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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: S6O-00058

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether demonstrated attainment from the 2020-21 school year will be used in determining learner grades.

Question reference: S6O-00059

Asked by: Natalie Don-Innes, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00054

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the growth of jobs that will support a greener economy.

Question reference: S6O-00053

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it will provide to the hospitality sector to mitigate against the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Question reference: S6O-00064

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether funding allocations earmarked for new and existing teaching posts will be made permanent, to enable local authorities to award a greater number of permanent contracts.

Question reference: S6O-00057

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide secure, sustainable and long-term post-COVID-19 pandemic skills and training opportunities.

Question reference: S6O-00051

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will make available to businesses in light of the continuation of the current COVID-19 restrictions.

Question reference: S6W-00577

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider changing its COVID-19 regulations regarding the docking of UK cruise ships to enable passengers to embark and disembark in areas at protection level 2 or lower so that they have the same freedoms as people travelling between Scotland and England via plane, train or bus.

The Scottish Government has fully considered all of the suggestions made by stakeholders alongside all current data, scientific evidence and clinical advice available to us. Based on this assessment, subject to the relevant guidance being in place, our recommendation is that cruise restart when all of Scotland reaches Level 1.

While we would have been keen to provide a date, we need to work with the data available and any date would have been subject to review. This decision has been informed by the combination of risks that exist with both cruises and within the wider travel context, such as: the current trajectory of Covid infections and the unknowns around the new Delta variant, the close-proximity form of leisure that cruises offer that has high risk of uncontained rapid transmission, and, the opportunities to spread Covid through multiple stops in different levels around Scotland. These are only some of the risks, and although some of them could be mitigated through good protocols, it is the compound effect of all the risks involved which has led to this decision.

We are committed to reviewing restrictions every 3 weeks as part of the phased national easing through the Levels. The next review point is scheduled ahead of the planned easing of restrictions from 28 June. Our aim is to enable a restart to cruise as quickly and safely as possible and we are keen to continue to work with the sector on any required guidance ahead of this date.

Question reference: S6W-00440

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether planning regulations need reforming, and what its response is to reports of decisions by East Dunbartonshire Council being overturned by Ministers, leading to pressure on local infrastructure and loss of greenbelt land.

The Scottish Government is currently progressing a programme of reform of Scotland’s planning system, including implementation of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.

The right to appeal certain planning decisions made by local planning authorities is a long-established and important part of the planning system, recently supported by the Scottish Parliament in passing the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. In the vast majority of appeals independent reporters from the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) are appointed to decide the appeal. In all cases the reporter is required by statute to make the final decision on the planning merits of the case, in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The reporter takes full account of submissions made by all parties involved in the appeal, including those made by members of the local community.

Since 1 January 2018 reporters have made the final decision on 8 planning appeals in East Dunbartonshire Council area - refusing the appeal on six occasions and allowing the appeal and granting planning permission on two occasions. One of the proposals granted planning permission was an extension to the Bearsden Golf Club and the other for residential development in Bishopbriggs. In both appeals the reporter found that the proposal conformed with the Development Plan.

Question reference: S6W-00497

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timeline for the Islands Connectivity Plan.