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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-12981

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02381 by Mairi Gougeon on 2 September 2021, whether it will provide an update on its progress in developing a Crofting Bill during the current parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government remains committed to reforming crofting law. A decision on the timing of a Bill will be taken by Cabinet in the context of setting the content of future legislative programmes in the normal way.

The Crofting Bill Group was reinstated in May 2022, to consider crofting legislation, including those issues raised by the Crofting Bill Group in 2016-2018. Five meetings have taken place between June and November 2022. The Crofting Bill Group discussions will resume in early 2023.

Question reference: S6W-12826

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to compensate local authorities for the loss of any staff who are transferred to the National Care Service.

Paragraph 48 of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum refers to this. This can be accessed at: https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/national-care-service-scotland-bill/introduced

Once the structure and governance of care boards and their localities have been decided, decisions about the employment of local government staff can be made. Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) / Cabinet Office Statement of Practice (COSOP) principles will apply if the delivery of services is transferred from local authorities to care boards. If that is the case, the TUPE process would be followed.

Question reference: S6W-12750

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to raise public awareness of the different forms of sexual harassment, including workplace harassment.

Everyone has the right to a safe workplace and to live their lives without fear or intimidation. The Scottish Government is determined to tackle the scourge of sexual harassment wherever it happens: in public spaces, places of education and workplaces.

That is why we published our Fair Work Action Plan on 9 December 2022. It will take forward the next phase of actions to drive forward Fair Work and will make it easier for employers and partners to access information on the critical role Fair Work has to play in the workplace. We will be writing out to interest groups, MSPs and Ministers about the Action Plan in the week of 12 December, with further engagement activity planned in early 2023.

Additionally, as part of our Equally Safe strategy, we are providing over £330,000 in funding to Close the Gap to develop “Equally Safe at Work”, the first accredited programme to focus on equality at work. The programme focuses on themes such as workplace culture, and supports organisations to improve employment practice, advance gender equality and prevent violence against women.

All workplaces must have robust processes for reporting and dealing with harassment or bullying. But we recognise that sexual harassment takes place in a range of public places as well as workplaces, which is why we are consulting on women and girls’ safety on public transport. Additionally, we are continuing to take forward and fund a range of actions in schools to address gender based violence and sexual harassment. This includes but is not limited to Rape Crisis Scotland’s national sexual violence prevention programme, our Equally Safe at School programme, our Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning, and Mentors in Violence Prevention Scotland programme.

The Scottish Government will continue to drive forward this work to build a safer Scotland free of sexual harassment.

Question reference: S6W-12856

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce the appointment of a Women's Health Champion, and when the role holder will commence their duties.

Question reference: S6W-12760

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any regional marine plans agreed either prior to, or after, the publication of the next National Marine Plan will include comprehensive marine spatial planning for all economic activities in their area.

The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 requires the regional marine plans state policies for and in connection with the sustainable development of the area to which the plan relates. Regional marine plans must also set economic, social and marine ecosystem objectives and relating to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change. All regional marine plans must be developed in accordance with any adopted National Marine Plan ("NMP"), and are subject to the agreement of Scottish Ministers.

Responsibility for regional marine planning is devolved to marine planning partnerships (“MPPs”). The current NMP provides guidance to support the development of regional marine plans, but specifies that the precise approach and coverage of the regional plan, including the level to which certain activities are spatially represented, will be for MPPs to determine based on local priorities and taking account of existing partnerships, methodologies and alignment with other local plans.

We will work with MPPs during the development of our second NMP (NMP2), to ensure policies and objectives within NMP2 provide necessary support and guidance for regional marine planning

Question reference: S6W-12764

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10463 by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022, how many proposed (a) homes and (b) projects included in affordable housing supply programme grant applications that it has received have been (i) below and (ii) above benchmark, also broken down by baseline benchmark type, in (A) August, (B) September, (C) October and (D) November 2022.

The following table shows number of homes and projects that have been submitted for approval in August, September, October and November 2022, broken down by baseline benchmark type and whether above, at, or below benchmark. To note that the table includes some projects still under active appraisal:

City and Urban

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Submitted against Benchmark	11	10	13	15	49
Total No. of Homes Submitted against Benchmark	226	226	321	502	1,275
No. of Projects Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	7	5	10	11	33
No. of Homes Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	156	155	258	243	812
No. of Projects Submitted AT Benchmark		1	2	2	5
No. of Homes Submitted AT Benchmark		24	53	54	131
No. of Projects Submitted BELOW Benchmark	4	4	1	2	11
No. of Homes Submitted BELOW Benchmark	70	47	10	205	332

Other Rural

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Submitted against Benchmark	1	4	1	3	9
Total No. of Homes Submitted against Benchmark	28	99	1	63	191
No. of Projects Submitted ABOVE Benchmark		2	1	3	6
No. of Homes Submitted ABOVE Benchmark		23	1	55	79
No. of Projects Submitted AT Benchmark	1	1			2
No. of Homes Submitted AT Benchmark	28	20			48
No. of Projects Submitted BELOW Benchmark		1		1	2
No. of Homes Submitted BELOW Benchmark		56		8	64

West Highland, Island Authorities & Remote/ Rural Argyll

Project/ Home details	August	September	October	November	Total
Total No. of Projects Submitted against Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
Total No. of Homes Submitted against Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	1	1	2	1	5
No. of Homes Submitted ABOVE Benchmark	4	4	12	14	34
No. of Projects Submitted AT Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Submitted AT Benchmark					0
No. of Projects Submitted BELOW Benchmark					0
No. of Homes Submitted BELOW Benchmark					0

Question reference: S6W-12642

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any backlogs within Disclosure Scotland in processing PVG checks, leaving prospective carers unable to start their job.

There are no backlogs or delays at Disclosure Scotland in processing PVG disclosure checks. During this calendar year, and on a week-by-week basis, Disclosure Scotland has completed over 95% of all types of disclosure applications in under 7.5 working days. Most adult social care PVG checks are prioritised by Disclosure Scotland as part of a Scottish Government initiative. Disclosure Scotland publish their performance weekly.

Question reference: S6W-12759

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the time that has elapsed since the passage of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, whether the next National Marine Plan will include interim spatial plans to give clarity on appropriate locations for all economic activities in Scotland's inshore waters until the relevant regional marine plans have been adopted.

Regional marine plans are currently being developed for 3 out of the 11 Scottish Marine Regions (Orkney, Shetland and the Clyde) with preparatory work being undertaken by Local Coastal Partnerships in other regions.

The purpose of a National Marine Plan is to set out the strategic policies for the sustainable development of our marine resources. The current National Marine Plan identifies broad spatial areas for certain types of activity (e.g. RENEWABLES 1 and AQUACULTURE 1, 2 and 3).

NMP2 will be developed in accordance with the policies, including the National Spatial Strategy, set out in the fourth National Planning Framework (once adopted)

Question reference: S6W-12830

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether only local authority staff will potentially be transferred to the National Care Service, and not NHS staff, and, if so, what the reasons are for this.

Question reference: S6W-12873

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of reports that the heaviest 5% of drinkers are consuming 10% more since the introduction of minimum unit pricing.

The pandemic has changed drinking behaviour, particularly for those who were drinking heavily before the pandemic. There is more work to be done to better understand the continuing impact of the pandemic on alcohol harms.

We are working on a range of actions to make alcohol treatment services more accessible to those who need them to support individuals reduce their alcohol consumption.

Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) was introduced to reduce the consumption of alcohol by individuals whose consumption is hazardous or harmful as well as reducing the overall population level of consumption. We are evaluating MUP over the first five years of operation and will report to parliament in summer 2023.