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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-28058

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12259 by Ivan McKee on 2 December 2022, whether any of the £7 million loan has been paid back, and on what date the last repayment was made by Liberty Steel.

Question reference: S6W-28069

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05314 by Ivan McKee on 27 January 2022, whether it has now carried out an assessment.

Question reference: S6W-27999

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27602 by Jenny Gilruth on 28 May 2024, whether it plans to set out an indicative timetable to the Parliament for when universal free school meals will be rolled out in 2026.

Question reference: S6W-28028

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any (a) current and (b) future mineral mining exploration and related activities in Scotland, what plans it has to ensure that just transition principles are applied to support any communities in Scotland that are affected by such activities.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a just transition to net zero for all communities in Scotland, working with those most impacted to provide a fairer, greener future for all. Our approach is therefore being informed by communities, businesses, workers and their trade unions across Scotland.

Where new development proposals come forward, Policy 33 of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out that development proposals for the sustainable extraction of minerals will only be supported by that policy where relevant criteria are met. This includes where it is demonstrated that there are no significant adverse impacts on nearby homes and local communities, provision of an adequate buffer zone between sites and settlements, and the inclusion of schemes for a high standard of restoration and aftercare.

Where any mineral extraction takes place, relevant environmental permitting and licensing requirements will apply ensuring continuing environmental protection.

Question reference: S6W-28035

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement NatureScot has had with the Bat Conservation Trust regarding the protection of bat species from the loss of roost sites.

NatureScot considers bat surveys submitted as part of a licence application against the Good Practice Guidelines developed by the Bat Conservation Trust. NatureScot also contributed to the creation of these guidelines. The guidelines ensure that bat roost sites are appropriately surveyed to inform species licensing decisions and allow NatureScot to assess what is the appropriate level of mitigation and compensation to protect bat species.

Question reference: S6W-28095

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Public Petition PE2101, what its plans are for providing all primary and secondary schools with automated external defibrillators.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14642 on 6 March 2023 , funding for local authorities is provided through the annual block grant settlement from the Scottish Government. Local authorities should use funding resources allocated to them in the manner which they believe will best meet local needs and circumstances within their respective areas. 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 .

Therefore, decisions on the installation and maintenance of defibrillators in schools is a matter for local authorities to consider at the local level.

A number of organisations provide advice and support for the purchasing and maintenance of defibrillators. This includes:

The British Heart Foundation: Defibrillators - BHF

St Johns Scotland Public Access Community Defibrillators | St John Scotland

Question reference: S6W-28039

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the publication of a "progress report on delivery" of the recommendations that are set out in the paper, Investor Panel: Scottish Government Response to Investor Panel Recommendations.

Question reference: S6W-27375

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to (a) reviewing and (b) deleting, if found to be infringing UK GDPR and/or ethical standards for health research, the data gathered from 134,000 children who participated in the Health and Wellbeing Census survey in 2022 reportedly without being informed of what the Information Commissioner’s Office has described as the "serious risks" of being able to identify individuals by using their Scottish Candidate Numbers as part of their email addresses.

The HWB Census underwent an Ethics Peer Review in line with the Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance. Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

In light of the ICO's recommendations, the Scottish Government is introducing enhanced technical and organisational measures to ensure that any data which contains the SCN and is processed for statistical and research purposes will have a pseudonym created. The SCN and the method of pseudonymisation will be held separately. These enhanced measures have been agreed with the ICO.

Question reference: S6W-27929

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met with representatives of (a) the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, (b) the Law Society of Scotland, (c) the Faculty of Advocates, (d) legal firms and (e) judicial officeholders since the stage 1 debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 23 April 2024, and what was discussed.

Angela Constance: The Scottish Government meets regularly with representatives of the bodies mentioned to discuss a range of issues.

On the specific topic of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill the Scottish Government continues to engage with all interested stakeholders, including those from the legal sector.

Since the Stage 1 debate on 23 April 2024 officials have met with the Law Society Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates to discuss the policies contained in the Bill.

The Bill has been shaped by cross-sector consideration and collaboration, and Scottish Ministers remain committed to this approach as it progresses through Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-27890

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the report by a professor at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) on the impacts of the new agricultural support framework on agricultural businesses in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles has not yet been published.