take place in March 2022 and we plan to invite health professionals and baby loss charities as well as inviting bereaved parents to share their experiences.

Question reference: S6W-05855

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have dedicated facilities for women experiencing miscarriage or unexpected pregnancy complications.

Question reference: S6W-05723

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has used to determine a reduction in the period of self-isolation for those who test positive for COVID-19.

The Scottish Government used a range of sources of evidence when determining the latest isolation policy changes including data on various key aspects of the pandemic including vaccination rates; clinical advice from senior clinicians including the Chief Medical Officer, PHS public health clinicians, the National Incident Management Team and UKHSA analysis.

In addition, the Scottish Government considered the effects on key workforces and service, including health and social care, of retaining the same isolation policy.