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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-03117

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which City Region Deals were assessed for their carbon impact or contribution to net zero.

The Scottish Government is committed to minimising the carbon emissions impact of all City Region Growth Deals, including the assessment of their contribution to the achievement of the national net zero target. All City Region Growth Deal projects must follow Green Book guidance by quantifying their whole life carbon emissions impact and incorporating this value into the economic case. This is an ongoing and proactive carbon management process, facilitated by the City Region Growth Deals Sustainable Development Manager.

Question reference: S6W-02765

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported low score Scotland has in relation to the Biodiversity Intactness Index, and the ongoing wildlife losses reported in the State of Nature Report 2019, what plans it has to put in place mechanisms and structures for the (a) funding, (b) delivery and (c) evaluation of nature restoration, at scale, over the long-term.

The Biodiversity Intactness Index focuses on nature in the past, reflecting the many pressures in the past over which we now have no control. I am pleased to say that of the four UK nations, Scotland is highest in the list. However, our Statement of Intent on biodiversity published in December 2020 acknowledges that more needs to be done and sets out our ambition and our commitment to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

We have made a commitment to produce a new Scottish biodiversity strategy within a year of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of Parties (COP15), to be held in October 2021 in Kunming, China. A delivery plan will follow, to be developed in conjunction with NatureScot. These will set out our proposals for delivering the step change in our action to address biodiversity loss which is required.

Through the ground-breaking agreement between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party, we have committed to introduce a new Environment Bill which will include targets for nature restoration that cover land and sea based on an overarching goal of preventing any further extinctions of wildlife and halting declines by 2030, and making significant progress in restoring Scotland’s natural environment by 2045.

The Statement of Intent has already made several other key announcements, including:

an ambitious commitment to protect 30% of our land for nature by 2030 (this has now been further strengthened with a commitment for 10% of land to be highly protected).
endorsement of the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, launched at the UN General Assembly in September 2020.
our work on National Planning Framework 4 will develop new proposals to secure positive effects for biodiversity through development.

We have made significant funding commitments to protect and restore biodiversity.

We will invest at least £500 million in the natural economy over the course of this Parliament, including: £100 million to increase forestry planting, £30 million to expand Scotland’s national forests and land, and £20 million to increase nursery stocks.
We have committed £250 million for peatland restoration over 10 years as part of our climate change plan.
We have committed £214 million through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) since 2015.
In July 2021 we launched the Nature Restoration Fund, which provides an additional £10 million capital funding for projects that will restore nature, safeguard wildlife and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss and climate change. We have now committed to extending that Fund throughout this Parliament and allowing multiyear funding.
The Nature Restoration Fund adds to almost £7 million already committed this year through the Biodiversity Challenge Fund.

Question reference: S6W-03008

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) timetable and (b) process is for identifying potential new National Parks in Scotland.

Our Programme for Government 2021-22 commits to the creation of at least one new National Park by the end of this Parliament, provided relevant legal conditions can be met.

This is a significant project which will involve widespread consultation, Parliamentary engagement and secondary legislation. There are a number of stages to this work, including scoping of candidate areas and analysis of proposals. The process for selecting and establishing a new National Park is set out in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 which has a number of consultation and drafting stages. The legislation sets out that the first step to identify appropriate candidate areas is a thorough consultation process. Once that consultation has been carried out and a location agreed upon, work can begin on establishing a new public body. Assessment of the resources required to take forward this work is under way and recruitment will follow, with work expected to commence in Spring 2022.

Question reference: S6W-02938

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have indicated that they plan to introduce the workplace parking levy.

The discretionary power to set up workplace parking licensing (WPL) schemes is intended as a tool for local authorities to use among a suite of measures when developing their local transport strategies. Depending on local circumstances, WPL schemes have the potential to encourage the use of more sustainable travel modes, reducing congestion, improving air quality and reducing emissions. The Scottish Government has recently concluded a consultation on the regulatory framework and supporting guidance which will underpin local authorities’ WPL schemes, with a view to this being in force in 2022. Once these are in place, it will be for local authorities to decide whether they wish to implement WPL locally and to shape proposals to suit local circumstances.

City of Edinburgh Council has included plans to take forward a WPL scheme as part of its published City Mobility Plan 2021-2030.

Local authorities will be required to undertake a public consultation and impact assessments before implementing a WPL scheme.

Question reference: S6W-02968

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02135 by Graeme Dey on 6 September 2021, when it anticipates it will publish the consultants' interim findings, and what the value is of its contract with (a) Ernst and Young LLP and (b) MacRoberts LLP for this work.

The full review remains on schedule to publish around the end of the year. The value of the contract was provided in the answer to Mr Leonard's previous question S6W-02579 on 13 September 2021.

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

Question reference: S6W-02803

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out the process for (a) monitoring and (b) reporting to the Parliament on the implementation of the Climate Change Plan.

Section 35B of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets out the statutory basis for annual reporting on progress to implementation of Climate Change Plans.

The Scottish Government’s update to the 2018 Climate Change Plan, which was finalised earlier this year, includes a refreshed monitoring framework to underpin the statutory annual reporting. In May 2021, the first set of monitoring reports prepared on this basis was laid in the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6T-00195

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that staff shortages and a new criminal record system in Police Scotland are risking dangerous criminals being left on the streets.

Question reference: S6T-00183

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding lorry driver shortages and related fuel shortages.

Question reference: S6T-00184

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of staffing shortages at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital leading to health professionals warning about patient safety.

Question reference: S6F-00322

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2021

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the ongoing economic impact on Scotland of Brexit.