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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: S5O-03527

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action was taken during the summer recess to secure contracts and future employment at BiFab.

Question reference: S5W-23469

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what recommendations it and its agencies have (a) received and (b) developed for completing the network of special protection areas for Arctic tern, in light of the 2016 Special Protection Area Review finding that provision for this species is inadequate.

The 2016 Special Protection Area review indicated that there is a possible range coverage gap for Arctic tern on the west coast of Scotland. Consideration of whether any west coast locations are suitable for protection of this species will be reviewed after completion of the ongoing breeding seabird census.

The Outer Firth of Forth & St Andrews Bay Complex proposed Special Protection Area includes Arctic tern, and I expect to make a final decision on the designation of this site later this year

Question reference: S5W-23468

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in the light of the climate and biodiversity emergency, what its response is to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive assessment that four out of 15 indicators have achieved Good Environmental Status.

This assessment of progress towards Good Environmental Status is the culmination of a six year cycle during which our ability to manage, monitor, and assess the state of our marine environment has taken a huge leap forward. The assessment has highlighted that, for some elements, there needs to be further improvements to monitoring and management of our seas in order to continue progress towards Good Environmental Status across all themes. Under the UK Marine Strategy an updated monitoring programme needs to be adopted by July 2020, followed by an updated programme of measures by December 2021. Work between the four administrations on these aspects has already begun, and both will be subject to public consultation in due course.

In the meantime the Scottish Government is taking a range of actions to improve the status of the marine environment such as completing the Marine Protected Area network, developing a seabird conservation strategy, and progressing plans to introduce a ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds.

Question reference: S5O-03318

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent reports concerning the awarding of contracts to, and the future of, BiFab.

Question reference: S5O-03165

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Fife and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S5W-22397

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government. further to the answer to question S5O-03056 by Kevin Stewart on 27 March 2019 (Official Report, c. 15), how many accessible homes there are in each local authority area.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the housing needs in their areas, and guidance for the setting of Local Housing Strategy targets, including reporting annually on progress, was published on 29 March at https://www.gov.scot/publications/wheelchair-accessible-housing-target-guidance-note-mhdgn-201902/

Increasing the supply of more wheelchair accessible housing will provide more choice and flexibility for disabled people and their families and contribute to the creation of a fairer and more equal society. The houses that we build now will support this and future generations and help to improve the experience of disabled people in accessing suitable homes in the areas they want to live.

Through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, we provide a range of housing including new build, off the shelf purchases and rehabilitation projects and this is detailed in the affordable housing statistics published quarterly at https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/NewBuild/AHSPtables For new build projects, wherever possible, all affordable homes are built to Housing for Varying Needs standards.

Our annual Outturn Reports publish the percentage of affordable new build completions meeting Housing for Varying Needs standards. Based on information returned, for 2016-17 this shows that 91% of affordable new build units met this standard, rising to 99% in 2017-18. Please see links to these Outturn Reports:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/affordable-housing-supply-programme-out-turn-report-2016-2017/

https://www.gov.scot/publications/affordable-housing-supply-programme-out-turn-report-2017-2018/

Information relating to 2018-19 will be published later on in the year.

We need to ensure that the homes we are building are fit for purpose, not just for now but for the future. The Scottish Government has committed to beginning work on a vision for how our homes and communities should look and feel in 2040, and the options and choices to get there. As set out in this year’s Programme for Government, this includes a commitment to setting new standards around accessibility. Between September and November 2018 we engaged extensively with housing associations, local government, businesses, the third sector, tenants and others to gather initial views. We are currently processing the wealth of material generated in response to this stakeholder engagement.

Question reference: S5O-03056

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many accessible homes have been built since May 2016.

Question reference: S5O-03039

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met ScotRail, and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S5O-03002

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to deal with asbestos-related illnesses, and how it supports people with these conditions.

Question reference: S5O-02893

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what targeted support it has provided to NHS Fife in each year since 2014 to tackle childhood obesity.

The Scottish Government provides annual funding to NHS Boards for child healthy weight.

In 2014-15 and 2015-16 NHS Fife received around £130,000 to deliver these services.

The 2016-17 Budget introduced the Outcomes Framework, a single source of funding to NHS Boards for strategic priorities focussed on prevention and reducing health inequalities - including adult and child weight management. This has provided local flexibility on how best to deploy this resource against clearly defined outcomes.

In addition to this, in 2018-19, the East of Scotland Region – made up of NHS Fife, NHS Lothian and NHS Borders –received an additional £440,000 to work in partnership to begin implementation of the Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Early Detection and Intervention Framework, to enhance the provision of weight management interventions for those with, or at risk of type 2 diabetes. Over the next 5 years NHS Boards will receive a total of £42 million additional funding to deliver this framework.

Childhood obesity is a priority for this government and we expect NHS Boards to work with their partners and agree how best to use their collective resources to improve children’s diet and weight.