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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-26192

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the third supplementary to question S6O-02854 by Jenni Minto on 7 December 2023, what its response is to the reported concerns of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) organisations and people with ME regarding the way that the Scottish Good Practice Statement (SGPS) on ME-CFS was updated, including concerns that the key recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline were not inserted into the updated SGPS.

We published a partial update of the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME/CFS on the Scottish Government website in February 2023. This incorporated key recommendations from the NICE 2021 guidance on a broad range of topics such as energy management and Graded Exercise Therapy; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; diagnosis and care of children and young people; and severity scale of illness.

The statement also includes updated information on social security and social care in Scotland and an appendix of useful resources and contacts provided by Action for ME and other partners.

Question reference: S6W-26633

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the barriers to the implementation of the NICE guidelines on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) identified in the recent survey of NHS boards in Scotland, and how it is fostering consensus amongst the people involved in implementing the NICE guidelines.

Question reference: S6O-03178

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is taking forward the work and priorities of its Ministerial Population Taskforce.

Question reference: S6O-03130

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving, in collaboration with Police Scotland, to the possibility of establishing a new Leith police station within the Scottish Government's Victoria Quay building.

Question reference: S6O-02947

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to tackle violence in schools and the impact that this is having on both pupils and staff.

Question reference: S6W-24092

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 20 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the final Solar Vision and draft Bioenergy Policy Statement will be published.

Following the Scottish Government’s announcement of the proposed solar deployment ambition for Scotland in October, we are now working with industry and community stakeholders to agree a suitable level of community benefit for large scale solar projects. As a result, we will now publish our final Solar Vision with the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan in Summer 2024.

We intend to publish the draft Bioenergy Policy Statement for consultation in the new year, and before the end of February 2024.

Question reference: S6W-23178

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker MSP (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Bo on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it would consider keeping the canteen open in a limited capacity on business days from 2.30 pm to 3.00 pm, in order to provide a partial offering for staff who are unable to purchase lunch before 2.30 pm due to work commitments.

Catering service times across campus provide a robust offering around parliamentary business. Lunch service timings in the Garden Level Restaurant (11:30-14:30) are based on levels of demand and efficient use of resources in line with parliamentary requirements. If it is helpful, it is possible to pre-order food on our app, and collect it from the Holyrood room between 11:30 and 2:30, although this does not change the timings, it is a quicker service.

Alternative options are available after 2.30pm including the Coffee Bar where a hot sandwich option can be ordered and the Public Café where hot food options including soup, baked potatoes and a range of sandwiches are on offer. Hot food is also available from 4pm in Queensberry House Lounge.

Question reference: S6W-23345

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research will be published.

Question reference: S6O-02811

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the sustainability of healthcare services in Edinburgh, in light of the significant increase in the population of the Lothian region in recent years.

Question reference: S6O-02725

Current Status: Withdrawn