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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-22892

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 29 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether work has begun on its Innovation Funding Review, in light of its National Innovation Strategy stating that this will be completed by the end of 2023.

Yes, work on the Innovation Funding review, announced in the National Innovation Strategy, is already underway with our enterprise agencies. We are working with stakeholders to announce a consolidated innovation investment programme for 2024-2025.

It is our ambition that through renewing our approach to innovation investment and support, that over the next ten years we become a world leader in our priority areas, that we create jobs and opportunities throughout the country, contributing to our vision of making Scotland one of the most innovative small nations in the world.

Question reference: S6W-22918

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 29 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of the First Minister finding an old mobile phone with WhatsApp messages on it, whether it is the case that the First Minister had reported a mobile phone as missing, and, if it is the case, what steps were taken to address any potential security issues arising from a phone that had been used for government business being unaccounted for.

Question reference: S6W-23034

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20632 by Shona Robison on 11 September 2023, whether the (a) stage 1 desktop and (b) stage 2 visual inspection of the Scottish Government Estate has been competed, and, if so, what the outcome of each of these inspections was.

Question reference: S6W-22916

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 29 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the First Minister reportedly found an old mobile phone that he had been using during the COVID-19 pandemic for government business.

Question reference: S6W-22992

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to prevent the sale of illegal fireworks, following the recent fireworks-related disorder in the Edinburgh Eastern constituency.

Product safety is a reserved matter; however, the Scottish Government provides grant funding to the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) to undertake a program of enforcement against the sale of illicit fireworks in Scotland. This work extends to ports and fast parcel outlets, as well as online sales from outwith Scotland. The Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 also includes a proxy purchase and supply offence, to prevent the illegal supply of fireworks to those under the age of 18.

Question reference: S6W-23014

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22334 by Neil Gray on 7 November 2023, on what date is expects to publish the outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-22964

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments of Creative Scotland that it remains in the dark regarding the Scottish Government's future funding commitments.

The Scottish Government will take decisions about the allocation of funding in 2024-25 and future years subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament.

Once the draft budget is published on 19 December we will engage closely with Creative Scotland and the wider culture sector as we develop plans for the £100m increased investment over the next five years.

Question reference: S6W-23029

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure that environmental horticulture is utilised as a policy solution in relation to climate change, the economy, health, and the planning system, as outlined in the Horticultural Trades Association's Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy.

The Scottish Government recognises the horticultural sector’s important contribution to the Scottish population’s mental and physical health, and the environment through provision of plants and trees for public landscaping and domestic gardening. In addition, horticulture contributes to the Scottish economy, through retail, job creation and employment opportunities in green careers. That is why I welcomed the Horticultural Trades Association's Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy during the Holyrood launch event in March 2023.

The eight ‘Asks of Government’ outlined by HTA align with existing Scottish Government policy priorities, including climate change mitigation, nature networks as outlined in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and the local living policy principle of the National Planning Framework 4, which proposes the development of parks, green spaces, community gardens, local food production, allotments and recreation facilities to help improve wellbeing. These highlight opportunities for the sector and Scottish Government to work together towards shared goals across a wide range of policy areas. Officials will therefore continue to take forward detailed discussions with the HTA to ensure environmental horticulture is represented in relevant government strategies.

Question reference: S6W-23013

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22338 by Neil Gray on 7 November 2023, what specific guidance the Energy Consents Unit uses when completing a data check.

Officials in the Energy Consents Unit (“ECU”) use internal process guidance to check that the data input by developers into the carbon calculator accords with the relevant information referenced in the application documentation and its environmental impact assessment report (“EIA report”). Once the data is checked, the submission is formally received and then thereafter available for scrutiny in the public domain by using the reference code published in the EIA report. The data check includes:

1. Checking that the number of wind turbines and capacity output of each turbine accords with the information provided in the EIA Report.

2. Checking that the operational period accords with the application information

3. Checking that the capacity factor is credible and backed up by evidence in the EIA report.

Question reference: S6W-23022

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22380 by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023, what the (a) name, (b) remit and (c) membership is of each working group that the Minister for Energy and the Environment chaired.

I recently chaired the short-lived Rural Energy Consumers Working Group, Non-domestic Energy Consumers Working Group and Priority (previously known as Vulnerable) Energy Consumers Working Group. Information on each of these groups can be found on the Scottish Government website at the following links:

Energy: Rural Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Energy: Non-Domestic Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Energy: Vulnerable Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)