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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: S5O-04983

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met The Highland Council and what was discussed.

Question reference: S5W-34229

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what instructions it has given to hospitals in the Highlands and Islands with regard to undertaking (a) routine and (b) priority operations.

In view of the emergence of the new and more virulent variant of the virus and increasing pressures on NHS services as we move through the busy winter period, we have advised Health Boards that they can pause, where necessary, non-urgent elective and routine activity during January and February to help free up capacity to manage these pressures. It has also been made clear to Health Boards that they must maintain urgent elective and vital cancer services including national cancer screening programmes.

However, the expectation remains that Health Boards should continue to provide planned services where these can be delivered safely and effectively, on the basis that these are in compliance with the Framework for Clinical Prioritisation of Elective Care which was published on 16 November 2020.

It is remains of the utmost importance that all Health Boards are fully prepared to respond to Covid cases and that emergency, urgent, maternity and vital cancer services are protected and prioritised.

Question reference: S5F-04740

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 January 2021

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that there is adequate protection for victims of domestic abuse.

Question reference: S5F-04716

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2021

To ask the First Minister what analysis the Scottish Government has undertaken regarding whether the level of police enforcement of emergency COVID-19 regulations is appropriate and the impact this is having on compliance with the restrictions.

Question reference: S5O-04909

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will allocate to support businesses experiencing difficulties due to COVID-19 that do not qualify for current schemes, or for which the assistance is inadequate to meet their needs.

Question reference: S5W-33915

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many virtual prison visits there have been each month since January 2020, broken down by prison.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

The following table provides information on the number of virtual visits that have taken place in each establishment since implementation. The legislation to allow SPS to legally facilitate the new virtual visit model was laid before Parliament on 15 June 2020. Virtual Visits were available in every establishment across Scotland by 29 June 2020.

Establishment	Number of Virtual Visits taken place ( position at end November 2020)
Addiewell	1691
Barlinnie	2185
Castle Huntly	949
Cornton Vale	308
Dumfries	247
Edinburgh	2919
Glenochil	2406
Grampian	838
Greenock	218
Inverness	177
Kilmarnock	994
Low Moss	877
Perth	1336
Polmont	1465
Shotts	1091
Total	17701

Question reference: S5W-33914

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of mobile telephone calls that have been made by prisoners to (a) Samaritans, (b) Breathing Space and (c) other mental health helplines in each month since April 2020, broken down by prison.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

The following table provides information on the number of calls made to the Samaritans by establishment, from the date on which the mobile phones were introduced. At the moment, the Samaritans is the only mental health helpline number available on the mobile phones.

We also do not hold any information in relation to calls made from HMP Kilmarnock as they introduced their own in cell telephony service rather than mobile phones, however individuals in HMP Kilmarnock can access the Samaritans from their phones.

Establishment	Implementation	Calls to Samaritans (up to 18 Nov 2020)
Addiewell	29-07-20	177
Barlinnie	21-07-20	1363
Castle Huntly	22-06-20	12
Cornton Vale	15-06-20	77
Dumfries	25-06-20	60
Edinburgh	16-07-20	1216
Glenochil	30-06-20	307
Grampian	14-07-20	281
Greenock	06-07-20	116
Inverness	29-06-20	41
Low Moss	27-02-20	356
Perth	09-07-20	297
Polmont	17-06-20	737
Shotts	07-09-20	244
Total		5284

Question reference: S5W-33934

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 18 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there has been a delay with the statutory consultation on the merger of Shetland College with Train Shetland and the North Atlantic Fisheries College Marine Centre; by what date the consultation will begin, and how long it will last.

There are no statutory consultation requirements on the Scottish Ministers at this stage in the process. The consultation duties on Scottish Ministers under the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 only apply to incorporated colleges. Shetland College is not currently an incorporated college, so the duties would not be triggered unless it decided to become one. Similarly, if the merged Shetland College wants to be assigned to the University of the Highlands and Islands, then under the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 Scottish Ministers would need to consult on the assignation. This would also require secondary legislation, which would be scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament. The formal business case for the merger has not yet been submitted to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5O-04893

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to the calls for young people living on Scotland's islands to be given first refusal for available housing in order to tackle depopulation.

Question reference: S5W-33709

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many electronic tagging orders have been issued (a) during 2020 to date and (b) from 23 March 2020 to date.

Electronic monitoring provides an important function in monitoring those at various points in the justice system, including for those on release from prison (for HDC or as part of a parole licence), or those on a community order (e.g. Restriction of Liberty Order).

The impact of COVID-19 has been felt across all services within the justice system including within courts and prisons. The number of electronically monitored orders made during this period reflects this.

In response to the specific questions:

(a) the number of all electronically monitored orders (in practice court orders and licences) made between 1 January 2020 and 3 December 2020 is 3569.

A breakdown of the total orders received is 3160 court orders, 390 release from prison (24 of which were released to Scotland from a prison in England or Wales). Additionally 19 orders were imposed by the Children’s Hearing panel.

(b) the number of orders made between 23 March 2020 and 3 December 2020 is 2389.

A breakdown of the total orders received is 2047 court orders, 326 release from prison (18 of which were released to Scotland from a prison in England or Wales). Additionally 16 orders were imposed by the Children’s Hearing panel.