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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: S5O-05000

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures in its Budget aim to tackle workplace inequalities.

Question reference: S5W-34849

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 January 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Clare Haughey on 29 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the Distress Brief Intervention associate programme, which was announced in 2018.

The first DBI associate site went live in Moray in 2019; the lead agency and local DBI provider there is Penumbra.

There are now two more areas with associate programmes which have gone live this month. These are Inverclyde; and Ayrshire & Arran. The lead agencies and local DBI providers for these programmes are the Scottish Association for Mental Health & Penumbra respectively.

In the associate programme sites, the lead agencies are working closely with local partners including Health and Social Care Partnerships, Police Scotland, Primary Care, Emergency Departments, and others to provide DBI locally.

In addition, the Programme Manager for DBI is in discussion with several other areas in Scotland who have also expressed an interest in joining DBI as associate programmes. The associate sites are important building blocks towards our 2020 Programme for Government target of having DBI embedded in all Health Boards by 2024.

In 2019 we also expanded DBI so that it became available to 16- and 17-year olds. This was a commitment from Programme for Government 2018.

In addition, as part of our wider response to the Covid pandemic, in Spring 2020 we introduced a new pathway to DBI, in which people contacting NHS24 in emotional distress from anywhere in Scotland can, where assessed as appropriate, be referred for DBI support.

I would like to thank all our partners involved in the development and implementation of DBI thus far, for the vital support which they have provided to people in distress.

Question reference: S5O-04971

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure the Test and Protect system is accessible to all.

Question reference: S5O-04911

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has made available to businesses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5O-04891

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve housing outcomes for women experiencing domestic abuse.

Question reference: S5O-04868

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to engage with business stakeholders to inform its response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5O-04729

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with the Treasury.

Question reference: S5O-04697

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that children and young people and their families are actively involved in decisions regarding additional support for learning that directly affect them.

Question reference: S5W-31806

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 24 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of what actions ministers have taken under section 9 of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 regarding opportunities to advance equality and non-discrimination when exercising their functions under the Act.

Assessment of the equality, human rights and children’s rights impacts continues to be a central aspect of our approach to review and reporting on the Coronavirus Acts; and in developing our two-monthly reports, we have sought to examine these impacts.

The equality duty, part of the Equality Act 2010, seeks to advance equality and we have sought to do this through provisions contained in the legislation, or by support and guidance available. Additionally, where we have identified any particular impacts of the legislation, we have sought to address these quickly and effectively.

For example, during the coronavirus outbreak, we have maintained our priority that victims of domestic abuse and gender based violence get the support they need during these challenging times and are kept safe from harm. Section 15A of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 and section 13 of the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 require Scottish Ministers to take account of any information about the nature and number of incidents of domestic abuse which is given to them or published by the Scottish Police Authority, or the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland. Scottish Ministers are also required to explain how the information was taken account of.

In relation to housing, the provisions under section 2 and schedule 1 of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 which increase the notice period across all eviction grounds in the private and social rented sector, with limited specific exceptions, provide renters with additional protection from eviction. These provisions are complemented by Section 2 and schedule 1, Part 2 of the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020, which relate to pre-action requirements for order for possession or eviction order on ground of rent arrears. The Scottish Government considers that these provisions continue to have a positive impact across those with protected characteristics and continue to prevent all renters across all equality groups from being evicted during the current crisis. This includes women who are more likely to have caring responsibilities and therefore be impacted more significantly – socially and financially - by the consequences of the outbreak.

As a further example, Section 2 and schedule 1, part 1 of the second Scottish Act aims to ensure that an appropriate notice to leave period exists for students residing in halls of residence and Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). During this time of great uncertainty and financial hardship for many, these provisions ensure appropriate notice to leave periods exist for students seeking to end their tenancy early for a reason relating to coronavirus . The Scottish Government considers that the temporary extension of these provisions is likely to positively impact across those with protected characteristics, as the legislative measures will protect them from the financial impact of being held liable to pay for accommodation they are not able to use.

Further examples and more information on the equality impact of the measures contained within the Coronavirus Acts is contained within the reports submitted by the Scottish Government to the Scottish Parliament every 2 months, and the Statement of Reasons published alongside the regulations laid by the Scottish Government last month which seek to extend the Scottish Coronavirus Acts to 31 March 2021.

Question reference: S5O-04629

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken since 2019 to ensure that social housing rents are affordable to tenants.