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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-17052

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any further consideration has been given to the introduction of a mediation bill, in light of the recommendations made in the 2019 report, Bringing Mediation into the Mainstream in Civil Justice in Scotland, which proposed introducing a mandatory requirement on parties to attend a session about mediation, funding options and primary legislation by way of a mediation act.

The Scottish Government response to the recommendations of the Report of the Independent Review of Mediation in the Civil Justice System in Scotland was published in December 2019. As set out in that response, we confirmed our intention to work with key stakeholders on a collaborative basis to fully understand the implications of those proposals in order to assist help shape any potential future legislative reform.

The Scottish Government established a Dispute Resolution Group consisting of key organisations and agencies representing a wide range of interests including dispute resolution organisations, Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service and consumer bodies to develop and shape an evidence-based package of reform aimed at mainstreaming the use of mediation in the civil justice system in Scotland. The Group met in 2020 but the work of the Group ceased due to the combined pressures of responding to Brexit and COVID 19.

The Scottish Government is using its existing powers to provide funding to key Mediation and Arbitration delivery organisations to give our citizens access to flexible, affordable and less stressful means of settling disputes benefitting them and saving time in courts.

We are also working with key stakeholders to continue the expansion of the availability of mediation services across Scotland to ensure access to justice for all our citizens.

Question reference: S6W-16863

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi McAllan on 31 March 2023

To ask what the Scottish Government’s response is to advice received from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) in December 2022 that technical adjustments should be made to Scotland's annual emission targets in the 2020s to ensure such targets are aligned with revisions to international standards in carbon accounting.

Today a document has been laid in Parliament [ref: SG/2023/43] outlining our response to this CCC advice and associated legislation which has been brought forward to adjust our interim statutory target for 2020s for technical reasons.

Scottish Ministers note the CCC advice highlights this is a technical revision - the need for which is anticipated in the Climate Change (Scotland) 2009 Act - and as such does not impact the scale of ambition required to achieve our targets, which from 2030 and beyond remain unchanged.

I will be writing to the Convenor of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee outlining this response to the CCC and the associated legislation that has been brought forward. I will provide a separate response to the CCC’s December progress report.

Question reference: S6W-15893

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 23 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the tender awards for the Climate Just Communities programme, and what percentage of the £36 million Climate Justice Fund will go towards this initiative.

Question reference: S6F-01959

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the AR6 synthesis report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Question reference: S6W-15580

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to undertake a programme of analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as it transitions to net zero.

In the 2021-22 Programme for Government and as part of the Bute House Agreement, the Scottish Government committed to undertake an in-depth analysis to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero. Following a procurement process, EY was appointed as independent contractor to carry out this work and an independent panel provided challenge and scrutiny. Independent Panel members have globally recognised expertise across the oil & gas industry, climate science, the energy sector and Scotland’s economy. They are Laura Cozzi: Chief Energy Modeller, International Energy Agency; Professor Gabi Hegerl: Chair - Climate System Science, University of Edinburgh; Professor Paul de Leeuw: Director of the Energy Transition Institute, Robert Gordon University and Professor Mairi Spowage: Professor of Practice and Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute. Whilst they provided feedback on the outputs and reports throughout their preparation, the panel has remained entirely objective and the report in no way represents the views of the respective panel members themselves, or of their institutions.

Work is now complete and the analysis, which includes a detailed assessment of oil and gas production in Scotland; a study of energy demand; and assessment of the just transition implications of the energy transition has been published on the Scottish Government website today. This work is a significant contribution to the evidence base for future policy making and we are therefore extending the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan by five weeks, to 9 May, to allow stakeholders sufficient time to engage with this material.

Question reference: S6O-01973

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its initial assessment is of any potential impacts that the Windsor Framework may have on Scotland’s economy.

Question reference: S6O-01938

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that Scotland keeps as aligned as possible with European policy developments.

Question reference: S6F-01832

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the future role of women in driving entrepreneurial activity and economic growth, in light of the publication of the report, Pathways: A New Approach for Women in Entrepreneurship.

Question reference: S6W-15223

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 20 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on Ana Stewart’s independent review on women in entrepreneurship.

A report on the findings and recommendations of Ana Stewart’s review will be published on the Scottish Government website on 20 February 2022.

The report “Pathways: A New Approach for Women in Entrepreneurship” sets out a series of recommendations aimed at closing the gender gap in entrepreneurial participation.

The Scottish Government will respond to the review’s recommendations in due course.

Question reference: S6W-15011

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress NHS Lothian has made against the recommendations included in the British Academy of Audiology report to improve the Paediatric Audiology Service to ensure it is both safe and fit for purpose.