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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: S6O-04155

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its assessment of the potential impact of the UK Government’s decision to increase employer national insurance contributions on the culture sector.

Question reference: S6W-32394

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30508 by Gillian Martin on 18 October 2024, whether future regional marine plans, adopted under section 5 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, will be required to set out detailed marine spatial plans for all economic and nature restoration activities within the relevant Scottish marine region.

Question reference: S6W-32395

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30510 by Gillian Martin on 18 October 2024, what specific scientific information will be provided to stakeholders in order for them to be able to meaningfully engage with the National Marine Plan 2 process.

Question reference: S6W-32396

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the outcome of its review into its target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.

Question reference: S6O-04108

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is tackling child poverty, including in the Highlands and Islands region.

Question reference: S6W-31813

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the draft findings from the A96 Corridor Review.

Question reference: S6O-04006

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will empower local communities and ensure that land is being used to their benefit.

Question reference: S6W-31444

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 19 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on progress on delivering the Programme for Government commitment to expand Scotland’s Migration Service to provide more support to users.

The full expanded version of Scotland's Migration Service will be launched on 19th November 2024.

We know that employers, inward investors and individuals often face challenges in navigating the UK immigration system. Scotland's Migration Service will provide practical advice and support to employers to help them recruit internationally; inward investors to move to, or expand their business in, Scotland; individuals looking to move to Scotland for work or family; and individuals in Scotland on a temporary visa, including international students, looking to move visa routes.

The Service will provide practical information delivered through a digital platform as well as free personalised advice appointments delivered by our expert suppliers, Citizens Advice Scotland and the immigration law firm Seraphus.

Delivery of this Programme for Government commitment will contribute to our work to grow our economy, maximise our existing talent pool, and attract more individuals to Scotland to address skills shortages and demographic challenges.

Question reference: S6W-31008

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-03876 by Kaukab Stewart on 31 October 2024, in which the minister stated that people "can either be male or female", what progress it is making with the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan, and whether it remains its position that many people identify with neither a male or a female gender.

In law, including under the Equality Act 2010, people are either male or female.

The Scottish Government recognises that many people may identify differently. Scotland’s Census 2022 showed that almost half of people who responded to the question on trans status or history identified as non-binary. We know too that depending on the circumstances, the law on gender reassignment discrimination might protect non-binary people.

The Scottish Government is committed to advancing equality for all LGBTQI+ people, and promoting, protecting and realising the rights of every LGBTQI+ person in Scotland. This includes trans people, and non-binary people who do not identify as either male or female.

The Non-Binary Equality Action Plan 2023-28, published last November, aims to improve equality and bring about real, positive and lasting change to the lives of non-binary people.

We will soon publish our first Progress Report which will provide detail on the steps which we have made so far towards achieving the actions in the Plan.

Question reference: S6W-31106

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Alasdair Allan on 8 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will conclude its review of the New Build Heat Standard.

An amendment to the New Build Heat Standard will shortly be laid in Parliament. This will demonstrate we have heard and responded to the concerns raised earlier in the year about the reliance on woodburning stoves and bioenergy, particularly in rural and island areas.

The review involved full consideration of previous and new evidence submitted, and a series of individual and group workshops with key stakeholders, and two Ministerial roundtables. The Standard will be subject to the usual Parliamentary process and remains an important and positive step in our journey to decarbonising buildings.