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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.

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Question reference: S6W-24466

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which external consulting firms are working or advising on preparations for a National Care Service, and what the cost of any such contracts (a) has been to date and (b) is projected to be in the 2024-25 financial year.

a) A list of external consulting firms engaged to provide consultancy for research, co-design, engagement, and external support, and the cost of these contracts to date is provided in the following table.

These figures are as of 15 January and are provisional and subject to adjustment prior to and at year-end. Further costs may be incurred before the year-end.

Supplier Awarded Contract	Contract Expenditure to Date
Anderson Anderson Brown LLP (AAB)	£54,605
Anderson Anderson Brown LLP (AAB)	£26,220
Deloitte	£80,400
KPMG	£655,200
PwC	£82,032
PwC	£107,021
Socitm (Society for Innovation, Technology and Modernisation)	£380,778
Storm ID	£56,760
Capgemini Invents	£58,800
Capgemini Invents	£406,476
IPSOS Mori	£103,800
This is Milk	£30,376
This is Milk	£12,240
Civic Computing	£74,880
Total Contract Expenditure to Date	£2,153,762

There are two contracts in the preceding table totalling £24,174 that are attributed to the consultancy costs, but which do not relate to the NCS. These are included in total contract expenditure to date, but are not reported individually.

A further invoice of £12,240 relating to services provided by This is Milk is anticipated to be received before the end of the financial year.

b) No estimate of consultancy expenditure for financial year 2024-25 has been finalised, and no consultancy expenditure has been committed to for that year.

Question reference: S6W-24376

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place between the Minister for Housing and the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and their officials regarding the proposed reduction to spending on housing in its 2024-25 Budget.

Question reference: S6O-02958

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the announcement by EDF that its ambition is to extend the life of Torness power station.

Question reference: S6W-23848

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants are working on preparations for a National Care Service, and what the cost of these civil servants is on (a) an annualised and (b) a cumulative basis.

Question reference: S6W-23428

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost would be of extending the 75% rates relief to hospitality and small retail businesses.

Question reference: S6W-23349

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce waiting times for access to NHS audiology services.

Question reference: S6W-23348

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to adapt or increase the use of independent audiology provision as it reviews the commissioning of audiology services.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to enhancing community audiology services. We are continuing to work closely with NHS Boards, Independent Providers and the Third Sector to develop fully integrated and sustainable audiology care and treatment located closer to the local communities being served. Our approach will continue to be informed by holistic consultation with the audiology sector, as well as by outcomes from the recently published Independent Review of Audiology services in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-23524

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake stakeholder engagement on alcohol marketing with consumer groups as well as businesses, before launching a public consultation on revised proposals on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion.

In developing narrower proposals on alcohol marketing the Scottish Government will take account of both the potential public health benefits as well as potential impacts on industry, business and consumers. The next phase in this work will be targeted engagement early in 2024, which will include engagement with a range of stakeholders including those representing business and consumer interests.

Question reference: S6W-23429

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic impact of extending the 75% rates relief to hospitality and small retail businesses.

Decisions on non-domestic rates for 2024-2025 are considered in the context of the Scottish Budget in line with the Framework for Tax 2021 and with consideration given to affordability; the Scottish Draft Budget for 2024-2025 will be set out on 19 December. Forecasted costs of the Scottish Government’s non-domestic rates policies are published by the Scottish Fiscal Commission in Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts .

Our rates relief package in 2023-2024 is estimated to be worth £749m, including the Small Business Bonus scheme which remains the most generous relief for small businesses in the UK, and ensures that around half of properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in Scotland will pay no rates.

Question reference: S6W-23430

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what projections it has made on the likely number of pubs and hospitality-related businesses that there will be in Scotland in (a) one (b) three and (c) five year(s).