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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-18346

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S6W-18320

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17663 by Lorna Slater on 23 May 2023, whether it will provide an answer to the question that was asked about which (a) businesses and (b) trade associations have confirmed to the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity that their “number one concern” is uncertainty created specifically by the UK Government not issuing an exclusion to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.

As set out in the response to S6W-17663, the Scottish Government and delivery partners such as Circularity Scotland, SEPA and Zero Waste Scotland continue to regularly engage directly with businesses to ensure all involved are ready for successful launch of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Any decision by an individual business or a specific trade association to make public their priorities is a matter for them. It is not appropriate for Scottish Government to do so.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-18299

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, following the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (IMG EFRA) on 17 April 2023, whether it has provided the additional information requested by the UK Government regarding the impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on businesses, and, if so, (a) on what date it did so and (b) what additional information it provided.

Throughout the development of DRS the Scottish Government and partners have developed and published a range of evidence on the benefits and impacts of the scheme.

The Scottish Government also provided all information which was required to make a decision on the IMA exclusion as part of the Common Framework Procedure.

The Scottish Government has responded promptly to any requests for further information from the UK Government to help with their decision on an IMA exclusion. In particular, on 18 and 28 April and 12 May, we provided further information on costs for businesses and consumers; on 18 May, we provided further information on the environmental and economic case for the inclusion of glass; and on 19 May, we provided further information on stakeholder views.

Question reference: S6W-18186

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments from a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh claiming that some undergraduate students had to "couch-surf" through the entirety of their first year due to lack of available accommodation.

The Scottish Government has no direct role in provision of student residential accommodation. However, we are determined to improve accessibility, affordability and standards across the rented sector and are carrying out, with a cross-sectoral expert group, a review of purpose built student accommodation, the recommendations from which are due to be submitted to Ministers soon .

Scottish Government is also developing proposals for improving privately-rented accommodation more generally, as set out in our draft New Deal for Tenants .

Question reference: S6W-18318

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of civil servants working on the National Care Service has been to date.

Question reference: S6W-18194

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14348 by Shona Robison on 31 January 2023, whether it will provide updated data for 2022-23.

The following table provides a breakdown of homes delivered in rural (mainland) and island areas through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund since 2016-17.

RIHF	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	Total Homes
Rural	2	21	1	35	16	41	36	152
Island	-	4	-	5	4	12	8	33
Total Homes	2	25	1	40	20	53	44	185
This table includes provisional programme management information for 2022-23 and could be subject to change. It also corrects six units in Highland previously noted as rural instead of island.

Question reference: S6W-18167

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the plans for Scottish Water to install monitors at 1,000 combined sewer overflows, and how many have been installed to date.

As referred to in the answers to S6F-02135 on 18 May 2023 and S6W-15158 on 13 March 2023, Scottish Water has now identified the priority locations for 1,000 spill monitors. Installation is programmed between summer 2023 and the end of 2024.

The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the Official Report can be viewed at: Meeting of the Parliament: 18/05/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website

Question reference: S6W-18168

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) total area in km2 and (b) percentage of the continental shelf area adjacent to Scotland, as designated in the Continental Shelf (Designation of Areas) Order 2013, is covered by the Marine Protected Area network, after all overlapping designations have been taken into account.

The total area of the Marine Protected Area network designated in the Scottish continental shelf area adjacent to Scotland, as designated in the Continental Shelf (Designation of Areas) Order 2013 is (a) 228,118 square kilometres and (b) 37%.

These figures take into account all overlapping designations and capture:

Special Areas of Conservation
Special Protection Areas
Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas
Ramsar sites for wetlands of international importance.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

These figures do not include Historic Marine Protected Areas, Other Area Based Measures, or the Demonstration and Research Marine Protected Area.

Question reference: S6W-18206

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13830 by Michael Matheson on 18 January 2023, whether it will provide an update on when it expects to publish updated guidance on Good Practice Principles for community benefits from offshore renewable energy developments, and whether it will provide details of the (a) dates of and (b) attendance at the "series of stakeholder engagement sessions to raise awareness of the work and gather initial input".

Question reference: S6W-18351

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and what was discussed.

Monthly Cost
Aug-21	£102,000
Sep-21	£106,000
Oct-21	£116,000
Nov-21	£140,000
Dec-21	£153,000
Jan-22	£184,000
Feb-22	£207,000
Mar-22	£222,000
Apr-22	£319,000
May-22	£354,000
Jun-22	£383,000
Jul-22	£399,000
Aug-22	£468,000
Sep-22	£523,000
Oct-22	£618,000
Nov-22	£989,000
Dec-22	£846,000
Jan-23	£864,000
Feb-23	£921,000
Mar-23	£858,000
Apr-23	£882,000

Annual Cost
2021-22	£1,230,000
2022-23	£7,542,000
2023-24	£882,000