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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: S6W-18298

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many payments from the Tenant Grant Fund have been used to fully pay off rent arrears, in each month that the fund has been available.

Local authorities were responsible for the administration of the Tenant Grant Fund given their knowledge of local need. Each local authority provided the Scottish Government with quarterly returns showing spend against their funding allocation. Data on full versus partial mitigation of arrears was not provided routinely by all local authorities.

The quarterly information collected was published on the Scottish Government website here: Tenant Grant Fund monitoring report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and is summarised below.

Quarters	Number of grants
Q4	297
Q3	254
Q2	403
Q1	656
Until 31 Mar 2022	5,015

Question reference: S6W-18243

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many new trade envoys it aims to appoint in each of the next five years, and in which countries they will be based.

Our export growth plan, A Trading Nation, committed to evaluating the existing Trade & Investment Envoy network with a view to increasing the number of envoys from the four (at the time) to twelve. This would be subject to a review of the current arrangements and the identification of candidates with the right knowledge, experience and connections in the right markets to best support Scotland’s trade and investment ambitions.

There are currently 11 Trade & Investment Envoy based around the globe. The majority of Envoys are focused on promoting trade and investment within a specific market (Indonesia, Poland, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, New Zealand and the Unites States of America), while some have a sector-focus (International Higher Education and Capital Investment). A link to the current list of Trade and Investment Envoys can be found here .

Although the Scottish Government does not currently have any firm plans to grow the network, we are planning on evaluating the T&I Envoy Network to consider the markets and sectors within which they operate and this will inform the future focus and shape of the network.

Question reference: S6W-18241

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will launch its International Culture Strategy, as set out in the Scottish Connections Framework.

Scotland’s culture is recognised across the world. It is a massive asset to our country in cultural and economic terms, but also in its potential to open doors and support Scotland’s wider international relationships. As such, we have committed to develop an International Culture Strategy to ensure that cultural links with our partners around the world are developed further and international engagement can help these sectors to recover and flourish.

It is vital that our International Culture Strategy reflects, and is fully informed by the views, experience and expertise of those working in our culture and creative sectors. In order to ensure this, we are currently carrying out a programme of stakeholder engagement to gather views on priorities for the strategy, including a public survey which closed for responses on 12 May 2023.

Close engagement with stakeholders will continue alongside the development of the strategy throughout 2023. Timelines have adapted as the development process has proceeded and requirements have become apparent. We aim to publish the strategy by the end of March 2024.

Question reference: S6W-18279

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of the standard operating procedure being developed by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) in relation to transgender prisoners, as referred to by the chief executive of SPS in her evidence to the Criminal Justice Committee on 22 February 2023.

Question reference: S6O-02355

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address reported financial and staffing pressures in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

The Scottish Government continues to prioritise investment in frontline services, providing an increase of over £730 million to NHS Boards in 2023-24 – investing over £352 million in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Under the SNP, staffing in NHS Dumfries & Galloway has increased by 19.7% since 2006.

We will continue to work with all Health Boards, including NHS Dumfries & Galloway, to address financial and workforce pressures across the system.

Our Sustainability and Value programme has been established to deliver essential reform and sustainable services that are fit for the future, whilst prioritising patient safety.

Question reference: S6O-02347

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to mitigate any damage caused by fires and floods in higher and further education campuses.

This is a matter for universities and colleges.

Higher Education institutions are autonomous bodies; and Further Education institutions each have a Board of Management and are responsible for their own financial and strategic management.

It is their responsibility to carry out a Fire Safety Risk Assessment and keep that assessment up to date. Based on the findings of the assessment institutions need to ensure appropriate fire prevention and safety measures are in place.

In terms of flood prevention, institutions should ensure that campus buildings are well maintained, wind and watertight. They should have in place maintenance programmes to reduce the risk of water damage.

Question reference: S6O-02354

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the economic impact on businesses of the changes to the Deposit Return Scheme that it announced on 18 April 2023.

The deposit return scheme is a major undertaking for businesses, bringing very significant environmental and economic benefits. Accordingly, we have regularly consulted with a wide range of businesses, trade associations, the scheme administrator, and other organisations as part of the decision making process.

The suite of impact assessments has been updated to reflect the draft regulations laid in May 2023, and as part of this, the Scottish Government has produced a supplementary analysis to the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment. This document includes the economic impacts of the amendments to the scheme announced in April. We will publish updated impact assessments in due course.

Question reference: S6O-02382

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement the rural affairs secretary has had with the fishing industry in communities that may be impacted by its proposals for Highly Protected Marine Areas.

Question reference: S6O-02383

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many paramedic students have accessed the Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary since its introduction in July 2021.

Question reference: S6O-02385

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to ensure a fair application of funds from EventScotland and Creative Scotland to every part of Scotland.