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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-12177

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce alcohol harms, in light of them being described in the Scottish Budget 2022-23 as a "public health emergency".

The Scottish Government takes a whole population approach to tackling alcohol-related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

The Scottish Government’s Alcohol Framework sets out our priorities for preventing alcohol-related harm. It contains 20 actions building on existing measures to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, including our world-leading minimum unit pricing (MUP) policy.

We are evaluating the impact of MUP at the current price of 50 pence per unit and will assess what level MUP should be set at going forward, if MUP is to continue. If our overall evaluation supports a continuation of MUP, we will lay Orders in Parliament in late 2023 to continue MUP beyond the initial six year period and if the evidence supports a change in price, to set a new unit price.

On 17 November we launched a consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion. This sets out a range of potential proposals including prohibiting alcohol advertising outdoors, phasing out alcohol sponsorship and reducing the promotion of alcohol in-store.

We are working on initiatives that will support people across Scotland to reduce alcohol consumption. These include the review of alcohol brief interventions, the managed alcohol programme pilot and supporting the UK Government on reviewing and updating clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment.

Question reference: S6W-12011

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any liability could accrue due to damage caused to third parties by a tree falling as a consequence of activity by beavers.

Question reference: S6W-12032

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times since 2016 it has met with COSLA to progress the introduction of a national minimum allowance for foster carers, and whether it expects to be able to introduce a minimum allowance before the end of the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-11996

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the landowner responsibilities are for invasive species control, and what enforcement takes place.

Responsibility for invasive non-native plants rests with landowners and occupiers. Under common law, there is an expectation that land owners should take reasonable steps to prevent invasive non-native plants growing on their land from causing a nuisance or injury to others. However, it is not a criminal offence for an owner or occupier to have invasive non-native plants growing on their land.

NatureScot can make species control agreements (SCA) and species control orders (SCO) to require control of invasive non-native species. This discretionary power is aimed primarily at preventing high impact invasive non-native species becoming established in and spreading within Scotland. For species that are already widespread, such as giant hogweed, NatureScot can offer species control agreements to support coordinated control programmes, where inaction on a particular land holding is jeopardising the success of the programme.

It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to fail to comply with an SCO.

Question reference: S6W-11594

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11363 by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022, what its position is on appointing a privately owned company to operate the Caledonian Sleeper franchise from June 2023.

In accordance with the requirements of the Railways Act 1993 and the Scottish Ministers’ Franchising Policy Statement, consideration is being given to the successor arrangement for the continued provision of Caledonian Sleeper services.

The Scottish Ministers have to work within the relevant current legislation, principally the Railways Act 1993, which neither they nor the Scottish Parliament have powers to change.

I will of course update Parliament on my decision on the successor arrangement once the required statutory process has been completed.

Question reference: S6F-01572

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the First Minister how much the Scottish Prison Service has spent on providing free mobile phones to all prisoners.

Question reference: S6F-01565

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the emergency response to flooding in the north east of Scotland in recent days.

Question reference: S6F-01564

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Supreme Court decision regarding legislating on an independence referendum.

Question reference: S6F-01563

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that gender-based violence is being tackled in Scotland, in light of the start tomorrow of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.

Question reference: S6F-01560

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that refugees from Ukraine have suitable accommodation on arrival in Scotland.