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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-06433

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 February 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the careers information, advice and guidance available to young people.

The Scottish Government recognises and values the importance of careers information advice and guidance. As part of his recommendations for the implementation of the Young Person’s Guarantee Sandy Begbie requested Skills Development Scotland consider how best a career advice service could operate from early years right through until a young person enters employment.

The Review and the Scottish Government’s response to the recommendations have now been finalised. The Review outlines ten recommendations for continuing to improve the delivery of careers advice and guidance. It has been informed by extensive consultation with young people, users and stakeholders.

The Review and the Scottish Government’s response can be found at www.CareerReview.scot .

Question reference: S6W-06132

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it can provide regarding how patients can raise timely complaints against privately-run GP practices, in light of reports that there is often no formal online complaints procedure, and what action it can take to introduce a central complaints body for patients to raise complaints against privately-run GP practices.

GP practices which are run by independent contractors must have arrangements in place which operate in accordance with section 15 of the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011. Patients should raise their concerns in the first instance by phoning, writing to or emailing the practice manager.

If patients are not satisfied with their GP practice's response, they can then raise their concern with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. Any complains about a GP or GP practice that are upheld by the Ombudsman are directed to their contracting Health Board and are followed up by the Ombudsman's office to ensure that the actions and recommendations are implemented.

Question reference: S6W-06118

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government on what date did it last (a) meet and (b) correspond with the UK Government about the provision of support for self-catering businesses that have seen their business disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the Scottish Government has not met or corresponded with UK Government on this question specifically, we meet and correspond with UKG regularly about funding in general. Over the course of the pandemic we have worked closely with the self-catering accommodation sector and Scottish Tourism Alliance on the recovery and support for the sector and we will continue to do so.

The Scottish Government recognises that the self-catering accommodation sector, alongside many other businesses across Scotland has been adversely affected by Covid-19. In addition to the regular Strategic Framework Business Fund which previously supported small accommodation providers, a range of tailored support to meet the needs of tourism businesses was developed. This included the Small Accommodation Providers Paying Council Tax Fund (SAP-CTF) which eligible Bed & Breakfasts, Guesthouses, small serviced accommodation providers and other self-catering businesses that paid council tax were able to access. Other targeted funds included the large self-catering grant and support for the B&B sector via a fund of up to £3 million to support those B&Bs with no business bank account. Equivalent tailored funds have not generally been available in England.

We will continue to engage in dialogue with the UK Government on issues of funding and to monitor the impacts of COVID on Scotland’s tourist industry.

Question reference: S6W-05959

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any correspondence that it has had with (a) SEPA, (b) Health and Safety Executive and (c) Fife Council regarding reported ongoing health and safety concerns at Shell’s natural gas liquids plant and ExxonMobil's ethylene plant at Mossmorran.

It is for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as independent regulator, to regulate facilities like the Mossmorran Complex in order to provide assurance that operators are managing the risks created during their activities. The HSE liaises regularly with SEPA and Fife Council with regards to management of the site. The Scottish Government, as a matter of course, liaises regularly with SEPA, which is one of the public partners, including also NHS Fife and Public Health Scotland, in relation to the management and regulation of the Mossmorran complex.

Question reference: S6W-05913

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what costs will be, or are expected to be, incurred by the contract with Abellio once its ScotRail franchise has concluded.

Question reference: S6W-05931

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times civil servants met, including virtually and in person, operators of deposit return schemes, broken down by (a) when the meetings took place and (b) which operators were involved, between 16 March 2020 and 14 December 2021.

Officials did not have any meetings with operators of overseas deposit return schemes (DRS) in the time period specified.

Evidence from other international schemes has played an important role in our decision-making regarding Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and operators of other schemes provided advice to Zero Waste Scotland during the policy-design process. During our review of the implementation date for DRS, Deloitte LLP has provided expertise and independent assurance relating to the process of establishing a scheme administrator, including drawing on its experience as an advisor to other operators and the wider global DRS network.

Question reference: S6W-05960

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what regulations govern domestic CCTV and Ring doorbell cameras in Scotland; whether any powers to change such regulations are devolved, and, if so, what plans it has to review the regulations that apply in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-05932

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government with which external organisations (not including Zero Waste Scotland) did the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity meet, including virtually and in person, to discuss the deposit return scheme, broken down by (a) the number of meetings that were held with each organisation and (b) when the meetings took place, between 1 September 2021 and 14 December 2021.

Question reference: S6W-05923

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the Home Energy Scotland loan scheme that provides up to £15,000 for energy efficiency improvements in homes.

The Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland (HES) loan scheme provides up to £15,000 for energy efficiency improvements plus up to £17,500 for zero emissions heating and micro-renewables and up to £6,000 for battery storage. Cashback grants are available with the loans of up to £7,500 on zero emissions heating systems plus up to £6,000 for energy efficiency measures.

We have committed to replacing the cashback offer in 2022-23 with a grant scheme to support energy efficiency and zero emissions heat improvements.

Question reference: S6W-05850

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05226 by Richard Lochhead on 18 January 2022, when it expects to set the objectives and key deliverables for the Just Transition Fund (a) in year 1 (2022) and (b) for the first tranche of £20 million of funding, and when the referenced "programme of engagement" will conclude.

There is no distinction between objectives and deliverables of the £500 million Just Transition Fund for year one, and the £20 million allocation for year one.

Detailed policy design work and implementation planning, supplemented by a programme of engagement, is underway ahead of the new financial year. This will inform the objectives and deliverables of the Just Transition Fund. Further updates will be shared as this engagement develops. We will work collaboratively, continuing to engage and co-design this Fund with partners in region throughout the lifetime of this ten-year £500 million commitment to the North East and Moray.