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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-31872

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 12 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that sheriffs are provided with the full details of any previous criminal proceedings when conducting a civil case in relation to domestic abuse.

The Scottish Government funded this research on Domestic Abuse and Child Contact: The Interface Between Criminal and Civil Proceedings - SCCJR. In the light of this research, the Scottish Government has held workshops with stakeholders to consider the issues on the civil/criminal interface. The first workshop was with justice agencies on 8 May 2024 and the second workshop with voluntary and third sector bodies on 3 October 2024. Following these workshops, the Scottish Government is considering next steps in this area.

Question reference: S6W-31884

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 12 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its forthcoming Biodiversity Investment Plan will have provision for training and upskilling of workers to deliver nature restoration projects, including but not limited to peatland restoration.

The Scottish Government recognises the critical importance of providing the current and future workforce with high-quality lifelong skills – either acquired through new learning or upskilling and reskilling – and the pivotal role this plays in our plans to unlock Scotland’s green potential. Scotland is already leading the UK in delivering a green jobs revolution, with colleges and universities acting as key anchor points for research, innovation, and training, which will be reflected in the Biodiversity Investment Plan.

Question reference: S6W-31902

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24509 by Mairi McAllan on 23 January 2024, whether it will provide an update on its efforts to collect enough data to establish a marine plastic pollution baseline.

The Scottish Government annual surveys continue to gather data, in order to support future assessments on microplastics in surface water. Although there is currently no internationally agreed baseline for microplastics in surface water, as referenced in S6W-24509, all our marine litter data contributes to regional monitoring across the North East Atlantic, through OSPAR (the Oslo-Paris Convention), and would contribute to any baseline developed in the future.

Further to the answers to questions S6W-01058 on 13 July 2021, S6W-23231 on 16 January 2024, S6W-23886 12 January 2024, S6W-23887 on 9 January 2024, S6W-24462 on 16 January 2024, and S6W-24509 on 23 January 2024, our microplastics monitoring programme began in the winter of 2013, and has continued to undertake annual surveys since that time.

Data from this monitoring programme enabled the initial assessment for microplastics in surface water to be conducted. This was published in Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020, which can be viewed at Microplastics in surface water | Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020.

Data from the most recently completed collection season, 2023-24, has been published, alongside data from all previous years in this series. This can be viewed at Dataset for Sources, sinks and hazards of micro-plastics in Scotland’s seas 2013-present | Marine Scotland Data Publications. The current data collection season runs from November 2024 to the end of January 2025.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6O-04140

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed transport infrastructure in Inverclyde with Transport Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04141

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Dumbarton Castle is an important cultural asset.

Question reference: S6O-04143

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, what progress it has made towards implementing mandatory food waste reporting by larger businesses.

Question reference: S6O-04137

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to rolling out universal entitlement to free school meals for all primary school children within the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6O-04139

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, including in discussion with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, to promote electrical safety over the Christmas period.

Question reference: S6O-04142

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how its draft Budget 2025-26 will support the growth of the Scottish economy.

Question reference: S6O-04138

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its recently announced hub for offshore wind will have on the renewables sector in north east Scotland.