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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-18706

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it met its target of 78,000 additional diagnostic procedures in 2022-23, as outlined in its NHS Recovery Plan.

Our £1 Billion backed NHS Recovery Plan aims to continually increase capacity for outpatients.

We are seeing improvements in diagnostic waiting times, and we continue to prioritise those referred with an urgent suspicion of cancer for scope-based diagnostic tests.

Further statistics on additional inpatient and day case activity in 2022-2023 will be released alongside the NHS Recovery Plan update this autumn.

Question reference: S6W-18651

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Understanding the Drivers Behind the Accrual of Council Tax Arrears, published by Citizens Advice Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-18464

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for reducing the flood risk in known flood areas.

Property owners and landowners have primary responsibility for protection of their land and property from flooding. A range of other bodies have responsibility for different aspects of flood risk management. These roles and responsibilities are clearly set out in Flood Risk Management (Scotland) 2009 Act. The Act creates a joined up and coordinated process to manage flood risk at a national and local level.

Scottish Government oversees the implementation of the Act. Scottish Ministers are responsible for setting the policy framework for implementing how flooding is managed in Scotland including the responsibility for approving the objectives and actions set out in the national flood risk management plans.

SEPA is Scotland’s national flood forecasting, flood warning and strategic flood risk management authority. They produce the national flood risk management plans, provide flood forecasting and warning services, provide flood risk advice to planning authorities and carry out awareness raising activities to increase community resilience.

Local authorities ensure local accountability by leading on the preparation of local flood risk management plans, which supplement the national plans prepared by SEPA and ensure actions are locally targeted and delivered. They also have the ability to make and build flood protection schemes. Local authorities also inspect, clear and repair watercourses to reduce flood risk and routinely maintain road gullies on public roads and highways to ensure adequate road drainage. During severe flooding, local authorities will work with the emergency services and co-ordinate shelter for people evacuated from their homes.

Scottish Water are responsible for the operation of public foul and combined sewers and the public waste water network; managing problems caused by sewers either flooding or becoming restricted due to chokes or collapses; removing foul drainage and the drainage of rainwater from roofs and paved areas, from within the curtilage of premises, on connection to the public sewer.

Question reference: S6W-18507

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit regarding the reported increase in violence against staff and pupils in schools, and what (a) public health and (b) prevention measures are being considered.

The Scottish Government continues to liaise with the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit regarding youth violence and funds the Unit to take forward a number of preventative measures, using a public health approach which focusses on the underlying drivers of offending behaviour. These are outlined in the recently published Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland and include targeting weapon carrying amongst some young people; targeting the effects of social media on violence; and helping support more young people with multiple complex issues to engage with appropriate services. The Scottish Violence Reduction Unit will also be one of numerous partners we are engaging with in the forthcoming summit on violence in schools.

Question reference: S6W-18455

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to recruit social workers in the Highlands and Islands, in light of reports that the region could face a “critical to catastrophic” risk to duty of care due to the number of vacancies.

We are aware that there are ongoing challenges around staff recruitment and retention in the social work sector as a whole and more acutely in areas such as the Highlands and Islands.

We have introduced measures to address these challenges under the Improvement Plan that we have developed in collaboration with CoSLA and other key stakeholders.

The Improvement Plan addresses immediate and longer-term recruitment and retention challenges. It includes initiatives such as maintaining a Reserve List of social workers, reviewing pay disparities aligned with a framework that renumerates qualifications and experience, International recruitment and improving access to SW education.

Although, the Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities for social work through the general local government financial settlement. It is up to local authorities to decide how much resource is given to supporting the delivery of social work and social care services, as well as plan their workforce and ensure appropriate levels of staff are in place to provide social services for their residents.

Current proposals for the NCS will include the establishment of a National Social Work Agency (NSWA), which will enable a proactive approach to workforce planning at a national level. A national approach to workforce planning will facilitate to accurately model future demand for services, as well as the resources needed to meet that demand, for example by ensuring an adequate number of social work student placements are maintained.

The creation of the NSWA shows the Scottish Government is determined to address the significant pressures the social work sector faces from increasing workloads, staff shortages and the more complex needs of those they support.

Question reference: S6W-18453

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to increase the vehicle and freight capacity of the Islay and Jura ferry routes by 40%, whether it plans to increase the capacity of the rest of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service routes to the same extent or more.

Capacity is one of a number of factors taken into account when considering ferry services. As part of the Islands Connectivity Plan, the Long-term Plan for Vessels and Ports will set out the Scottish Government’s investment plans for both the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles Ferry Services. Engagement during development of the draft Long-term Plan indicated that reliability and resilience were the key priorities for vessel and port investment.

Question reference: S6W-18446

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans it has in place to replace ScotRail's High Speed Trains (HSTs) in the event that drivers choose not to drive them out of concern that they do not meet the expected safety standards.

Question reference: S6W-18447

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken in relation to hydrogen-powered trains.

Question reference: S6W-18443

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the creditworthiness of the High Speed Trains (HSTs) that are currently part of the ScotRail fleet.

Question reference: S6W-19163

Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Withdrawn