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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-04528

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what review it will conduct of the effectiveness of the measures in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan.

We currently report on progress against the measures in Ending Homelessness Together action plan by means of an annual report to parliament. At the most recent meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group on 5 November 2021, we invited views from the expert group, which includes representatives with lived experience of homelessness, on how we can more effectively measure the impact of measures to end homelessness. The group saw value in the development of an improved outcomes monitoring framework. Officials are now exploring ways to improve the way we use evidence and data and will report back to the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group in due course.

Question reference: S6W-04527

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out of the (a) new and (b) existing actions in the Ending Homelessness Together updated plan that are (i) ranked red and (ii) planned for 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-04514

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last issued guidance to local authorities on measuring low-frequency noise.

Question reference: S6W-04513

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out regarding developing a method by environmental health officers for assessing low-frequency noise.

Question reference: S6W-04515

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it collates the complaints about low-frequency noise that are made to local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-04398

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) action it is taking and (b) funding it is providing to reverse the reported historic deforestation of native woodland ecosystems.

Scottish Government a) will increase the annual native woodland creation target from 3000 to 4000 hectares and commit to setting evidence-based targets for both native woodlands and natural regeneration as part of the 2022 Biodiversity Strategy.

Scottish Government are supporting this action through provision of SRDP grant for both planting of new woodland, and management of herbivores to encourage natural woodland expansion.

Question reference: S6W-04589

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it can make to the UK Government in response to reports that some businesses in Scotland are facing difficulties supplying smoked salmon direct to customers in the EU via mail order, with shipments, sometimes with accompanying health certificates, being delayed or rejected by customs officials, in light of reported assurances by the UK Government that such certificates should not be required for shipments of up to 20kg.

The Scottish Government has a number of ways to engage with UK Government on trade matters and has championed the interests of Scottish seafood exporters throughout the EU exit and trade negotiations process. That work continues through the Scottish Seafood Industry Action Group.

The issue of delayed or rejected smoked salmon consignments has not been raised with the Scottish Government directly. I wrote to the member on 2 December 2021 to seek further information and to put the affected business(es) in touch with my officials directly.

Question reference: S6W-04652

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of livestock worrying have been recorded in each local authority area since 2007.

Information is available on the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 – which relates to dogs worrying livestock on agricultural land.

A table showing the information requested has been prepared and a copy of this table titled 'Table 1: Offences of Protection of Livestock from Dogs, North Ayrshire, 2007-08 to 2020-21' is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 62925).

Question reference: S6W-04344

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03267 by Michael Matheson on 11 October 2021, while decarbonisation projects of any size can progress through the Marine Scotland Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) decarbonisation plan, whether innovation projects in Scotland that are not part of the oil and gas decarbonisation programme are subject to a 100MW cap; if so, what its position is on whether this curtails such projects in Scottish waters; what specific consideration it will give to raising the cap for these Scottish innovation projects through INTOG from 100MW to 300MW, to enable such projects in Scottish waters to compete with any similar pre-commercial projects in the English and Welsh waters of the Celtic Sea that are up to 300MW in size, and what its position is on whether this would provide an opportunity for innovative Scottish stepping-stone projects to be brought forward.

As per the previous answer to question S6W-03267 highlighted, a consultation has taken place on the Planning Specification and Context Report for the Sectoral Marine Plan for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG). That consultation closed on 20 October 2021 and the Scottish Government is aiming to publish the results of that consultation alongside the Initial Plan Framework, which sets out all parameters and spatial components, shortly. This document will include definitions for both Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas components. It is, of course, the intention to ensure that projects delivered under INTOG are competitive.

Question reference: S6W-04719

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce Down syndrome legislation, similar to that introduced in the UK Parliament.

The Scottish Government wants to improve opportunities, outcomes and support for people with learning disabilities including Down’s Syndrome. To this end, we have committed to introducing a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill as part of the Programme for Government. This Bill will ensure that the rights of people with Down’s Syndrome, among others, are respected and protected.

To help make sure that the new legislation is championed when it is implemented, we will create a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodiversity Commissioner through the new law.