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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: S6O-00684

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is offered to patients and authorised escorts who need to travel significant distances for medical appointments.

Question reference: S6W-04548

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date its review of arrangements for the provision of financial support for patient travel will commence.

Question reference: S6W-05235

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that only a small amount of people have engaged a local provider to apply for their R100 interim voucher, what communication it has made with eligible households in the Western Isles to inform them of the impending deadline for doing so.

The interim voucher portion of the Reaching 100% Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) has been extended by three months, taking the closure date from 31 December 2021 to 31 March 2022. This extension was announced via a news release and Digital Scotland social media accounts on 1 December 2021, and was subject to positive coverage across local and national news outlets. I also publicly announced the extension during Portfolio Questions on 9 December 2021.

All information on the Scotland Superfast website, including FAQs, has subsequently been updated. Officials have also briefed Scottish Local Authorities – including Comhairle nan Eilean Siar – on this.

We are planning further promotional activity in early 2022 to make members of the public aware of the impending deadline.

Question reference: S6O-00606

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken to change electricity levy schemes to tackle fuel poverty in rural and island areas of the north of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-04871

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how a commissioning model for the National Care Service would account for a situation where the majority of services available to commission are those provided by one organisation, for example, by a local authority.

The consultation on the National Care Service closed on 2 November 2021. We are currently analysing the consultation responses and will develop specific policy proposals, including on commissioning, once that analysis has been completed.

There is a commitment to co-design of a future National Care Service with people with lived and living experience of social care support, including those who access care, carers and care workers. The geography and demography of Scotland, including the unique circumstances of islands, will need to be central to that future co-design process.

Question reference: S6W-05101

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angus Robertson on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will report on the outcome of the recent summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in Cardiff.

On 19 November 2021, the Welsh Government hosted a summit meeting of the British-Irish Council. The meeting was attended by Ministers from all of the Member Administrations with Guernsey joining virtually, and was chaired by the First Minister of Wales. The First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy represented the Scottish Government in person, and I attended virtually.

The meeting focused on Indigenous, Minority and Lesser Used Languages (IML) with particular regard to Early Years learning. The use of these languages was encouraged at the summit with First Minister Drakeford speaking in Welsh for large parts of the proceedings. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy gave an update on Scotland’s Economic Recovery from Covid in Gaelic, with simultaneous translation being provided for those present.

A meeting between portfolio ministers of the BIC administrations took place on the topic of IML ahead of the summit on Wednesday 17 November where the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills represented the Scottish Government.

The Council reflected on the latest political developments across their jurisdictions, and took the opportunity to engage on a number of topics of mutual interest, including the economy, trade, ongoing relations with the EU and the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). Ministers discussed the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the progress of post-pandemic recovery programmes.

The Communiqué that was issued by the British-Irish Council after the meeting can be found on its website at: Thirty Sixth Summit - Wales - 19 11 21.pdf (britishirishcouncil.org)

Question reference: S6W-04632

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what areas of activity of David MacBrayne Ltd and CalMac Ferries would typically be considered appropriate for an Island Communities Impact Assessment under the duties of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

Question reference: S6W-04589

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it can make to the UK Government in response to reports that some businesses in Scotland are facing difficulties supplying smoked salmon direct to customers in the EU via mail order, with shipments, sometimes with accompanying health certificates, being delayed or rejected by customs officials, in light of reported assurances by the UK Government that such certificates should not be required for shipments of up to 20kg.

The Scottish Government has a number of ways to engage with UK Government on trade matters and has championed the interests of Scottish seafood exporters throughout the EU exit and trade negotiations process. That work continues through the Scottish Seafood Industry Action Group.

The issue of delayed or rejected smoked salmon consignments has not been raised with the Scottish Government directly. I wrote to the member on 2 December 2021 to seek further information and to put the affected business(es) in touch with my officials directly.

Question reference: S6O-00494

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies across government will support island communities to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00477

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it anticipates the new SpeakGaelic language learning initiative will help increase the number of people speaking Gaelic and make learning the language more accessible.