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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: S6F-02952

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-26007

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the reported £700 million that it received in option fees through the 2022 ScotWind leasing round it spent in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24, and how much it projects that it will spend in (i) 2024-25, (ii) 2025-26, and (iii) 2026-27.

Crown Estate Scotland received £756 million in option fees from the initial ScotWind auctions in 2022-23. As set out in the 2022 Resource spending review, and subsequent budget publications, these funds were initially profiled to be drawn down by the Scottish Government over a three year period as follows:

2022-23 - £96 million

2023-24 - £310 million

2024-25 - £350 million

The final drawdown for 2022-23 was £96 million as planned. Drawdowns for 2023-24 and subsequent years are only finalised at the very end of March when the Scottish Government has more certainty over its financial position.

At the time of the 2024-25 Scottish Budget the planned drawdown for 2024-25 was decreased to £200 million reflecting the need to ensure sufficient funds were available to balance the 2023-24 financial position. Given the recent improvement to the 2023-24 position it is now likely that this will not be required in 2023-24 and therefore may be used to support future financial years.

Question reference: S6W-25952

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 11 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered introducing (a) a system of licensing for professional dog walkers and (b) restrictions on the number of dogs that a person can walk at one time.

The Scottish Government consulted on proposals to licence animal care services, including commercial dog walking services from 4 July 2023 to 26 September 2023. The analysis of responses to this consultation was published on 16 February 2024 and is available at Licensing of activities involving animals: consultation response analysis - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Consideration of the views expressed in response to the consultation is ongoing. The Scottish Government will confirm its proposed next steps, including how it intends to proceed in respect to commercial dog walking activities, in due course.

Question reference: S6W-25651

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25060 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 February 2024, in which sportscotland buildings the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was confirmed.

Question reference: S6W-25063

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the 10 universities that have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present in their buildings.

Question reference: S6W-25062

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the six colleges that have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present in their buildings.

Question reference: S6W-25061

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the 37 schools that have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present in their buildings.

It is important that there is transparency around the schools where RAAC has been identified and the mitigations in place, and a list of the initial local authorities with confirmed cases of RAAC was published in a Scottish Government news release on 8 th September 2023. This news release is available here - Local authorities publish RAAC data - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

However, it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate, and all schools with RAAC should be available on relevant local authority websites.

We are currently aware that RAAC has been identified in 39 schools - including 4 ELC settings within primary schools - and 1 standalone ELC setting, across 18 local authorities. All 32 local authorities have completed assessments of their school estate.

Question reference: S6F-02869

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 February 2024

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-25454

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the report of the Fair Fares Review will be published.

Question reference: S6W-25064

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the minutes of the meeting of the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Cross Sector Working Group on 11 October 2023, which hospital has RAAC present and also has some water ingress.

The building referred to on 11 October 2023 Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Cross Sector Working Group minutes was the Ward 1 Plant Room at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

The Plant room was surveyed on Friday 22 September 2023 . The surveying Engineer noted that there was no immediate concern of structural collapse and made recommendations. Immediate remedial action was taken to ensure the area was safe. There is no immediate risk to patients, staff, or visitors.