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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-07022

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the implications of sanctions on Russia for any Scottish businesses that trade with Russia, and what support can be given to those businesses in order to best facilitate their rapid diversification in the face of such sanctions.

While international sanctions are reserved to the UK Government, we are exercising all possible levers at the disposal of the Scottish Government to ensure we reinforce the international response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Export Statistics Scotland 2019 show that Scottish exports to Russia (excluding oil and gas) were relatively small - worth £245 million (less than 1% of total international exports) in 2019. HMRC trade in goods statistics show that in 2020, 457 businesses in Scotland exported goods to Russia.

We have been clear that the Scottish Government and our Enterprise Agencies will not support trade or investment activity with Russia, and have encouraged all businesses in Scotland to review – and then sever – their links with Russia.

Our Enterprise Agencies are actively supporting businesses who previously traded with Russia to find alternative markets for their goods and services. Scottish businesses looking to find new customers in alternative markets can contact the Enterprise Agencies through the Find Business Support website at: https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/ where they can also find relevant advice and guidance signposted.

Question reference: S6W-06951

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) wholetime, (b) retained and (c) control firefighters have been employed by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in each year since it was created.

Recruitment of firefighters, whether whole-time, retained or control is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service therefore figures on recruitment are not held centrally.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) came into being as a national service on 1 April 2013. In its first year of operation (2013/14) employment statistics were collated by the Scottish Government and at 31 March 2014 SFRS had, by headcount, 4,001 whole-time, 2,940 Retained, 223 control, and 961 support employees and 359 volunteers. For reporting year 2014/15 and onwards, SFRS has been responsible for producing these statistics and employment figures are published annually on the SFRS website www.firescotland.gov.uk as part of its Organisational Statistics.

Prior to 2013-14 fire and rescue services were provided by the 8 regional fire and rescue services which formed part of local government. Statistics on the number of employees in these services are not held centrally.

Question reference: S6W-06957

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the results of any assessment it has carried out on the physical condition of the country’s fire stations.

Question reference: S6W-06956

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the last condition survey was carried out on all fire stations in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06959

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether additional funding will be made available to help the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in its response to the climate emergency, and, if so, how much funding will be made available.

The Scottish Government has increased the funding for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) by £9.5 million for 2022-23. The Grant In Aid provided to SFRS is not allocated for specific purposes, it is an operational matter for SFRS to decide how the resources should best be used to keep communities safe.

Over the last two years SFRS has received £3.4 million in Grants from Transport Scotland and the Energy Savings Trust, to invest in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure to assist in the transfer to a low carbon light fleet. SFRS also received additional Capital Budget of £0.5 million from Transport Scotland in 2021-22, to invest in a low carbon fire appliance proto-type.

Question reference: S6W-06958

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates that it will cost to ensure that all fire station buildings are in a good standard of repair.

Question reference: S6W-06954

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the recruitment of (a) permanent full-time uniformed and (b) retained staff in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Question reference: S6W-06895

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the provisions in the UK Building Safety Bill that apply to Scotland will be enacted through a statutory instrument in the Scottish Parliament, and, if so, what it anticipates the potential impact will be on the built environment in Scotland.

The UK Building Safety Bill introduces fundamental changes to the Building and Fire Safety regime for high rise buildings in England. Part five of the Bill includes provision for a New Homes Ombudsman scheme, the aim of which is to drive up standards in housebuilding and to independently resolve disputes between developers and purchasers where there is an issue concerning the quality of a new-build home.

The provisions would confer a regulation making power on Scottish Ministers to be able to add an additional descriptor of developers who would be required to join the scheme. Other aspects of the scheme are to be established by the Secretary of State either administratively or by regulations. The provisions require that Scottish Ministers are consulted on the main aspects of the scheme before they are taken forward, in order to ensure it is tailored to suit Scottish needs, culture and practice.

Whilst housing is a devolved matter, reservations apply to consumer protection and there may be matters which cannot be entirely addressed in a Scottish system. The Scottish Government wants to ensure that protections offered to buyers of new-build homes in Scotland can also take account of relevant consumer protection requirements.

The extension of the New Homes Ombudsman scheme to Scotland is subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-06950

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional budget has been allocated to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for the coming years.

Question reference: S6W-06949

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 15 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken following the rejection of the pay proposal for firefighters in 2019-20, whether an increase in pay for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service staff will be considered, and if so, when this will be implemented.