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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

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Question reference: S6O-01705

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project.

Question reference: S6O-01663

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with ministerial colleagues in relation to the automatic provision by public service bodies of easy read formats to accommodate the needs of people who are neurodiverse.

Question reference: S6W-12316

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it can make to EE regarding the reported significant phone signal and broadband disruption for the area of Uig in the Isle of Lewis, which is now reportedly entering its second month of severe issues, and what consideration has been given to such recurring problems during the planning for the remainder of the R100 roll-out, in light of Uig not being expected to be reached by the scheme until 2028.

Despite the area of telecommunications being wholly reserved to the UK Parliament, the Scottish Government has asked BT and EE to do all it can to resolve the matter on Uig as quickly as possible, given the vital importance of reliable digital connectivity for island communities.

The R100 contracts will deliver a significant number of full fibre connections which will provide future proofed, resilient connectivity for decades to come. The R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme is also available to those who are unable to access a superfast connection currently, and who are not in commercial or R100 contract build plans, offering up to £5,000 to secure a superfast broadband connection.

Question reference: S6W-11752

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that Island Communities Impact Assessments (ICIAs) are required to be carried out in relation to areas that are near to proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas, and, if it is the case, whether any such ICIAs have been conducted to date.

Question reference: S6W-11896

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns over low blood stocks, whether the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service will consider resuming donations from the Western Isles which were suspended in 2017.

Blood stocks in Scotland are assessed as adequate to meet current clinical demand, but will continue to be monitored. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service has no plans at present to resume providing blood donation sessions in the Western Isles, due to the cost and logistical difficulties associated with doing so. However, that does not in any way affect the availability of blood components to patients in the Western Isles.

Question reference: S6O-01527

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is regarding the implications for its housing strategy to the latest Registers of Scotland UK House Price Index figures, which were published on 19 October 2022.

Question reference: S6O-01477

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how its Covid Recovery Strategy is supporting rural and island tourism businesses.

Question reference: S6W-11321

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it can make to the UK Government regarding any reduction in access to skilled crew fishing vessels in the Western Isles from 1 November 2022 as a result of the UK Government's reported plan to strictly implement existing transit visa regulations with regards to non-EU fishers, such as those from Ghana and the Philippines, working on UK fishing vessels in Scottish waters, and what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding (a) how to increase the number of EU fishers accessing work permits and (b) amending the requirements of the sponsored employers scheme to better accommodate the needs of sectors such as fishing, in light of reports of a clear and persistent labour shortage in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware of Home Office plans to issue amended immigration rules to prohibit all forms of activity within UK territorial waters or onshore by crew employed using transit visas. Following representations from the Scottish Government and others – including a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture to the Home Secretary on 20 September - the introduction of these new rules has been postponed to spring 2023, rather than 1 November as originally planned.

Whilst that delay is welcome, the Scottish Government is clear that changes to the transit visa rules must accompanied in parallel by changes to Skilled Worker Visa provision to ensure that the latter is genuinely proportionate and accessible to all parts of the fleet, since the alternative may be an exacerbation of current labour shortages and vessel tie-ups. We are similarly clear that the Home Office must ensure that meaningful consultation and robust impact assessments are undertaken before any changes to immigration rules affecting the Scottish fishing industry are made.

In addition to continuing to submit evidence on Scotland’s unique economic and demographic needs to the Migration Advisory Committee, the Scottish Government has offered to meet the Home Office and the other Devolved Governments to identify and implement alternative arrangements that promote proportionate border security whilst also protecting the rights of non-UK workers and the ability of industry to access the labour it needs. To date that offer has not been accepted.

Question reference: S6O-01415

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the issue of absenteeism in crofting.

Question reference: S6W-09878

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it can make to (a) Ofgem and (b) energy supply companies regarding the reported issue of waiting times of more than three months for meters to be installed, exchanged or repaired in the Western Isles, in light of reports that this has become a significant issue for island consumers in the last 12 months due to an absence of energy company engineers on the islands and an unwillingness by companies to utilise local engineers.

I know that many consumers across Scotland are facing long waits for energy meters to be installed and this has been a source of much frustration.

Regulation of energy markets, including in relation to the installation of meters, remains reserved to the UK Government meaning that the Scottish Government's potential actions in regards to this are limited.

My officials have raised this issue with Ofgem, the energy regulator.

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