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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-17106

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to extending its Inclusion Health Action in General Practice programme to include deprived communities outside of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

Inclusion Health Action in General Practice is a new programme, which will be evaluated. In the first instance funding will be targeted to practices in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde due to it having the most widespread blanket deprivation in Scotland. 81 of the 100 practices serving Scotland’s most deprived communities are within greater Glasgow and Clyde.

It is essential that we monitor this first full year so we are sure that this new programme is being delivered effectively for patients, staff and services. If funding is identified for future years, we intend to expand IHAGP to practices in other areas of high deprivation and incorporate lessons learned from practices in Glasgow this year.

Question reference: S6W-17261

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the consequences of climate change were factored into the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4).

NPF4 encourages, promotes and facilitates development that adapts to the current and future impacts of climate change so that our places are more resilient. Our response to climate change has shaped the long-term spatial strategy and national developments and Policy 1 gives significant weight to the climate and nature crises in all plans and decisions. Policy 2 in NPF4 sets out that development proposals will be sited and designed to adapt to current and future risks from climate change, and development proposals to retrofit measures to existing developments that reduce emissions or support adaptation to climate change are also supported.

Question reference: S6W-17083

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in providing the powers to local authorities to introduce a Transient Visitor Levy.

Question reference: S6W-17084

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it has met since January 2022 to discuss its plans to introduce the power for local authorities to implement a Transient Visitor Levy.

Ministers and Scottish Government officials have discussed matters relating to the forthcoming Visitor Levy Bill with a wide range of stakeholders including the Association of Scotland's Self Caterers, UK Hospitality, the Scottish Tourism Alliance, the B&B Association, the Scottish Guesthouse and B&B Alliance, the European Tourism Association, Edinburgh Hotels Association, COSLA and individual councils, Visit Scotland and also a number of other relevant organisations and individuals covering a broad range of interests ranging from companies operating significant visitor attractions to Police Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-17077

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Culture and Major Events Directorate has had with (a) ScotRail and (b) Transport Scotland, regarding planning for rail services during the Edinburgh festivals in 2023.

There have been no recent discussions between the Scottish Government Culture and Major Events Directorate (a) ScotRail and (b) Transport Scotland.

However Culture and Major Event Officials, along with relevant transport stakeholders, routinely take part in the multi-agency Events Planning and Operations Group (EPOG) dealing with Summer Events. EPOG is run by the City of Edinburgh Council as the lead planning authority in respect of Summer Events within Edinburgh, such as Edinburgh Festivals.

Outwith Edinburgh, Transport Scotland continue to discuss planning arrangement for major events with transport deliver partners and key stakeholders through quarterly Major Events Planning meetings in addition to regular event specific meetings.

In addition, ScotRail is required under the terms of its grant agreement to use all reasonable endeavours to provide for reallocation of Passenger Carrying Capacity to serve Special Events.

Question reference: S6W-17076

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the cost of living crisis on the Edinburgh festivals in 2023.

The Scottish Government recognises the profound impact the current cost crisis is having across Scotland.

While we have had to make difficult choices to live within budgets, we have also listened to the concerns raised by the wider culture sector across Scotland and the specific challenges Edinburgh festivals continue to face.

As referred to in the answer to question S6W-11081 on 29 September 2022, the Scottish Government will remain in an honest and open dialogue with the festivals organisers in an ongoing assessment of their individual situations to establish how best to assess the impact of issues impacting festivals, offer appropriate support where possible and use what levers we can to mitigate the various issues related to rising costs, while ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable in our society.

As well as our support to the culture sector and Edinburgh festivals during previous years, the Scottish Government have confirmed that fourteen major festivals in Edinburgh and Glasgow will receive a share of this year’s £1.8 million EXPO Fund.

Since the fund was established by the Scottish Government in 2007, the EXPO fund’s aim remains to build innovation across the Edinburgh festivals, support domestic performances and maximise national and international opportunities for the artists contributing to the festivals to find new audiences further afield.

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-16824

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, following the latest ministerial reshuffle, which minister now has responsibility for refugees from Ukraine.

Question reference: S6W-16898

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many Cabinet meetings took place in 2022, and how many times the Lord Advocate attended such meetings.

Question reference: S6W-16823

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, following the First Minister's appointment, whether it plans to continue publishing its Building a New Scotland series.

Question reference: S6W-17277

Current Status: Withdrawn