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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: S6T-01757

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its current policy is regarding the deletion or retention of WhatsApp messages by ministers.

Question reference: S6T-01740

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the closure of Ardrossan Harbour’s Irish Berth for safety reasons after corrosion was reportedly uncovered during an inspection by divers.

Question reference: S6F-02753

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2024

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government plans to take in response to the reported rise in attacks on prison guards and weapons found in prisons.

Question reference: S6F-02760

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2024

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government's latest engagement with the UK Government regarding the status of the Grangemouth refinery.

Question reference: S6F-02748

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2024

To ask the First Minister, in light of the Scottish Government's plans to open the first safe drug consumption room in Glasgow later this year, what assurances he can provide that other areas of drugs policy, including spaces for residential rehabilitation, will not be deprioritised.

Question reference: S6F-02735

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2024

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on how the Scottish Government will continue to protect tenants in the private rented sector after the expiry of the rent cap under the Cost of Living (Tenants Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022.

Question reference: S6F-02734

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02733

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-24720

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 January 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to progress towards the World Health Organization (WHO) target to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030.

I can today announce that the Scottish Government will establish an Expert Group to lead on scoping work to consider and provide recommendations on how Scotland will work towards reaching the targets set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to eliminate Cervical Cancer.

The WHO advises that to eliminate Cervical Cancer, all countries must reach and maintain an incidence rate of below four per 100 000 women. Achieving that goal rests on three key pillars and their corresponding targets:

vaccination: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15;
screening: 70% of women screened using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45;
treatment: 90% of women with pre-cancer treated and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed.

Each country should meet the 90–70–90 targets by 2030 to get on the path to eliminate cervical cancer within the next century.

Scotland has already observed many successes in tackling Cervical Cancer and is close to, or has met many of the targets to work towards achieving elimination status.

The Expert Group, due to meet soon will comprise Scottish Government policy officials, clinicians, Public Health Scotland (PHS), National Services Division, Third Sector organisations such as Jo’s Trust.

We will progress work with key stakeholders and develop actions to address inequalities to ensure that the work to meet the targets does not only focus on overall population levels, but addresses the inequalities gap.

Once the Expert Group have considered and provided their recommendations on when Scotland is likely to meet the WHO targets, I will provide a further update to Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-24410

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the list of conditions that indicate whether an individual is deemed to be at higher risk from COVID-19 infection, as outlined in Tables 3 and 4 of Chapter 14a of the Green Book, to be non-exhaustive, and whether medical discretion lies with the relevant GP or other health professional in deciding whether an individual with an underlying health condition is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination or booster.

Scottish COVID-19 vaccination policy and delivery is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the information contained within the COVID-19 Green Book Chapter.

Individuals who have a condition that puts them at higher clinical risk from COVID-19 are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine this winter. Anyone unsure about their health condition or circumstance, should speak to their health professional, specialist or local vaccination services. Further information on the COVID-19 vaccine and health conditions can be found on NHS inform .

The COVID-19 Chapter 14a of the Green Book states that examples in tables 3 and 4 are not exhaustive, and, within these broad groups, the prescriber may need to apply clinical judgment to take into account the risk of COVID-19 exacerbating any underlying disease that a patient may have, as well as the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 itself. A more comprehensive list of potentially eligible diagnoses, and the appropriate clinical codes, is found in the link at the end of the chapter.

Clinicians can refer patients to their local immunisation teams, if they believe the individual to be at risk, but does not have one of the conditions listed in tables 3 or 4. Patients can also refer themselves. The local immunisation team will assess the patient and decide if vaccination is appropriate.