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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-05825

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish the methodology supplied to local authorities regarding carbon dioxide monitoring in schools.

The Scottish Government’s guidance on reducing risks in schools, which is published on the Scottish Government website, sets out the advice that local authorities should have regard to when undertaking CO2 monitoring in schools. This includes guidelines as to the actions that should be considered when CO2 readings are at certain levels.

The Scottish Government has not supplied local authorities with a detailed methodology on the use of specific models of CO2 monitors in schools. This is because, drawing on £10m of Scottish Government funding, a variety of fixed and mobile CO2 monitors have been procured by local authorities for deployment to their schools, in order to support local strategies and enable rapid procurement and assessment. Our guidance makes clear that relevant local authority teams should provide clear advice on the appropriate use of CO2 monitors in their schools.

Question reference: S6W-06079

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to publish a review of the response to Storm Arwen.

I can confirm that we have published our report this morning, and the review report is available at www.gov.scot/publications/storm-arwen-review .

The review is the result of a wide range of local debriefs which took place in the aftermath of Storm Arwen. The Scottish Government has used this information, from those involved at the frontline of the response, to develop a range of recommendations which we hope will support the evolution of our resilience planning. I would like to express my thanks to those who participated in this process, during what has been a time of considerable pressure across the sector.

Question reference: S6W-05446

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, ahead of the construction on both the medium and long-term solutions for the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83, whether it plans to coordinate this work with planned rebuilding work on the A82 near Tarbet.

Question reference: S6W-05447

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its project delivery plan for the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83.

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible, noting all of the options require complex civil engineering.

Identifying the preferred route corridor for a solution last year was a major step forward for this vital project and we continue to push forward the design and assessment of alternative options within that online corridor, as we look to identify a preferred route option next year.

As with other trunk road improvement projects, we will need to complete the necessary engineering and environmental assessments and statutory process to allow any land to be acquired before construction can commence.

A detailed timetable for the construction phase of the project can only be set once the statutory procedures have been successfully completed.

Question reference: S6W-05448

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects construction to begin on the long-term solution at the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83.

Question reference: S6W-05666

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor the need to reconsider the inclusion of overprovision powers in the Short Term Lets Licensing Order.

We have committed to working with local authorities to review levels of short-term let activity in hotspot areas in summer 2023. This will assess how the actions we are taking are working and whether any further measures are required. This review will also seek to confirm that the wider sector is still healthy, and checking there are no unintended consequences.

In addition to the 2023 review, from 1 October 2022, licensing authorities must on a quarterly basis share the content of the public register of applications, in relation to short-term let licences only, with the Scottish Ministers in a format which enables analysis of the information. This will allow the Scottish Government to monitor trends at a national and local level.

Question reference: S6W-05773

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how students are chosen to fill the 290 places available on the Saltire Scholarship scheme for EU students.

This funding has been allocated to institutions through the Scottish Funding Council for the 2021-22 academic year. Scholarships will be considered by universities for citizens or permanent residents of an EU or EEA country, and have a conditional or unconditional offer of a place at a Scottish university or college, on an eligible course.

All institutions must have a fair and robust assessment selection and award process in place. They will consider students for full time courses, in any subject area at the following levels:

University - Masters/Taught Postgraduate (TPG) level.
College - Higher National (HN) level, i.e. Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND).

Full eligibility criteria can be viewed on the SFC website.

Question reference: S6W-05775

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will require compliance with PAS 2035 standards for its energy efficiency and retrofit delivery programmes.

Question reference: S6W-05708

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all secondary school pupils are offered the opportunity to study psychology.

The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is about providing young people with a well-rounded education that prepares them to thrive in today’s world.

Where available, psychology is most likely to appear as a standalone subject in the senior phase and national qualifications are available. Many schools also offer ‘elective’ courses in psychology for senior phase learners, not always leading to a specific qualification. Outside the senior phase, aspects of psychology may well be explored within different curricular areas.

Schools and Local Authorities are encouraged to consider innovative ways to ensure that there is a wide choice of subjects available to their learners; CfE empowers schools and teachers to design their curriculum in ways which best suit all their learners. It would be for schools and Local Authorities to plan what subjects are available in their areas and how these may be accessed.

Question reference: S6O-00718

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many instances of failure to comply with the 20 mph in Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale have been recorded since its introduction, including how many fines were subsequently issued, as part of the enforcement of 20 mph speed limits.