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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-02295

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the law in relation to the management of seagulls.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 requires that all wild birds are protected. NatureScot has responsibility for the issuing of General Licences under Section 16(1) of the Act, which authorise the killing and taking of certain wild birds including their eggs for one or more of several reasons including public health and safety.

NatureScot held a consultation on General Licences between August and October 2019. Following this consultation, they removed several species, including herring, lesser black-backed and great black-backed gulls, from the 2020 General Licences either on the basis that there was insufficient evidence of the damage they caused; there are other alternative non-lethal solutions; or there are conservation concerns over their population status. Although some species have been removed, authorised persons will still be able to apply to NatureScot for a specific licence to control them or undertake lethal control, including nest and egg destruction.

The Scottish Government does not plan to review the law in relation to the management of seagulls because it is viewed as striking the correct balance between preserving public health and conserving the species.

Question reference: S6W-02222

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to help ensure that asylum seekers in Scotland are provided with appropriate accommodation by private providers and local authorities, in light of the decision by Mears to end its use of hotel accommodation.

Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament and handled by the Home Office. This includes provision of asylum accommodation to people who require it while awaiting the outcome of their asylum application. The Scottish Government has no control of asylum accommodation and support.

The Home Office procures asylum accommodation through private sector contracts. Mears Group are the current contract holder in Scotland.

While recognising that hotels have enabled people to be accommodated during the Covid-19 pandemic, we have been clear that hotel accommodation for people seeking asylum is not acceptable as general practice or as long term accommodation. People seeking asylum should be provided with accommodation that is suitable for their needs and is based in communities to enable integration from day one of arrival. The Scottish Government will continue to engage with the Home Office, Mears Group, Glasgow City Council, COSLA and third sector support organisations in Glasgow on matters relating to asylum accommodation, support and integration.

Question reference: S6W-02268

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to close any railway ticket offices, and, if so, which ones.

This is an operational matter for ScotRail and any changes to ticket office provision should follow an appropriate consultation process.

It is worth noting that the last review of ScotRail ticket office opening hours took place around 30 years ago in 1991. Since then how and where people buy tickets has changed hugely, for example through the provision of smart and mobile phone ticketing which many passengers prefer.

Question reference: S6W-02196

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that some people who have received their second COVID-19 vaccination on or after 22 July 2021 have experienced delays in their online vaccination status certificate being updated.

There are no specific delays recorded affecting the updating of online vaccination status on or after 22 July 2021.

Currently there is an interim solution to provide access to vaccination status for those who need it for international travel. It is only designed to be in place for a short period of time and we are focussing all our efforts on developing a digital Covid Status Certificates App ready for the end of September this year. This long-term solution will have accessible options for those who need them.

We have made vaccination records available to Scottish citizens who have been vaccinated in Scotland should they be required for entry into another country. It is possible for an individual vaccinated in England and Scotland to obtain a letter from each.

We currently advise people to check the requirements of entry into another country, which can be found on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) website: Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) . If individuals are in any doubt as to what will be accepted, we recommend checking with the country they are travelling to.

For further details, anyone can call the National Helpline on 0800 030 8013.

Question reference: S6W-02645

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that some local authorities do not have the capacity to consider planning applications for windfarms within the legal timescales.

In 2021-22 the Scottish Government allocated £11.7 billion to authorities and it is the responsibility of individual councils to manage their own budgets and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities.

Some planning applications will have longer decision times due to their scale and complexity. Planning decision timescales have also inevitably been affected by the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, despite these impacts, authorities determined 149 planning applications for electricity generation developments.

The performance of the system is not the sole responsibility of planning authorities and everyone involved in planning must play their part in ensuring that the system functions effectively and efficiently.

The resourcing and performance of the planning system remain key priorities. That is why in 2019 we published a consultation which proposed making changes to the planning fee regime to increase the financial resources available to authorities. That work was paused during the pandemic but has recently been recommenced and we will work with the High Level Group on Planning Performance to take it forward.

Question reference: S6W-02588

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates it has met the UK Government to discuss the establishment of an inquiry on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic; whether it will publish the minutes of these meetings, and on what dates future discussions or meetings are planned.

Question reference: S6W-02458

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of households uses local authority provided food waste caddies.

Question reference: S6W-02284

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether proof of insurance is required by the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park before issuing a licence for (a) jet skis and (b) any water craft.

Question reference: S6W-02283

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what powers the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park has to limit the use of jet skis on Loch Lomond.

Question reference: S6T-00151

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is in discussions with the UK Government regarding its decision to terminate its supply agreement with Valneva for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, VLA2001.