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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.

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Question reference: S6W-19728

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Edinburgh International Book Festival since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Since May 2021 Scottish Ministers have met with, or attended events at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on the following dates. We have included meetings with the strategic umbrella organisation for Edinburgh festivals, Festivals Edinburgh.

The discussions at formal meetings included: support for the festival and culture within Scotland; the challenges of, and recovery from, the COVID-19 pandemic; helping the sector develop a strategic approach to resilience; the unique challenges and opportunities Edinburgh has as a destination city and; the progress towards delivery of the outcomes within the relevant Scottish Government strategies.

These Ministerial engagements are in addition to Scottish Government’s regular engagement with Edinburgh International Book Festival at Official level.

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

30 June 2021

Roundtable meet and greet with the major Edinburgh festivals

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

26 January 2022

Meeting with Julia Amour, Director, Festivals Edinburgh

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

18 May 2022

Meeting with Festivals Edinburgh

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

27 July 2022

Meeting with Edinburgh Festivals Directors

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

21 August 2022

Attend Edinburgh International Book Festival performance - Chitra Ramaswamy: Homelands

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

22 August 2022

Attend Momentum Literature Delegate Reception at British Council/Edinburgh International Book Festival event

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

24 August 2021

Attend Edinburgh Festivals Community and Education Showcase

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

04 August 2022

Attend all Festival Event

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

17 August 2022

Meeting with Festivals Edinburgh

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

23 August 2022

Attend Edinburgh Festivals – Scotland On Tour Launch

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

14 December 2022

Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Cultural Roundtable

Nick Barley of the Edinburgh International Book Festival attended for, and on behalf of, Festivals Edinburgh

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

18 May 2023

Meeting with Festivals Edinburgh

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

30 August 2022

Visit to Edinburgh International Book Festival

First Minister

30 August 2021

Edinburgh International Book Festival, In Conversation with Douglas Stuart

First Minister

08 August 2022

All Festivals Reception

First Minister

15 August 2022

Edinburgh International Book Festival, In Conversation with Louise Welsh and Reception – Bute House

First Minister

29 August 2022

Edinburgh International Book Festival, In Conversation with Brian Cox

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

17 August 2022

Meeting with Festivals Edinburgh

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

24 August 2021

Attend Edinburgh Festivals Community and Education Showcase

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

04 August 2022

Attend all Festival Events

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

23 August 2022

Attend Edinburgh Festivals – Scotland On Tour Launch

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development

18 May 2023

Meeting with Festivals Edinburgh

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

18 May 2022

Meeting with Festivals Edinburgh

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

27 July 2022

Meeting with Edinburgh Festivals Directors

Question reference: S6W-19667

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it will make available to local authorities that find reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete present in (a) school buildings and (b) other local authority-owned buildings, in order to (i) manage and (ii) remove it.

Question reference: S6W-19678

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete being present in (a) social housing and (b) private housing developments.

Question reference: S6W-19525

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, following the publication of Lord Braid's opinion on the judicial review of the City of Edinburgh Council's short-term lets licensing policy, what discussions it has had with (a) COSLA and (b) local authorities regarding the possible implications for other short-term let licensing schemes in Scotland.

We continue to engage regularly with stakeholders including COSLA, SOLAR and licensing authorities. We have highlighted the JR decision to licensing authorities and it is for them to consider this in the context of their own local policies.

During the development of short-term lets regulations between 2019 and 2021, we considered alternatives to licensing including whether regulations (made under Part 8 of the 2004 Act) might extend landlord registration to cover short-term lets. These alternatives were found to be unsuitable and could not deliver on all aspects of our short-term lets policy. A significant disadvantage of using a system designed for a different purpose is it imposes constraints on short-term lets regulation, and we consider it an integral aspect for local areas to be able to include additional conditions to address issues relevant to individual cases and local areas. Using the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, in particular, would also have had broader implications for short-term lets in the context of other legislation, for example the Tenancy Deposit Scheme regulations and Letting Agent Regulation, as well as restricted appeals to be dealt with by the Housing Tribunal, which would not have been sustainable.

Development of the short-term lets licensing legislation took place over four years with extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders. This included through three consultations. Alternatives were considered but these do not provide the same level of provision as licensing. The approach that was taken provides powers to local authorities to set additional conditions to regulate the short-term let sector to empower them to implement a system that works for their area, which addresses the local needs and concerns of each local authority.

Question reference: S6W-19527

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons it provided powers to local authorities to set additional conditions to regulate the short-term let sector, but not for the long-term market, including in relation to a recognised standard of assurance about the safety status of the accommodation.

Question reference: S6W-19526

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons it did not consider the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 to be the most appropriate means of regulating the short-term let sector, in the same manner as private rented landlords.

Question reference: S6W-19470

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of increased mortgage rates on the Scottish economy.

Forecasts for the Scottish economy are produced by the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission. They published their most recent forecast in May 2023.

The Scottish Government has not made any formal assessment of the impact of increased mortgage rates on the Scottish economy. However, the Scottish Government regularly monitors trends in mortgage rates and the level of mortgage lending through the quarterly Scottish Housing Market Review , and also monitors trends in economic activity, which is affected by mortgage and other interest rates, through the monthly Economic Brief .

The Scottish Government has recently conducted an evidence review on the impact of the wider cost of living crisis on low income households with children. A part of the report includes a section on housing which briefly summarises the impact of higher mortgage costs for families on low incomes.

Question reference: S6W-19379

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether hotels are exempt from the Building Scotland (Amendment) Regulations 2022 regarding fire safety and cladding.

Hotels are not listed as ‘relevant buildings’ within the meaning of the Building Scotland (Amendment) Regulations 2022. All new and converted hotels having a storey, or creating a storey at a height of 11 metres or more above the ground, must comply with the relevant mandatory functional standards, including mandatory standard 2.7 that requires the fire spread on external walls to be inhibited.

Question reference: S6W-18646

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Scottish Prison Service's gender identity and gender reassignment policy, which potentially allows for males who have been convicted of violent offences against other males to be placed in a female establishment, what evidence it has regarding whether males who commit violent offences against other males only commit such offences against males.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS’s approach to the placement and management of all transgender individuals seeks to protect the rights and safety of everyone in prison custody.

Decisions regarding the management and placement of transgender prisoners are taken at a multi-disciplinary case conference where evidence of any risks the individual may present to others and vulnerabilities they may face, are fully considered.

Question reference: S6W-19353

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many community pharmacies are able to receive prescriptions by (a) fax only, (b) email only and (c) either fax or email, broken down by NHS board area.