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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-06338

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 February 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome is of its latest review into border health measures, and whether there will be any changes to the regulations.

We have reviewed the border health measures closely over the last 28 days and have assessed that there continues to be a requirement for the regulations to remain in place to reduce the risk of imported transmission and safeguard public health in Scotland. The regulations continue to be an important and proportionate part of the Scottish Government response to managing the pandemic. As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue discussions with UK Government and the other devolved administrations and continue to seek to take a four-nations approach to future changes to regulations and the travel regime.

Question reference: S6W-05577

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings its ministers have had with the Independent SAGE group since its creation.

Scottish Ministers are supported by clinical advisors including the Chief and Deputy Medical Officers, National Clinical Director, and Senior Clinical Advisors.

The Scottish Government draws on scientific advice from a number of sources including the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). The Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Chief Scientific Adviser and the Chief Scientist (Health) have SAGE participant status.

The Scottish Government also receives advice from the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group, chaired by Professor Andrew Morris, which applies the advice coming to the four nations from SAGE and other appropriate sources of evidence and information and uses it to inform decisions in Scotland during the pandemic.

Scottish Government Ministers have not met the Independent SAGE group.

Question reference: S6W-06157

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) has received for evictions and civil proceedings for each rule in each (a) quarter and (b) year since 1 December 2017, and, of these, how many have received a hearing.

Question reference: S6W-05899

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much investment it has made into active travel initiatives in Stirling since 2017.

Question reference: S6W-05962

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing the recommendations of the Scottish Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance in relation to owners (a) in tenements forming owners' associations, (b) and building reserve funds and (c) and five-yearly building condition reports, which it committed to support through voluntary and incremental change until legislation is in place.

The Scottish Law Commission have accepted a reference from the Scottish Government, commissioning project work to review the law of the tenement in Scotland and to make recommendations regarding the establishment of compulsory owners’ associations, building reserve funds and building inspections.

The Scottish Government has commissioned research on repair costs and the viability of owners’ associations, and engaged with stakeholders including tenement owners regarding compulsory factoring.

Separately, the Scottish Government will be publishing a public consultation on a new housing standard for Scotland in the course of 2022 which will inform plans for future legislation. We will also be circulating draft guidance for private landlords on changes to the repairing standard which come into force in 2024.

Question reference: S6W-05955

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the removal of fireplaces in properties in rural communities in order to meet new housing standards, in light of the potential impact that this could have during events such as Storm Arwen, and whether it will consider allowing fireplaces to be kept as a back-up heating source.

Social landlords are responsible for ensuring their housing stock complies with housing standards including the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH). Decisions on how the energy efficiency ratings required by EESSH are met, is an operational matter for individual social landlords and not something in which the Scottish Government can intervene. EESSH does not require the removal of fireplaces. Any decisions to remove fireplaces in social housing in rural communities lies solely with the social landlord who owns the housing stock.

Compliance with EESSH is reported to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) and social landlords can claim exemptions where there are significant obstacles relating to cost, technology and necessary consent.

Question reference: S6W-05986

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the current sentencing guidelines are for those convicted of fly-tipping.

Flytipping is a criminal offence. People who flytip can be issued with a fixed penalty notice up to £200. If prosecuted, a person who is caught flytipping can face a fine up to £40,000. SEPA are engaging with the Scottish Sentencing Council on behalf of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to help develop sentencing guidelines on environmental offences.

In December 2021, Scottish Government launched a consultation on potential additional measures to tackle flytipping in Scotland, including actions to further strengthen enforcement. Proposals include raising fines, extending local authorities' enforcement powers and exploring the use of civil penalties to enforce flytipping offences.

Responses to the consultation, which is open until 31 March 2022, will inform the development of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-05983

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities, emergency services, and energy and connectivity suppliers will be permitted to share vulnerable people's contact information to facilitate the provision of support to those people in times of emergencies, such as during the response to Storm Arwen.

Question reference: S6W-05948

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland provides financial support to officers and staff seeking to attend the psychological wellbeing and counselling programmes at the two Police Treatment Centres, in Harrogate and Auchterarder.

Question reference: S6W-05980

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will clarify how the new fire and smoke alarm standards will apply to people who live in (a) independent living flats, (b) sheltered housing complexes that employ an on-site warden and (c) other forms of sheltered housing.