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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-18230

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that global temperatures are likely to break the key 1.5C warming limit within the next four years.

The stark warning from the World Meteorological Organisation that global temperatures will temporarily breach 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming during the next five years means that we will experience increased intensity and frequency of heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, supply chain disruption and storm events here in Scotland. This underlines why it is more important than ever that we take lasting action to secure a net zero and climate resilient future in a way that is fair and just for everyone.

We are making progress on reducing our domestic emissions through delivery of our updated Climate Change Plan. The latest data show our emissions are down by over 50% since the 1990 baseline, over halfway to net zero. The hardest part of the journey is ahead of us, as we need to halve our emissions again by 2030, and we can only achieve this through collaboration. The Scottish Government is currently in the process of developing our next draft Climate Change Plan on emissions reduction, alongside three sectoral Just Transition Plans, on Transport, Buildings and Construction, and Land Use and Agriculture. We will also be taking account of consultation responses to revise the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan to deliver a just transition to net zero in the energy sector.

Alongside this, we are continuing to deliver over 170 policies and proposals in the current Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme, the Scottish Government is also now developing the next programme. Public consultation is anticipated for the start of 2024 with the aim of publishing a final statutory programme in Autumn 2024. While progress is being made, we acknowledge that more needs to be done.

Scotland cannot act with credibility here at home if we are blind to the fact that the impacts of climate change and a transition to net zero are not felt equally – that those who have done the least to contribute to the climate crisis are impacted first and worse by it. Developed countries like Scotland have a moral responsibility to support developing countries to help secure a global transition in a way that is fair and just. Through the Climate Justice Fund, Scottish Government will meet this responsibility through continuing to lead international advocacy for climate justice and action on loss and damage.

Question reference: S6W-18285

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm how many sewage discharge points there are along the River (a) Don and (b) Dee; when these monitors were last monitored, and what assessment was made of them.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their answer is:

The number of sewage discharge points for each river, including its tributaries, is:

River Don - 42 Wastewater Treatment Works and 99 discharge points
River Dee - 26 Wastewater Treatment Works and 69 discharge points

SEPA's licencing conditions do not currently require Scottish Water to report discharge data at these locations.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) publishes river water quality data on their website at: www.sepa.org.uk/data-visualisation/water-classification-hub. SEPA currently classifies waterbodies in the River Dee catchment as 92% at good or better water quality and the River Don catchment as 84% at good or better water quality.

Question reference: S6W-18180

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards its commitment to increase teacher numbers by 3,500 by the end of the current parliamentary session.

We committed to support the recruitment of at least 3,500 teachers, in addition to the 1,400 recruited during the pandemic, over the course of this Parliament. The 2022 teacher census total was 54,193 teachers, which indicates an increase of 1,946 from the baseline, as measured by the 2019 census.

We are also providing £145.5m to local authorities in the 2023/24 budget to protect increased teacher numbers.

Question reference: S6O-02389

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the newest developments are in the creation of Scottish Parliament apps to allow the public easier access to parliamentary business papers and other resources.

Question reference: S6O-02391

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it takes to ensure that children and young people from across Scotland can visit their Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6O-02356

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it will next review the car parking arrangements for MSPs and staff.

Question reference: S6O-02390

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide an update on the efficiency of the passholder secure entry system to the Parliament, in light of reports that passholders are experiencing difficulties in gaining access.

Question reference: S6W-18243

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many new trade envoys it aims to appoint in each of the next five years, and in which countries they will be based.

Our export growth plan, A Trading Nation, committed to evaluating the existing Trade & Investment Envoy network with a view to increasing the number of envoys from the four (at the time) to twelve. This would be subject to a review of the current arrangements and the identification of candidates with the right knowledge, experience and connections in the right markets to best support Scotland’s trade and investment ambitions.

There are currently 11 Trade & Investment Envoy based around the globe. The majority of Envoys are focused on promoting trade and investment within a specific market (Indonesia, Poland, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, New Zealand and the Unites States of America), while some have a sector-focus (International Higher Education and Capital Investment). A link to the current list of Trade and Investment Envoys can be found here .

Although the Scottish Government does not currently have any firm plans to grow the network, we are planning on evaluating the T&I Envoy Network to consider the markets and sectors within which they operate and this will inform the future focus and shape of the network.

Question reference: S6W-18241

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will launch its International Culture Strategy, as set out in the Scottish Connections Framework.

Scotland’s culture is recognised across the world. It is a massive asset to our country in cultural and economic terms, but also in its potential to open doors and support Scotland’s wider international relationships. As such, we have committed to develop an International Culture Strategy to ensure that cultural links with our partners around the world are developed further and international engagement can help these sectors to recover and flourish.

It is vital that our International Culture Strategy reflects, and is fully informed by the views, experience and expertise of those working in our culture and creative sectors. In order to ensure this, we are currently carrying out a programme of stakeholder engagement to gather views on priorities for the strategy, including a public survey which closed for responses on 12 May 2023.

Close engagement with stakeholders will continue alongside the development of the strategy throughout 2023. Timelines have adapted as the development process has proceeded and requirements have become apparent. We aim to publish the strategy by the end of March 2024.

Question reference: S6W-18093

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it gives to customers of the tenancy deposits schemes if they have an issue, dispute or complaint with one of the tenancy schemes that do not offer an independent dispute resolution procedure.

Tenancy Deposit Schemes were introduced to deal with the problem of landlords and letting agents who unfairly withheld deposits from tenants. In Scotland a custodial scheme is operated by 3 schemes approved by Scottish Ministers.

Tenants benefit from having deposits safeguarded by an independent third party. Section 33 and 34 of the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011 sets out the requirements for all approved schemes to provide a free and independent dispute resolution service, so that the deposit can be returned quickly and fairly.

Scottish Government cannot intervene with individual deposit disputes and cannot intervene in decisions made by the independent adjudicator in relation to a tenancy deposit case.