Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 49118 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-19213

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been given to Gresham House to facilitate new woodland creation.

Question reference: S6W-19183

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the dual carriageway on the A9 at Alvie has reportedly been restricted in both directions to single carriageway.

As advertised on the Traffic Scotland website a single lane closure and 50mph speed restriction was in place in both directions on the dual carriageway section of the A9 between Kincraig and Dalraddy between 7:00am on 12 June and 12:00pm on 16 June 2023. The traffic restrictions were required to ensure the safety of road users and road workers whilst maintenance works, including repairs to surfacing, structures and roadside infrastructure as well as landscape maintenance, were undertaken by the Contractor responsible for the A9 Dualling: Kincraig to Dalraddy contract.

Question reference: S6W-18878

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions it has aligned with EU legislation, since 1 January 2021, by means other than the Scottish Ministers’ "keeping pace" power under the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.

The Scottish Government is committed to aligning with EU law where that is possible and where it will have a meaningful impact on the outcomes we share with the EU.

In doing so we acknowledge that alignment in all cases is not possible. Consideration of alignment with EU law is part of the policy development process and varies depending upon the relevance of EU law to Scotland regarding the matter in question, the extent of the devolved settlement and UK Government decisions which might have a constraining effect on Ministers ability to take effective action.

The Scottish Government’s policy statement on the approach to EU alignment, approved by parliament on 8 June 2022, sets this out in detail, acknowledging that a broad section of EU legislation is now not applicable in Scotland since the UK’s departure from the EU.

It is therefore not possible for the Scottish Government to provide a definitive answer to the question asked, although officials are working with their parliamentary counterparts to significantly expand the information provided to parliament regarding the commitment to align with the EU.

Question reference: S6W-19122

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its housebuilding target is for the current parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government’s target is to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural and island communities.

Our long term plans recognise that changing circumstances or unforeseen events may require us to adapt, and we intend to carry out a review at the mid-point of the 110,000 target period (2026-27), to assess if current plans should continue unchanged or be adapted.

To note that the homes delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme take various forms including; new build homes, rehabilitation projects, conversions and off-the-shelf purchases of both new and second hand homes, as identified in Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs) prepared annually by local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-19139

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many cervical cancer screenings have taken place in each month since July 2021.

NHS National Services Scotland provides national coordination for the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme, which is commissioned by Boards and delivered by primary care. Scottish Government does not hold the information requested centrally. However, Public Health Scotland publish programme statistics on an annual basis and the latest report can be viewed at : https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-cervical-screening-programme-statistics/scottish-cervical-screening-programme-statistics-annual-update-to-31-march-2022/

Question reference: S6W-19130

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people are currently on waiting lists for allotments in each local authority area.

The provision of allotments is the responsibility of local authorities as set out in the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, Part 9.

In accordance with section 121 of Part 9 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, local authorities report annually on the provision of allotments in their areas. The legislation clearly defines the mandatory information to be included in the annual allotment reports including, but not limited to;

the location and size of each allotment site,
the number of allotments on each allotment site,
the rent payable,
the number of people on the waiting list and how many have been waiting 5 years or more,
the number of allotments on each allotment site that are accessible by a disabled person,
the number of allotments adjusted to meet the needs of a tenant who is a disabled person,
the income received, and expenditure incurred, by the authority in connection with allotment sites,
such other information as may be prescribed.

Reports are available online from each local authority. The Scottish Government does not collect this information centrally and does not hold historic data on allotment provision.

Question reference: S6W-19143

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many pregnancy screenings have taken place in each month since July 2021.

Question reference: S6T-01488

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported delays in processing times for Adult Disability Payments.

Question reference: S6T-01482

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to increase the resilience of Scotland's 999 emergency telephone service, in light of UK-wide technical issues over the weekend that rendered the service unusable for many users.

Question reference: S6F-02297

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to help raise awareness of the importance of stem cell donation in the treatment of blood cancer and blood disorder.