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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-21206

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action Scottish Water is taking to prevent rising groundwater from entering pipes.

By using a risk-based approach and focusing resources on maintaining critical assets, Scottish Water aims to minimise the risk of failure and ensure that infrastructure is functioning properly. The approach combines proactive and responsive measures, underpinned by regular inspections and data analysis. This helps Scottish Water provide a reliable and high-quality service to customers while also being cost-effective and efficient. Additionally, Scottish Water completes around 3,600 sewer repairs every year to ensure the sewer network operates effectively whilst providing an opportunity to survey adjacent pipes for any defects which could allow groundwater to enter the system.

Question reference: S6W-21212

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many instances of dry-spilling of sewage were recorded by Scottish Water in each year since 2016, broken down by local authority area.

Scottish Water does not hold information on the reasons for spills for historic events reported to SEPA and this information is not correlated to rainfall data. However, from 2015 onward Scottish Water has conducted over 100 catchment studies for both water quality and aesthetic needs and this has identified 14 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) that have a risk of spilling in dry weather. These assets are now in Scottish Water’s investment programme with solutions being delivered in line with their Improving Urban Waters Route Map commitments.

Question reference: S6W-21215

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions instances of dry-spilling of sewage have been reported to SEPA by Scottish Water, in each year since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-21225

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the analysis of the consultation on the proposed Agriculture Bill has been discussed at cabinet level.

Question reference: S6W-21224

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the proposed Agriculture Bill was last discussed at cabinet level.

Question reference: S6W-21322

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering mandating the use of fishing gear recovery technology on fishing gear, including pots, traps, gillnets and longlines, used in the inshore region (0-12 nautical miles), to reduce so-called “ghost fishing” and bycatch of marine mammals.

The Scottish Government is open to the use of technological advances to improve the selectivity of fishing gears, including static gear, within our inshore waters. We intend to use the fora of our FMAC Group and the RIFG network to explore how use of such technologies could compliment policy currently being developed.

The Scottish Government is currently supporting the development of a European standard for recyclability and circularity in fishing and aquaculture gear, (CEN/TC 466). This standard will provide guidance and encourage designers, makers and users to adopt best practice and available technologies to ensure that gear stays in use for as long as possible, including retrieval in the event of it being lost.

Question reference: S6W-21363

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to paying the Scottish Child Payment to student nurses, midwives and paramedics for the duration of their education and placements.

Scottish Child Payment is delivered using Section 79 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018, which enables Scottish Ministers to top-up a qualifying reserved benefit, such as Universal Credit.

The groups mentioned may qualify for Scottish Child Payment if they are eligible for one of the qualifying benefits. However the eligibility criteria for students when applying for Universal Credit is stricter than that for individuals who are not undertaking studies and is set by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Eligible student nurses and midwives in Scotland continue to receive the highest level of support across the United Kingdom, including our non-means tested, non-repayable annual bursary of £10,000, plus associated allowances.

Question reference: S6W-21388

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Audit Scotland report, Adult mental health.

The Scottish Government thanks Audit Scotland for a thorough, clear and wide-ranging report on Adult Mental Health Services in Scotland. Ministers recognise how closely some of the content of the report mirrors our vision, outcomes and priorities that we set out in our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We will now take the time to carefully consider both the specific recommendations and the wider substance of the report. We will publish the Delivery Plan for our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, together with our Workforce Plan, this Autumn, which will set out the actions we will take to address many of the issues set out by Audit Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21317

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of Age Scotland's Big Survey 2023, which reported that two thirds of people over the age of 50 in Scotland do not feel valued by society and that just 8% were satisfied that politicians adequately understood their needs when policy making.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the findings from Age Scotland’s The Big Survey 2023 and the clear message they tell us.

We remain committed to delivering access to opportunities and services people need to ensure they are healthy, happy and secure in older age.

We will continue to work closely with the Older People’s Strategic Action Forum to review progress on the 2019 “A Fairer Scotland for Older People: framework for action” to ensure it remains fit for purpose.

We are investing to support organisations working to tackle social isolation and loneliness over the next three years. In July 2023, I approved funding over the next three years for 53 projects working to tackle social isolation and loneliness across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21338

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the scientific sector regarding how to future-proof its planned Agriculture Bill.