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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-30175

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the long-term future of the independent hospice sector.

The Scottish Government is committed, through our draft palliative care strategy, to work with Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) and adult independent hospice organisations to develop a national guidance framework to support and improve consistency of local planning and commissioning of independent hospice services.

The Scottish Government continues to work with Integration Joint Boards (IJB) Chief Officers and adult independent hospice organisations to support longer-term sustainable planning and commissioning for the sector, and officials will take forward plans to develop a new national guidance framework.

Question reference: S6W-30174

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase funding for hospices in order to support staff wage increases.

The Scottish Government is keen to support independent hospice organisations where possible. I recently met with the chair of the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group, and Hospice UK to discuss this matter. I have agreed that officials will work with the sector to understand estimated costs on increased funding associated with staff wage increases in line with Agenda for Change (AfC) uplifts.

However, it is for Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to govern, plan and resource adult palliative care in their areas, including independent hospice care, using the delegated budgets under their control. We would encourage hospice colleagues to continue to engage with IJBs to help ensure that the needs of the local population are met.

Question reference: S6O-03826

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the reported reduction in the number of legal aid solicitors.

Question reference: S6W-30099

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the impact of the current £10 occasional licence fee on local authorities' ability to cover any direct and indirect costs of administering licences, and, if so, what conclusions were drawn.

Question reference: S6W-30098

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the £10 occasional licence fee was last reviewed, and what factors were considered in determining the current fee level.

The purpose of the occasional licence is to cater for events which take place on premises which are not 'fully' licensed but feature the sale of alcohol. These include events arranged for the benefit of local communities such as local community fetes, wedding receptions and arts events. The Licensing (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (SSI 2007/553) set the fee for making an occasional licence application at a flat rate of £10 for all applicants. While the supporting documents for SSI 2007/553 do not make clear the reasons for setting the fee at £10, it may be one reason is the nature of those who seek occasional licences are often charitable organisations within local communities.

As noted in the answer to question S6W-30096 on 1 October 2024, the Scottish Government previously consulted in 2019 on whether the current £10 occasional licence fee should be reviewed, and also whether the Scottish Ministers should make regulations setting limits on the number and duration of occasional licences granted.

A summary of the responses received to the consultation can be viewed on the Scottish Government website.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-30096

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received any representations from local authorities, other than South Ayrshire Council's Licensing Board, requesting a review of the occasional licence fee, and what its response has been to any such requests or concerns.

The administration of the alcohol licensing regime in Scotland, as set out in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 is devolved to independent Licensing Boards. This is, in effect, the 32 Scottish local authorities. They undertake their day-to-day duties within the licensing legal framework.

In 2019 the Scottish Government consulted on whether the current £10 occasional licence fee should be reviewed, and also whether the Scottish Ministers should make regulations setting limits on the number and duration of occasional licences granted.

Those Licensing Boards that responded to the consultation generally commented that the £10 fee did not cover the administrative costs of processing occasional licence applications. Some Boards also highlighted the burden that the processing of these applications places on them. Some concerns were expressed by respondents in terms of any reforms avoiding any undue impact on certain events where occasional licences are regularly sought e.g. local gala days.

In total seventy six responses were received to the consultation, with sixty six respondents consenting to the publication of their response online. Those published responses, including from Licensing Boards, can be viewed on the Scottish Government Citizen Space website.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with local authority Licensing Board representatives through direct engagement with the Society of Local Authority Lawyers and Administrators in Scotland (SOLAR) about a variety of licensing policy issues, including the occasional licence fee and wider policy changes to the occasional licence regime. The Scottish Government is planning further engagement in the next few months with SOLAR and other licensing stakeholders to consider how policy in respect of occasional licences can be developed including assessing the various views offered.

Question reference: S6W-30097

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the £10 occasional licence fee, in light of reported concerns by South Ayrshire Council's Licensing Board regarding the fee's inadequacy in covering the administrative costs of larger events.

Question reference: S6W-29813

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ending of the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot, what alternative incentives it is considering to encourage the use of public transport over car travel.

I have instructed ScotRail to offer a 12 month 20% reduction on the price of weekly, monthly and annual season tickets also to amend the Flexipass terms so it offers 12 return journeys for the same price as 10.

Passengers will be able to make significant savings with these discounted products.

For example, in the Member’s constituency, if someone travels between Ayr and Glasgow at least 4 days a week, the equivalent of the daily return with an annual season pass would be £11.48, and £9.18, if they commute 5 days a week, which in both cases is lower than the off peak fare of £13.40 or £20.10 - the new all day fare. For those traveling less regularly, flexipass could be an option to consider, with this pass a return journey would cost an equivalent of £13.62.

It would be most welcome if the Member could help promote these discounts to her constituents.

Question reference: S6W-29809

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering the introduction of a centralised and up-to-date data collection system for school absences.

The legal responsibility for ongoing data collection on attendance and absence from schools rests with education authorities. This information is collected on behalf of education authorities by the SEEMiS system, managed by the SEEMiS Group.

The Scottish Government collects and publishes Accredited Official Statistics on the attendance and absence of pupils from schools. These statistics include analysis of attendance rates by pupil characteristics, reason for absence and rates of persistent absence. Beginning with the 2024-25 school year these statistics will be collected and published on an annual basis.

Question reference: S6O-03793

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what compensation is available for any families that are paying for private urgent dental treatment due to delays in accessing NHS treatment.