Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 46887 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-31904

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 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a deposit return scheme for batteries and battery-containing products.

The Scottish Government is actively engaging with the other UK nations to explore opportunities to update and strengthen the current battery recycling regulations. This collaborative approach ensures that any future measures are both effective and consistent across the UK, providing a clear and efficient framework for businesses and consumers alike. We recognise the importance of working together to improve public awareness, enhance recycling infrastructure, and address the environmental risks associated with improper battery disposal.

The current regulatory framework, the UK Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, has been instrumental in establishing recycling systems over the past decade. However, with the increasing use of batteries in consumer electronics and emerging technologies, we are keen to modernise these regulations to better address current challenges and future demands. As part of this, we are considering a range of policies to improve battery recycling rates and reduce environmental harm, including a potential deposit return scheme for batteries and battery-containing products. While such a scheme could bring significant benefits, we recognise the need to address practical and logistical challenges to ensure its feasibility and effectiveness.

Before implementing any new measures, we are currently looking into drafting a consultation with the other UK nations. This will provide an important opportunity for stakeholders, including businesses and the public, to contribute their views and consider the options for improving battery disposal and recycling practices.

We continue to explore a wide range of measures to support sustainable solutions, including encouraging innovation in recycling technologies, enhancing public awareness initiatives to promote responsible recycling behaviour, and working with manufacturers and retailers to improve collection and disposal systems. These efforts are aligned with Scotland’s broader environmental priorities, including the transition to a circular economy and achieving net-zero emissions.

Through collaboration, innovation, and public engagement, the Scottish Government remains dedicated to addressing battery disposal challenges and delivering effective, sustainable solutions for Scotland’s communities and environment.

Question reference: S6W-31868

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to provide training and upskilling for workers to restore peatland in rural areas.

Through the Peatland ACTION partnership, the NatureScot-led Peatland Skills Action Plan focuses on increasing workforce capacity for design of restoration schemes and growth in the contracting sector to ensure delivery towards our future restoration targets. The current focus is being directed towards supporting ongoing skills development and ensuring the most effective use of the workforce available.

Training has been provided on peatland restoration across private, public and third sectors since 2020. As a result of these ongoing efforts, previous concerns about contractor capacity as a barrier to delivery of restoration is much reduced.

Question reference: S6W-31193

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will consider to protect social housing tenants from disproportionate energy price increases arising from a reported lack of regulation for district heating systems.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering clean heat and improved energy efficiency whilst ensuring foremost that tenants are not negatively impacted by the costs of this clean heat transition.

Regulation of consumer protection remains a reserved matter, and Ofgem will be the future regulator of consumer protection for heat networks. In November, the UK Government and Ofgem jointly published a consultation on consumer protection proposals that would require heat networks to meet new consumer standards similar to those that already apply to gas and electricity customers. We welcome these standards as the major step needed to protect consumers, and are working with UK Government to help inform them.

Consumer Scotland will carry out consumer advocacy and advice services for Scottish Heat Network consumers from April 2025 ahead of the implementation of the regulatory framework, anticipated in January 2026.

Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) may also be able to procure fuel for their heat networks, such as natural gas, through public sector utility frameworks, which could result in lower fuel costs for tenants.

Question reference: S6W-31909

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its paper, A Trading Nation: Realising Scotland's Hydrogen Potential - A Plan for Exports, which was published on 29 November 2024, what scope there will be for alternative models of ownership in its plans for scaling up the hydrogen industry.

The Scottish Government wants the people of Scotland to see maximum benefits from Scotland’s energy transition, including the scaling up of the hydrogen industry.

We are exploring options to encourage investment in energy-related technology, and infrastructure, including hydrogen, to promote economic development and provide direct economic benefits for the people of Scotland.

We are considering the best approach to secure investment that supports our ambitions while delivering maximum value for money for the taxpayer. This includes consideration of regional, local and community-based approaches.

Question reference: S6W-31739

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms it has put in place to monitor the effective implementation of the provision of free period products across local authorities.

As outlined in the Access to period products: Monitoring and Evaluation strategy 2021/22 - 2024/25, we intended to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021(the Act) in 2025. However, due to funding for local authorities being baselined from this financial year (2024-25) under the Verity House Agreement, the Scottish Government and COSLA agreed that local authorities will not be asked to collect any data going forward. This means that the planned evaluation will no longer take place.

Local authorities are under a statutory duty to meet the requirements of the Act and are open to challenge by Judicial Review.

Question reference: S6T-02241

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported review of more than 1,000 CT scans, in light of concerns regarding the quality of assessments made by a consultant radiologist.

Question reference: S6T-02237

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the UK Government at the British Irish Council summit regarding ending the two-child benefit cap.

Question reference: S6F-03618

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03620

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03628

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reported comments from the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland that “children are being let down” by an education system that needs “radical reform”.