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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-21881

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet with representatives of Disability Equality Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21878

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any risk of local authorities declaring bankruptcy.

Audit Scotland conduct annual audits of the financial reports of local authorities in Scotland. In addition, Best Value audits ensure that a local authority is delivering its duty of best value and operating in a prudent and sustainable manner. The audit and assurance and best value frameworks are overseen by the Accounts Commission and any risk of bankruptcy should be identified at an early stage.

The Scottish Government also captures and scrutinises local authority financial data and would identify any financial concerns through this process.

Question reference: S6W-21877

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place in the event that a local authority is declared bankrupt.

Any indications of concern would be raised with the local authority. The Scottish Ministers would consider how best to support the local authority including and may seek assurance that action would be taken to address concerns.

In a case of serious financial failure, such as bankruptcy, the Scottish Ministers may make use of legislative powers to ensure appropriate steps are taken to remedy the situation.

Question reference: S6W-22281

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13820 by Christina McKelvie on 24 January 2023, whether it will provide an update on how long the current waiting list is for rape survivors at each rape crisis centre.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12962 on 22 December 2022. The Scottish Government does not hold this level of service detail for Rape Crisis Centres. Rape Crisis Centres are independent charitable organisations which hold their own information on their waiting lists. It is for individual local centres, or Rape Crisis Scotland as the umbrella organisation, to provide this information.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-21347

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of pay-as-you-drive tolling systems, which could be based on time or distance on the road, and other factors, for example, fuel type and efficiency, in light of the Just Transition Commission report, Can We Reduce Car Use Fairly?.

As outlined in our draft route map to 20% car km reduction, the scale of the challenge means that we need to take forward a broad combination of interventions, including infrastructure, incentives and regulatory actions. However, we are committed to a Just Transition, and therefore agree with the Commission that our approach must take into account the needs of those who may be less able to reduce their car use, such as carers and those living with a disability, or in rural locations.

We are taking an evidence-based approach to what might work to achieve change, including learning from what others are doing across the UK and in other countries. We have commissioned research on equitable options for car demand management. Using the findings of this and other research, we will work with local authorities and regional partners to support equitable measures that will encourage active travel and use of public transport, for a fairer and greener transport system.

However, we do not have all the levers we need, and are limited by UK Government inaction. The most direct levers on the cost of buying or running a petrol or diesel car – fuel duty and vehicle excise duty – are reserved to the UK Government, and reforms to transport taxes will be crucial in meeting net zero targets. We will continue to call on the UK Government to urgently set out options to replace existing motoring taxes, with meaningful consultation and agreement with the devolved nations.

Question reference: S6O-02635

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any link between nutrition and behaviour in its work to address violence in schools.

Question reference: S6W-21875

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns regarding the rail maintenance budget.

The rail maintenance budget is set and confirmed by Office of Rail and Road for the full Control Period (current Control period covers financial years 2019 - 2024) and that funding amount does not change.

Throughout the current Control Period, the Scottish Government has fully funded the operations, maintenance and renewal of Network Rail’s Scottish infrastructure as determined by the Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government has also invested a further £451.9 million due to the impact of COVID.

Question reference: S6W-21876

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can take any further action to prevent the development of a new oil field at Rosebank, in light of the UK regulator's decision to approve the development.

Question reference: S6W-22098

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the make-up of the proposed town boards in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with the UK Government regarding town boards in Scotland. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy have written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, asking for a discussion on how UK Government plan to provide appropriate governance for the Long Term Plan for Towns in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21730

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 11 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide figures on how many post mortem examinations have been conducted under the instruction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) since 1 January 2023, in situations where the next-of-kin has given consent for the procedure.

Between 1 January and 31 August 2023, COPFS instructed 4,460 post mortem examinations. Of those, 383 were conducted by way of a non-invasive examination.

Procurators Fiscal do not seek the consent of nearest relatives for a post mortem examination to be instructed. A post-mortem examination may be required to determine the cause of death, to ensure the circumstances surrounding the death are fully investigated and to exclude criminality. Whilst the views of the family will be sought and taken into account, the final decision as to whether it is necessary for a post mortem examination to be carried out is for the Procurator Fiscal as part of their independent role in investigating the person’s death. Any views expressed by relatives in relation to the conducting of a post mortem examination are recorded, usually within the report submitted by Police Scotland to the Procurator Fiscal. Further information cannot be provided as that would require a manual check to be made of every case where a post mortem examination was instructed.

While the decision regarding the necessity to instruct a post mortem examination is made by the Procurator Fiscal, and in certain deaths, such as homicides where criminality is being investigated, the Procurator Fiscal must specify certain requirements of the examination to ensure that any evidence obtained meets the required criminal standard, it is a matter for the pathologist, as the medical practitioner responsible for establishing the cause of death, to conduct the examination in the most appropriate manner to ascertain the cause of death accurately.

It is also a matter for the pathologist to decide, during the examination, whether it is necessary to obtain tissue samples in order for them to instruct further tests or examinations to clarify the cause of death. The pathologist will make the decision as whether any organs require to be removed during a post mortem examination for further testing, whether in the form of whole organs, or small samples from organs.

No samples that are retained are kept by COPFS and they are instead retained by the NHS as part of the deceased’s medical records.

COPFS keeps a record of all cases where a pathologist has decided that it is necessary to retain a whole organ during a post mortem examination. This record also includes details of when the organs are returned to the family of the deceased at the conclusion of examinations.