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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: S5W-32556

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for people who are finding it difficult to pay increased domestic heating and power bills as a result of working from home due to COVID-19 restrictions and advice.

The Scottish Government is aware of the increases that many consumers will be seeing to their energy bills as a result of the COVID-19 situation.

In March 2020, we provided an additional £42 million for the Scottish Welfare Fund which provides crisis grants to those in immediate financial need. To widen this support, on October 20th we announced that local authorities will be able to utilise £20 million of this funding flexibly to ensure that those who are not immediately eligible for the Scottish Welfare Fund can access the support they need. In addition, through our Wellbeing and Supporting Communities Funds we are supporting a range of organisations including £432,000 to the Fuelbank Foundation for households at risk of being left without access to energy. Finally, our award winning Home Energy Scotland service continues to provide a range of free advice for anyone concerned about paying their energy bills.

Question reference: S5W-32555

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how the increase in working from home as a result of COVID-19 will impact on fuel poverty levels.

In September we published experimental analysis modelling the potential impact of various aspects of COVID-19 on rates of fuel poverty, including increased energy usage due to being in the home more. The estimates are intended to provide an overall sense of the potential scale of the worst case impact due to different elements of the crisis rather than a precise estimate of the number of affected households. This research has been published on the Scottish Government's website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-house-condition-survey-additional-analysis/ .

Using more space heating through being in the home all day is likely to result in only a small increase in energy costs and, although a possible additional 6,000 households could become fuel poor as a result, this would have little impact on the overall rates of fuel poverty, which would remain the same. However, it is possible that using more energy for cooking, lighting and appliances will increase energy costs by a greater amount and drive more households into fuel poverty. This change on its own could lead to an increase in the fuel poverty rate of around 2 percentage points (a possible additional 41,000 households in fuel poverty).

For people concerned about their energy costs, whether due to homeworking or other reasons, we recommend contacting Home Energy Scotland (HES), the Scottish Government funded energy advice service. As well as providing advice and advocacy support to people struggling to pay their energy bills, HES also signpost or refer people to other Scottish Government funded sources of financial assistance, including the Scottish Welfare Fund and the Fuelbank Foundation. In addition HES act as the gateway to our energy efficiency schemes, which can help households install longer term improvements to make their homes warmer and more affordable to heat.

Question reference: S5F-04488

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 October 2020

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is responding to reports that BiFab is on the brink of collapse.

Question reference: S5W-32258

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government by what date awards from the Grassroots Music Venues Stabilisation Fund will be made.

Awards from the Grassroots Music Venues Stabilisation Fund were announced on 22 September. Disbursement started on 30 September, with all but one award made within two weeks. Almost 60% of awards were made within one week. The majority of those that were not paid within that timeframe were made by 14 October, following the provision of additional information to Creative Scotland. A single award remains to be paid, pending the provision of further information required to enable payment.

Question reference: S5W-32256

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will issue guidance to enable music venues to reintroduce live performances.

Guidance for the performing arts and venues sector, including music venues, on safe re-opening during the coronavirus pandemic was published on 21 August 2020. Depending on their specific circumstances, music venues may also need to reference the guidance for the tourism and hospitality sector.

Guidance is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in the scientific advice available on, for example, singing and playing wind and brass instruments, and changes to measures put in place by government to supress virus transmission. Performing arts venues are not yet able to reopen to live audiences.

Question reference: S5W-32259

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether face-to-face music tuition in homes is permitted under the most recent COVID-19 guidelines.

Private teaching in people’s home is considered a commercial meeting, rather than social, and is permitted subject to the tutor carrying out appropriate risk assessments and implementing mitigations to ensure alignment with relevant guidance.

All of the Scottish Government safer workplaces guidance can be found on our returning to work safely webpage: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-returning-to-work/pages/employers/

In particular, people offering music tuition are encouraged to follow:

the Coronavirus (COVID-19): general guidance for safer workplaces: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-general-guidance-for-safer-workplaces/ ;
the Coronavirus (COVID-19): small and micro businesses guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-small-and-micro-businesses-guidance/ ;
the Coronavirus (COVID-19: guidance for the performing arts and venues sector: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-performing-arts-and-venues-sector/ ;
and, where children are being taught, the Coronavirus (COVID-19): organised activities for children provisional guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-organised-activities-for-children/ .

Question reference: S5W-32103

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the economic and cultural impact of the BBC on Scotland, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the appointment of the new chair of the Corporation, including the role that the Commissioner of Public Appointments will play in the process, and whether it has sought to ensure that the process used (a) is transparent with an open competition criteria and (b) will require any preferred candidate to (i) uphold the BBC Royal Charter and draft Framework Agreement and (ii) fully support the licence fee as the BBC’s funding mechanism.

Given Scottish Ministers’ formal consultative role in reviewing the BBC Charter and our strong interest in its independence and effective governance, I have written to the UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport ahead of the appointments processes at both the BBC and Ofcom. I have reiterated my expectation for fair, impartial and transparent appointment processes that result in the appointment of Chairs who will advance the mission of the BBC and ensure the delivery of its public purposes for all in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-32257

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what planning it is carrying out to support pilot performances for live performance venues and companies.

Following the First Minister’s announcement on 21 September of further measures to protect the population from the spread of COVID-19, the Scottish Government has paused the pilot events programme. Prior to this, discussions had been underway with a number of stakeholders about potential pilots, including live performance venues and companies. Over the coming weeks, the Scottish Government will continue work with stakeholders to restart the pilot events programme when it is considered safe to do so.

Question reference: S5O-04626

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that independent foodbanks have seen at least a doubling in demand for emergency food parcels compared with last year.

Question reference: S5W-31571

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what representation the heritage and museums sector has on the National Partnership for Culture.

As outlined in the National Partnership for Culture’s terms of reference, members were selected based on personal qualities, skills, experience and expertise rather than as representatives of any organisation or sector. There is therefore no representation from the heritage and museums sector per se. However, the Chair of the Partnership continues to liaise with a range of stakeholders from across the culture sector, and, in accordance with its remit, continues to invite non-members to participate in themed discussions.