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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-23267

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered targeting funding to ensure that people in Scotland who have recently been granted refugee status will not become homeless and/or potentially vulnerable to trafficking, in light of the UK Government reducing the notice period for leaving asylum accommodation to seven days.

Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, asylum applicants are entitled to receive asylum support for a prescribed period after they have been notified of the decision on their asylum application, for positive decisions this remains 28 days. As far as the Scottish Government is aware, the UK Government has not changed the prescribed period and it remains at 28 days.

However, we are aware that there have been issues with communication of decisions from the Home Office to the accommodation provider and local authorities which is impacting provision of information and support for people at the end of their period in asylum accommodation.

The Scottish Government has also raised concerns about the impact of the UK Government’s Streamlined Asylum Process. I wrote to the UK Government on 28 October 2023 to request urgent funding for local authorities and to work constructively with them to ensure that people receiving a positive asylum decision are supported to move-on from asylum accommodation. I am awaiting a response.

People in Scotland who have recently been granted refugee status are entitled to access homelessness support from their local authority. Most funding for homelessness is provided through the local government settlement. In addition to this, the Scottish Government have provided local authorities with £52.5m since 2018 to support the implementation of rapid rehousing transition plans and provide £30.5m annually for their work to prevent homelessness.

Question reference: S6W-23273

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the provision of micro-grants to support and promote volunteering via Creative Scotland.

The Scottish Government appreciates the contribution volunteers make to society. Volunteering at creative and cultural events offers unique opportunities to gain new skills, get experience and to be part of something special. While there are currently no plans to increase the provision of microgrants to support and promote volunteering via Creative Scotland, direct funding to national and local intermediaries supports the national and local volunteering infrastructure. For example, Creative Lives, a Creative Scotland Regularly Funded Organisation, supports volunteer-led and community-focused activity through microgrant schemes. They have worked closely with Creative Scotland to develop Cash for Culture, a fundraising guide for voluntary arts and community-led creative groups seeking funding for activity.

We provide Volunteer Scotland with a core grant of £832,000 (2023-24) and Third Sector Interfaces receive £8,481,200. In addition, the Volunteering Support Fund (£3.3m over 2021-24 period) delivered by Impact Funding Partners on behalf of the Scottish Government, is helping people overcome barriers to volunteering. The funding is for local community grass-roots organisations to support and promote volunteering among a variety of groups who experience disadvantage or barriers to volunteering.

Question reference: S6W-23269

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the National Trust for Scotland estimate that only 30% of the actions in the 2019 Skills Investment Plan for Scotland’s historic environment sector have been delivered, mainly due to a lack of resource.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the Skills Investment Plan for Scotland’s historic environment sector to support our workforce in developing the skills required to manage, protect and conserve our built heritage.

We acknowledge that action delivery from the 2019 plan was impacted by both the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

The Scottish Government will continue to deliver support for Scotland’s historic environment through sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, which is leading on developing the current Skills Investment Plan, building on the lessons learned from previous plans and increasing resource to maximise delivery.

Question reference: S6W-23159

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether its position on ending the mandatory wearing of face masks in healthcare and social care settings is being kept under review in response to COVID-19 infection rates across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has a robust process in place for creating, updating and withdrawing COVID-19 guidance. The extended use of face masks and face coverings guidance across health and social care settings was withdrawn on 16 May 2023. This followed advice from Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland and Public Health Scotland (PHS) that health and social care settings should revert to the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and the Care Home Infection Prevention and Control Manual. Both manuals hold personal protective equipment guidance based on clinical need and risk assessment.

ARHAI Scotland and PHS continue to monitor and analyse COVID-19 data, including variants, hospital clusters and deaths. This is considered alongside reviews of the current scientific literature. The Scottish Government regularly reviews this information together with any new emerging evidence. Any change to guidance would consider the epidemiological context and the latest scientific evidence and is continually under review.

Question reference: S6W-23093

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16426 by Mairi McAllan on 17 April 2023, in light of reports that the EU has legislated to criminalise ecocide through a revised directive on the protection of the environment, what action it will take to ensure that Scotland's environmental laws are in line with EU law.

The Scottish Government is aware that the European Council has announced that it has reached provisional agreement with the European Parliament on a new directive that aims at establishing minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in order to better protect the environment, replacing the previous 2008 directive. The announcement also set out that the Council and European Parliament agreed on a "qualified offence" clause for offences causing destruction, or irreversible, widespread and substantial damage, or long-lasting, widespread and substantial damage, to an ecosystem of considerable size or environmental value, or to a natural habitat within a protected site, or to the quality of air, soil or water. The Scottish Government will assess this new directive in detail, once the final text is agreed by the EU institutions and adopted, against our policy to maintain alignment where appropriate with EU law.

Question reference: S6T-01678

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to protect local authorities from the risk of bankruptcy.

Question reference: S6T-01673

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the declaration by more than 20 countries from four continents at COP28 to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, recognising the key role of nuclear energy in reaching net zero, for what reason it is reportedly discounting nuclear power.

Question reference: S6F-02619

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to address the impacts of obesity and excess weight on the Scottish economy and NHS.

Question reference: S6F-02622

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-02615

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will outline any plans it has for freedom of information reform in the current parliamentary session.