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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-14709

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with stakeholders to write the guidance documents that will accompany the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), specifically those relating to national developments on peatland and wild land areas, and, if so, how stakeholders can participate in this process.

Our National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Delivery Programme, published November 2022, provides an overview of actions to be taken to support delivery, including the preparation of guidance documents.

Our Onshore Wind Policy Statement, published December 2022, also sets out our commitment to convening an expert group, including representatives from industry, agencies and academia, to provide advice to the Scottish Government on how guidance could be developed to support both our peatland and onshore wind aims.

Question reference: S6W-14856

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that only two of its buildings have a heat pump installed; what action it will take to increase the number of its buildings that have a heat pump installed, and within what timescale will any such action be undertaken.

Currently 1 building on the core Scottish Government estate has a heat pump installed (Tweedbank)

Feasibility studied will be carried out in the first quarter of 2023/24 financial year to look at a range of renewable technologies for the estate, including air source heat pumps.

Timescale for installing air source heat pumps to suitable buildings:-

2023-24 – (1st quarter) - Feasibility studies will be carried out with business cases and funding applications submitted for suitable projects.
2023-24 – (2nd quarter) - Apply, design and install power cable upgrades if required or – if the incoming power needs to be increased from the supplier.
2023-24 – (3rd/4th quarter quarter) - Design, tender, appoint a contractor, planning permissions
2024-25 – Installation of ASHP, radiators, pipework.

Question reference: S6W-14624

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight mechanisms it has in place to monitor the decisions made by Circularity Scotland in respect of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Scotland’s deposit return scheme is being delivered and funded by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland. This model is in line with standard practice in other schemes across Europe. The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 set out the obligations of a scheme administrator including that they must provide any information requested by the Scottish Ministers or SEPA for the purposes of monitoring compliance with the requirements in regulations. Scottish Ministers and Scottish Government officials continue to work with Circularity Scotland ahead of the launch in August.

Question reference: S6W-14803

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14221 by Neil Gray on 31 January 2023, whether the date reconciliation project has been completed.

The statistical release on Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme expressions of interest data reconciliation exercise was published by the Scottish Government on 17 February 2023: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-expressions-of-interest-data-reconciliation-exercise-february-2023/ . This is a one-time ad-hoc release of management information and does not constitute an Official Statistics or National Statistics release.

Question reference: S6T-01181

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on pay negotiations between teaching unions and COSLA, in light of the EIS rejecting the most recent offer and reports that industrial action is set to continue.

Question reference: S6T-01182

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a report by WWF Scotland that states that Scotland will fall "significantly short" of its target for decarbonising heating in homes.

Question reference: S6F-01844

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on how it is responding to the Climate Change Committee's report on progress in reducing emissions in Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-01832

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the future role of women in driving entrepreneurial activity and economic growth, in light of the publication of the report, Pathways: A New Approach for Women in Entrepreneurship.

Question reference: S6F-01829

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the First Minister what recent action the Scottish Government has been taking to keep The Promise to young people in care.

Question reference: S6F-01828

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to research by the Royal College of General Practitioners reportedly showing that a third of Scotland's GP staff who were surveyed said their practice was at risk of closing in the next few months.