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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-03744

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timetable for its review of the level of Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol, which was previously due by May 2020; whether it anticipates any further delays, and, if so, for how long.

Question reference: S6W-03603

Asked by: Jenni Minto, MSP for Argyll and Bute, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult on legislation to extend the framework for licensing of activities involving animals to require anyone breeding, selling, or transferring the ownership of a litter of puppies to be registered.

The Programme for Government 2020-21 commits the Scottish Government to consult on legislation to extend the regulatory framework that came into force on 1 September for the licensing of animal welfare establishments, animal rehoming activities, dog, cat and rabbit breeding and pet sales to performing animals and animal care services.

Given that the new licensing regulations have only just come into force and the fact that they introduce significant changes, the Scottish Government does not have any immediate plans to consult on extending the licensing framework to encompass a registration scheme for anyone breeding, selling, or transferring the ownership of a litter of puppies.

Question reference: S6W-03332

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Minister for Transport on 23 September 2021 that there is a plan in place to provide 30,000 electric vehicle charge points by 2030, which is “evolving”, whether it will publish this plan, and by what date the fully-completed final plan will be published.

Transport Scotland, recently published a joint report with Scottish Futures Trust setting out the opportunities to grow Scotland’s public electric vehicle charging network and the conditions that will be needed to facilitate this over the next few years. The report makes reference to Climate Change Committee data which indicated that the UK as a whole may require 280,000 public charge points by 2030, implying the need for 30,000 in Scotland which in turn equates to approximately 4000 each year. Importantly, the report also highlighted that the number of charge points required will be influenced by a range of factors including development of battery and charging technologies and that significant commercial investment through public and private partnerships would likely be needed to develop the network as demand grows.

The Scottish Government has invested over £45m in developing the ChargePlace Scotland network, which now has over 1900 charge points, and is continuing to support network growth. Transport Scotland is working closely with Scottish Futures Trust to consider the most appropriate structures and approach to growing and developing charging infrastructure in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-03584

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards are in place to ensure the £250,000 provided to the Humanitarian Emergency Fund to help with the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is not misspent.

On 2 September 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture announced that £250,000 would be made available from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) to provide critical help for the people of Afghanistan.

The Scottish Government is in close contact with the charities involved in the HEF to determine how support could be delivered safely and effectively.

All members of the HEF Panel are obliged to comply with the HEF Operations Manual, which includes financial, safeguarding and fraud guidelines. Furthermore, project implementing partners are required to sign a grant offer letter with the Scottish Government before funding is released. Our grant conditions require all grant-holders to keep open and transparent records for all Scottish Government funds.

Question reference: S6W-03745

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when its consultation on alcohol marketing will be published.

As announced in A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 , published on 7 September 2021, the Scottish Government will consult on potential alcohol advertising restrictions during 2022, to protect children and young people. All methods of alcohol advertising and promotion will be considered in developing proposals for the public consultation, including alcohol industry sponsorship of sports.

Question reference: S6W-03719

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether prisoners are routinely drug tested for any prohibited substance upon release from prison at the end of their sentence, and, if so, how many such tests have taken place in (a) each financial year since 2018-19 and (b) 2021-22 to date, broken down by how many test results were (i) positive, (ii) negative and (iii) inconclusive.

Question reference: S6W-03984

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the Scottish Funding Council’s Review of Coherent Provision and Sustainability.

Our colleges and universities have been vital in our efforts to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. The decades to come will bring further significant change at pace – shifts in automation, digital developments and artificial intelligence, the move to net-zero, changes in the world of work and study, global competition for talent and resources and our future demographic, health and social care needs.

That is why we asked the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to review how it could best fulfil its mission of achieving coherence, quality and sustainability in tertiary education and research. SFC’s report - Coherence and Sustainability: A Review of Tertiary Education and Research - was published at the end of June 2021.

Our full response was published today and is available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802015041 . The Scottish Government broadly accept the Review’s recommendations. We recognise that, given the breadth of recommendations, some require a Scottish Government lead, others are for SFC and its Board to consider further, while we expect the sector itself to respond across a number of key areas. In addition, some recommendations will require further development for consultation.

As a government, our ambition is to create the best possible environment for colleges and universities, students and employers to thrive, now and into the future. I look forward to working with them to achieve our ambitions for Scotland’s tertiary education and research system.

Question reference: S6W-03728

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a consultation on restricting the advertising and promotion of alcohol.

The advertising and promotion of alcohol entails a range of activity which is seen by children and young people across Scotland. This influences attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage children and young people to start drinking alcohol or to drink more alcohol. This is why the Scottish Government will consult on potential alcohol advertising restrictions during 2022, to protect children and young people, as announced in A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 , published on 7 September 2021.

Question reference: S6F-00388

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is regarding the use of facial recognition technology in schools.

Question reference: S6F-00377

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the First Minister, in light of COP26, what action the Scottish Government is taking to showcase the role that Scottish agriculture can play in reducing carbon emissions.