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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: S6O-01514

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what further financial support it will provide to Argyll and Bute to help tackle depopulation of rural areas and islands.

Question reference: S6O-01515

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether its proposed new Agriculture Bill will be introduced before 2024.

Question reference: S6O-01525

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what impact inflation is having on its affordable housing programme.

Question reference: S6O-01518

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place for people with Long COVID.

Question reference: S6W-11590

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Student Mental Health Action Plan, which is due to be published in 2023, will be underpinned by (a) sustained and (b) flexible levels of funding.

The Student Mental Health Plan is currently being developed in consultation with stakeholders via the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group, and is linked to the wider Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy that is also under development. The Plan will be research and evidence informed.

Any future funding is subject to the annual budget process and Parliamentary approval of the Scottish Budget.

Question reference: S6W-11910

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Short Life Working Group on Facilitating Peaceful Assemblies in Scotland.

I am pleased to confirm that the report of the working group has been submitted to me and I am today publishing the report: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781804358184 .

I am extremely grateful to the Working Group and all those who gave evidence to them, for delivering a very thoughtful report. I have accepted the main conclusion that a Parades Commission, along the lines of the one in Northern Ireland, is not required in Scotland.

The report also highlights a range of other conclusions and recommendations on how the processes surrounding processions could be improved. I can confirm that the Scottish Government will now engage with partner organisations, including COSLA, Local Authorities, Police Scotland and human rights experts, to examine the conclusions and recommendations in more detail and consider which should be taken forward. These considerations will include looking at the practicalities of implementing the conclusions and recommendations in a way which would ensure human rights are maintained, and how we might go about piloting key recommendations.

Question reference: S6W-11443

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it made the decision to terminate the contract with Serco to run the Caledonian Sleeper service.

Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited (SCSL) chose to submit a rebasing proposal in accordance with the provisions of the Franchise Agreement. An alternative commercial proposal was also submitted. Following careful analysis, review and negotiation with SCSL, a financial position which represented value for money to Scottish taxpayers could not be presented; subsequently neither proposal was accepted.

Question reference: S6W-11420

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to create through its agencies a capital funding stream for community services and community spaces.

The Scottish Government has no plans to create through its agencies a capital funding stream for community services and community spaces. It is for agencies to determine how best to apply allocated funding from Government, including capital and some of them do fund community oriented activity and infrastructure. Examples would include South of Scotland Enterprise Agency, Transport Scotland and Forestry and Land Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-11375

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the procurement process will begin for the replacement of the incumbent contract novated from Abellio for a Ticket Issuing System for use by ScotRail, and what the timetable is for this process.

ScotRail novated several contracts for the provision of Ticket Issuing Systems, across all retail channels, to ensure continuity of service and a smooth transition from Abellio ScotRail to ScotRail Trains Limited.

At this time no definitive timetable for a future procurement exercise has been agreed. ScotRail Trains Limited will work with its holding company, Scottish Rail Holdings, to ensure services are procured as required to meet ScotRail’s needs going forward. I will raise this matter directly with SRT when we next meet.

Question reference: S6W-11241

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of (a) past and (b) planned spending on the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill, and whether this money is from the £20 million earmarked for spending on a referendum in 2023-24 in the Resource Spending Review set out on 31 May 2022.

In answer to part (a), information on spending on the Lord Advocate’s reference to the Supreme Court was published on 22 September, at: www.gov.scot/publications/independence-referendum-supreme-court-referral-legal-costs .

In answer to part (b), as is usual for any Bill, when independence legislation is introduced in Parliament the Financial Memorandum accompanying the Bill will set out a detailed estimate of costs arising from the Bill, and the Parliament will have opportunity to scrutinize this.

For the final part of your question I refer you to the answer to your previous question, S6W-11224 on 1 November 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .