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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-02465

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when proposals for the introduction of Compulsory Sales Orders will be brought forward.

Question reference: S6W-02484

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the prevalence of mild to moderate mental health problems.

The Scottish COVID-19 Mental Health Tracker study provides data on the prevalence of mild to moderate mental health problems. Wave 4 of the Tracker Study is due to be published in the coming weeks.

Alongside other sources, we use the Tracker Study to monitor the mental health and wellbeing of the Scottish population. This provides insight into the potential impact of COVID-19 pandemic, and accompanying restrictions, on the mental health of the Scottish population, and has allowed us to tailor our mental health policy response as needs continue to evolve.

Question reference: S6W-02119

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has received from the UK Government in Barnett consequentials as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how much of this funding is yet to be (a) spent and (b) allocated.

The Scottish Government received a total of £9.7 billion in Barnett consequentials from the UK Government for 2020-21, with £8.6 billion allocated throughout 2020-21 and £1.1 billion deferred into 2021-22. The Scottish Government set out details of the allocation of the £8.6 billion in the Summer, Autumn and Spring Budget Revisions for that year.

A total of £4.7 billion of Covid-19 consequentials are available for 2021-22, including the £1.1 billion deferred from 2020-21. The allocation of £3.7 billion of this is set out in the Budget Act for 2021-22, as amended and approved by Parliament. Details of the allocation of the remaining £1 billion of further Barnett consequentials, allocated to the Scottish Government at the UK Main Estimates in May, will be included in the Autumn Budget Revision in September, in line with the information on allocations provided by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy in her letter to the Finance and Public Administration Committee in June.

I provided details of the provisional outturn position for 2020-21 to the Parliament on 17 June. Final outturn on all Scottish Government spending for 2020-21 is still being finalised and will be set out in the Scottish Government Accounts, to be published in December.

Tracking of actual spending during the year is managed in different ways depending on the nature of the funding. For areas such as Business Support, where grant funding is clearly identified as Covid-19, expenditure to date has been tracked and details are regularly published externally;

See Scottish Government statistics publication site: Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support funding statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

For other areas were funding has been provided to a sector, the additional payments relating to Covid allocations are included in the standard monthly payments out to individual bodies. For example payments to Health Boards are often paid as one monthly amount with subsequent reporting from Boards on how that funding has been allocated across different priorities. In some instances its is not always possible to distinguish the application of Covid funding from the wider day to day activities of the organisation as they work through the recovery.

Question reference: S6O-00097

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider establishing a compensation scheme for individuals who have been harmed by sodium valproate.

I have enormous sympathy for everyone who has been harmed by sodium valproate and am committed to making sure the experiences suffered are much less likely to happen again. It is for the UK Government to consider redress through a compensation scheme. This is because the regulation, licensing and safety of medicines is currently reserved to the UK Government. I note that they have elected not to implement this. I will continue to exert positive influence over the UK Government on responding to establishing a compensation scheme for individuals who have been harmed by sodium valproate.

Question reference: S6O-00127

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position on new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.

Question reference: S6O-00125

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the procurement of low-emissions ferries to replace the current internal fleet.

Question reference: S6O-00126

Asked by: Neil Gray, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consideration of removing the not proven verdict.

Question reference: S6O-00128

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to mitigate coastal erosion.

Question reference: S6O-00123

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet COSLA to discuss local authority funding.

Question reference: S6O-00130

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the impacts of riverbank erosion and what support it provides for those who are affected by the erosion.