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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-18436

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many gull licences have been issued by NatureScot in each year for which data is available, and what the average response time is to make a decision on a gull licence application received via (a) the online application procedure and (b) a posted application form.

Question reference: S6W-18445

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 position is on whether ScotRail's High Speed Train (HST) fleet meets modern safety standards.

Question reference: S6W-18656

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 action it is taking to raise awareness that, according to Citizens Advice Scotland, "Council Tax debt collection is much harsher and faster compared to commercial debt collection".

Council tax is a local tax, set and collected by each local authority, with every council financially and administratively accountable to their electorate. Council Tax Debt was discussed at the last meeting of the Joint Working Group on Sources of Local Government Funding and Council Tax Reform on 22 March 2023. It is important that local authorities retain the tools to enforce the payment of council tax by those who have the means to pay but choose not to do so, whilst the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, promoted as part of the Scottish Government funded Citizens Advice Scotland's Money Talk Team, as well as by local authorities and the DWP, means nobody should have to meet a council tax liability they cannot be expected to afford.

Question reference: S6W-18536

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether the electric fire appliance provided to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has entered service, and, if it has not, when this is expected to happen.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is expecting to take delivery of the electric appliance in the coming weeks. The vehicle remains with the manufacturers, Emergency One in Ayrshire at this time.

The appliance has now completed and passed its localised testing, however it is awaiting final independent Vehicle Certification Agency testing before being placed in an operational fire station.

Following a period of staff training for firefighters and SFRS fleet maintenance, SFRS expects the electric appliance to enter operational service later in the summer.

Question reference: S6W-18542

Asked by: Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timeframe for when it expects to publish data on homelessness for displaced Ukrainians who have arrived in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has agreed with local authorities to amend the homelessness data collection to record Ukrainian Displaced People applying for homelessness support from 1 April 2022. For the local authorities that have implemented the required changes, data will be released on the same day as the annual Homelessness in Scotland publication scheduled for August 2023, with the specific date pre-announced by the end of June. This publication will cover the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

Question reference: S6W-18468

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance or advice it has issued to Scottish public authorities and charities that it funds, that have contact with asylum seekers or presumed human trafficking survivors, regarding the UK Government’s Illegal Migration Bill and, in particular, any retrospective effect since its introduction into the UK Parliament on 7 March 2023.

The UK Government’s Illegal Migration Bill does not currently have legal effect. The Scottish Government has made clear our position that this cruel and inhumane Illegal Migration Bill should be scrapped immediately and will cause significant harm to victims of human trafficking. It will facilitate even greater control by perpetrators as a consequence of its provisions which restrict access to vital support and assistance and will likely deter victims from reporting their situation for fear of removal.

The Scottish Parliament rejected the UK Bill during a debate on 25 April. We set out our intent to lodge a legislative consent memorandum on two clauses within the Bill which alter the executive competence of the Scottish Ministers. We will recommend that Parliament withhold legislative consent to these provisions. We continue to monitor the Bill closely as it is considered by the House of Lords.

Question reference: S6W-18840

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what investigations National Galleries Scotland has undertaken to determine whether any of the buildings that it manages were fitted with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, and what the cost was of conducting any necessary repairs, broken down by building.

Question reference: S6W-18731

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many interest-free loans, up to a maximum of £5,000, have been used by Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service staff for the purchase of specialised equipment through the SCTS Respite Care Scheme, and whether it will outline the total value of any such loans, broken down by each year in which the scheme has been active.

Question reference: S6W-18730

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) staff are currently on the SCTS Carer register, including as a proportion of the total SCTS workforce.

Question reference: S6W-18733

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are employed in the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service's Equality and Diversity team, broken down by job title, and what the total value is of their combined salaries.