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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-13681

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12681 by Màiri McAllan on 13 December 2022, whether detailed marine spatial plans, as opposed to broad spatial areas, will be provisionally set in the new National Marine Plan (NMP2), in line with section 11(2)(a)(ii) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, unless and until superseded by regional plans agreed under the terms of that same Act.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12759 on 15 December 2022.

The purpose of Scotland’s National Marine Plan is to set out the strategic policies for the sustainable development of our marine resources. Regional marine plans are currently being developed for 3 out of the 11 Scottish Marine Regions (Orkney, Shetland and the Clyde) with preparatory work being undertaken by Local Coastal Partnerships in other regions.

The content of the new National Marine Plan (“NMP2”) is yet to be defined. As the process to replace the current National Marine Plan progresses, the content of NMP2 will be established and consideration will be taken as to whether NMP2 will include detailed spatial plans.

The Marine Scotland Directorate undertakes national marine planning activities in accordance with the requirements and conditions set out in the Marine Acts: Marine (Scotland) Act (2010) and the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009). NMP2 will be developed in accordance with the policies, including the National Spatial Strategy, set out in the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4)(once adopted).

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-13650

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the Rural Housing Fund in each year since its introduction.

The following table provides a breakdown of the spend from the main Rural and Islands Housing Fund in each year since the funds were launched in 2016-17, broken down by rural (mainland) and Islands. The Rural and Island Housing Fund plays an important role in offering support to community organisations and others while complementing the significant delivery through our mainstream programme by Councils and Registered Social Landlords in rural and island areas.

	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m
Rural and Islands Housing Fund - Total	0.101	1.061	1.650	2.822	4.916	4.793	2.327
Rural	0.074	0.961	1.451	2.140	3.062	1.867	0.900
Islands	0.027	0.100	0.199	0.682	1.854	2.926	1.427
Note: 2022-23 spend is based on provisional programme management information to end December 2022 and could be subject to change.

Question reference: S6W-13662

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last visited Inverclyde Royal Hospital in person.

Question reference: S6W-13647

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will actively engage with Aberdeen-based North Star Shipping, which has reportedly secured $172.2 million of financing and loan support to begin the next phase of its plan to build 40 Service Operation Vessels, in order to ensure that this long-term ship design and build opportunity is able to be undertaken by the Scottish shipbuilding industry.

Question reference: S6W-13672

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many houses have been completed for the social rent sector in each year since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-13625

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons it is delaying the implementation of commercial short-term let licensing by six months.

Question reference: S6W-13919

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the recent study by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and its finding of significant overall excess cancer mortality for Scottish firefighters compared with the general population.

The safety and wellbeing of all fire and rescue officers is of upmost importance to the Scottish Government.

We will continue to support SFRS as they continue to work in partnership with the FBU and Professor Anna Stec to build on the existing work of their dedicated Contaminants Group.

The Scottish Government will carefully consider any related proposals from the FBU or SFRS as a result of this important research.

Question reference: S6W-13921

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made to promote Scotland’s Fair Trade Nation status.

The achievement of Fair Trade Nation status for Scotland, first in February 2013 and once more in March 2017, signals to the world that Scotland takes an active leadership role in challenging global poverty and recognising the dignity and rights of producers, through a commitment to fairness in international trading.

The Scottish Fair Trade Forum, which has received core funding from the Scottish Government since 2007 to take forward our work on Fair Trade, continues to engage across all sections of Scottish society from schools, colleges and universities to faith groups, businesses and charities, to raise awareness of the plight of farmers and producers in the developing world and build support for our status as a Fair Trade Nation.

This year sees the 10th Anniversary since Scotland first achieved the accolade of Fair Trade Nation status, and events are planned up and down the country during this year's Fairtrade Fortnight to mark the occasion.

Question reference: S6W-13900

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to Scotland hosting the Invictus Games.

The Scottish Government commends and congratulates the athletes competing at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf later this year. The Invictus Games has been hosted in a range of locations worldwide, and has been successful in using sport to inspire recovery and support rehabilitation of injured and sick servicemen and women.

In terms of what consideration the Scottish Government has given to Scotland hosting the Invictus Games, the Scottish Government works with a range of organisations and partners, particularly VisitScotland's Events Directorate, to assess hosting opportunities to secure a strong and diverse pipeline of major events.

Question reference: S6W-13811

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote financial literacy and education for young people in order to help them better understand and manage their finances.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of financial education in order to equip young people to live independently and confidently. These topics are embedded in the curriculum in Scotland through numeracy and maths, business studies and personal and social education.

Education Scotland provide professional learning and resources for practitioners on financial education. It also features in qualifications, particularly through SCQF 4 and 5 Personal Finance awards, and through Applications of Mathematics, which provides advanced learning on a range of core and practical maths skills, including finance, up to Higher level.

At local level, schools have access to a range of organisations who visit schools to reinforce and enhance learning such as HMRC, Barclays Lifeskills, NatWest MoneySense and the Young Enterprise ‘My Money’ Talks.

The Scottish Government is also supporting young people after they leave school with a new School Leavers Toolkit which includes practical information about budgeting and finances.