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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: S6T-01335

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report by NUS Scotland, which stated that more than a fifth of international students in Scotland have experienced homelessness during their studies.

Question reference: S6F-02048

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Alcohol Focus Scotland’s emergency call to urgently take action to prevent further deaths and reduce harm from alcohol.

Question reference: S6F-02053

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that published NHS waiting times for treatment are accurate.

Question reference: S6F-02046

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to new Police Scotland statistics showing that the number of recorded rapes has increased to its highest level in six years.

Question reference: S6F-02033

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

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

Question reference: S6F-02030

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02029

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-16934

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent estimate it has made of the level of illegal mobile phone use by individuals in charge of a vehicle, and what steps it is taking to address this.

Observational studies covering Great Britain are carried out on behalf of the Department for Transport every four or five years. The latest of these was undertaken in 2021 and published in July 2022. Mobile phone use by drivers: Great Britain, 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

There is a significant amount of data in the tables but the headline figures are:

Observed mobile phone use (held to ear or held in hand)

	Great Britain	England and Wales	Scotland
All vehicle drivers	1%	1%	0.9%
Car Drivers	0.8%	0.9%	0.7%

Mobile phone use is identified as one of the ‘fatal five’ by road safety professionals, and campaigning has been consistent for many years. In Scotland, in recent years, this has been undertaken as part of the ‘Drive Like Gran’s in The Car’ campaign, and scheduling would normally support Police Scotland enforcement activity.

Road Safety Scotland (RSS) ran the ‘Mates’ distraction ad from 25 October - 30 November 2021 on TV, radio, video-on-demand, social and digital channels. When the new legislation came into force last year, RSS ran the new G-Force gran mobile phone ad throughout March 2022 on digital channels, video-on-demand, radio and social.

Question reference: S6W-16897

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to make the process for obtaining a licence for a conservation translocation of a beaver within existing range attractive and achievable for landowners, in line with Goal 3, Action II of Scotland's Beaver Strategy 2022-2045, Part 2: Implementation Plan.

NatureScot have already taken a number of actions to make the process for obtaining a licence for a conservation translocation of a beaver within existing range attractive and achievable for landowners.

NatureScot has produced guidance on beaver translocation for applicants, consultees and interested parties which sets out the expectations for engagement with those most likely to be affected. The extent of stakeholder engagement should be proportionate to the proposals.

There are existing environmental appraisals for beaver translocations in the Tay, Forth, Knapdale and Loch Lomond catchments. Proposals that are within range and genuinely low risk are not expected to demonstrate the same level of engagement as proposals in new catchments where there may be new risks and benefits to consider.

A translocation licence application should contain project details as set out in the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. This includes an assessment of release site suitability, a summary of what stakeholder engagement has been carried out and evidence of landowner permission. NatureScot staff can advise land managers with an interest in receiving beavers within range, and are working with public bodies to identify suitable opportunities on public land.

The application process should not be a barrier for those seeking to release beavers within range. Further information can be found in the following link: https://www.nature.scot/doc/beavers-scotland-conservation-translocation-guidance-applicants-consultees-and-interested-parties

Following the publication of the Scotland’s Beaver Strategy NatureScot will be discussing with the Scottish Beaver Advisory Group what further action might be required to achieve this goal.

Question reference: S6W-16214

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland's tweet of 19 March 2023, which stated that "A new Emergency Alert mobile phone warning service is being trialled in Scotland from today by the Scottish Government", whether it told Police Scotland that the trial of the UK-wide Emergency Alert system was a Scottish Government-initiated trial.

The Scottish Government has been clear in its communication with partners and stakeholders that the Emergency Alerts System is fully funded and owned by the UK Government; and that the Scottish Government has agreed to participate in a trial coordinated by UK Government, recognising that the content of any alerts issued in Scotland is likely to be in relation to devolved matters.

Police Scotland’s tweet of 19 March 2023 included a link to a post on the main Scottish Government account which directed viewers to the dedicated UK Government Emergency Alerts web pages.

The introductory paragraph on those pages states: “Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby.”

The Scottish Government continues to engage with UK Government and other UK nations, Scottish partners and stakeholders to ensure that the information about the trial is accurate and shared widely.