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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-16891

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations made in the Independent Forensic Mental Health Review: final report.

Question reference: S6W-16922

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people Social Security Scotland has written to in order to let them know that they (a) are entitled to and (b) will receive a Winter Heating Payment.

As at 31 March, almost 400,000 low income households had automatically received £50 in Winter Heating Payments to support them with their energy bills for this winter. All will have received a letter explaining their entitlement to the benefit.

Information on payments for Winter Heating Payment will be included within Official Statistics that will be published on 6 June 2023. These will be available on Social Security Scotland’s statistics publication page at:

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/about/statistics/social-security-scotland-statistics-publications

Question reference: S6W-16918

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to mark Reusable Nappy Week 2023.

Whilst the Scottish Government have no official plans to mark “Reuseable Nappy Week 2023”, we promote and raise awareness of reusable nappies by including a voucher for 1 waterproof nappy wrap, with 5 stay dry nappy pads inside Scotland’s Baby Box.

As well as helping families to start using reusable nappies free of charge, the voucher also signposts families to the Scottish Government ParentClub website which highlights the benefits of using reusable nappies and provides helpful advice and tips on nappy use.

Question reference: S6W-16857

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently still to be transferred from the Personal Independence Payment to the Adult Disability Payment, and what its position is on whether the target of full case transfer by 2025 is still achievable.

As of January 2023, there were around 319,000 people in Scotland receiving Personal Independence Payment according to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Case transfer is a joint programme with the Department for Work and Pensions. We are relying on DWP to provide us with the right information at the right time and our top priority is maintaining a transfer that is both safe and secure. We continue to aim to complete case transfer for all people in Scotland who receive disability and carer benefits by the end of 2025.

Question reference: S6W-16691

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the section of the M8 that passes through central Glasgow, between Junction 15 (Townhead) and Junction 19 (Anderston), generates noise levels in excess of 80 decibels, which is similar to the noise generated by the runway at Glasgow Airport, whether it will consider revising the M8/M73/M74 Motorways (30mph, 40mph and 50mph Speed Limit) Regulations 2022, under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to pilot a 30mph speed limit on this section of the M8 in order to assess its impact on noise pollution.

Question reference: S6W-16980

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Transport will next meet with Shetland Islands Council to discuss local ferry services.

Question reference: S6W-16929

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that planning authorities are able to recover financial contributions from developers in a timely and efficient manner.

Subject to the tests in Circular 3/2012 being met, planning obligations entered into under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 can be used to secure contributions from those carrying out development. Planning obligations are enforceable, including against successors in title where an obligation is registered in the Land Register of Scotland or the General Register of Sasines.

Question reference: S6W-16485

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Scottish National Party manifesto commitment to "develop MyNHS, a safe, simple and secure app that will help people access services directly and own their own health information".

In addition to the health and care information services that are already available to the public, we are currently in the process of developing a Digital Front Door. Digital Front Door acts as a direct response to Scottish National Party’s commitment to develop a ‘’MyNHS’’ App.

A key deliverable within the 2021 Digital Health & Care Strategy, the Digital Front Door will provide a way for people to access health and care information and control their data. It will also help people to conduct more health and care transactions online, including communicating with their health and care providers and managing their appointments.

Key workstreams are in place to develop changes to services, communications and engagement approach, undertake impact assessments and scope requirements for key areas such as identity verification. We have also considered the approaches taken internationally and within other parts of the UK.

Scottish Government has commissioned NHS Education Scotland (NES) as main delivery partner and initial planning, design and development is underway. The current commitment is to have the first version of the Digital Front Door in place by the end of this Parliament.

More information will be made available on this development here - https://www.digihealthcare.scot/our-work/digital-front-door/.

Question reference: S6W-16357

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to any concerns expressed by the Education, Children and Young People Committee regarding the impact of financial constraints placed on colleges on their ability to meet their net zero commitments.

The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) College Infrastructure Strategy: The Approach to Delivering Scotland’s College Infrastructure, published in November 2022, supports the college sector’s ambitions for net zero with the planned production of an Infrastructure Investment Plan for the college sector being a key goal.

The strategy recognises that investment in college infrastructure is needed and presents a significant opportunity for colleges to play their part in tackling the climate emergency. SFC will support colleges to progress their Net Zero ambitions that are integral to any future infrastructure investment.

Question reference: S6W-16269

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to strengthen its Business Investment Framework, which outlines its principles and approach for decisions about future investment in private companies, in light of the recommendation by Audit Scotland in its report, The 2021/22 audit of the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts.

The Business Investment Framework was updated in March 2022 to take account of developing best practice and recommendations from Audit Scotland. In the spirit of continuous improvement, Scottish Government Officials continue to review the Business Investment Framework to ensure it remains fit for purpose and offers up to date guidance to applicable users. This of course involves ongoing engagement with Audit Scotland to strengthen processes and procedures in line with their recommendations. The next planned update to the Business Investment Framework is Q1 of FY 23-24.