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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: S5W-03680

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03143 by Fergus Ewing on 5 October 2016, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding what minimum speed of broadband will be available by 2021.

Question reference: S5W-03233

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 12 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme: An independent assessment for the Scottish Parliament, and what plans it has to implement the report's recommendations.

I welcome the report from the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change which we commissioned in 2015.

The Government will consider the Sub-Committee's advice and recommendations for inclusion in our next Climate Change Adaptation Annual Progress Report, due in May 2017. Further recommendations will be taken into account in drafting the second Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme, due for publication in 2019.

Question reference: S5W-03232

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 12 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recommendations in the report, Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme: An independent assessment for the Scottish Parliament, what plans it has to (a) address insufficient data on progress made and (b) implement an effective monitoring regime and timetable of delivery across government directorates.

We will consider the areas highlighted in the report which recommend the need for further data on progress and work with stakeholders such as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Planning Authorities, Scottish Natural Heritage, National Health Service, Health Protection Scotland, Scottish business representatives and Scottish Water to improve these datasets.

The next Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme, due in 2019, will take into account the recommendation to 'introduce an effective monitoring and evaluation regime, to allow the impact of actions and delivery of each objective to be fully assessed'. This work will be undertaken by Scottish Government in collaboration with a range of relevant stakeholders including ClimateXChange - Scotland's centre of climate change science expertise.

Question reference: S5W-03142

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the minimum broadband speed of 10 Mbps that has been suggested by the UK Government under the proposed universal service obligation.

Question reference: S5W-03129

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the finding in the report, HMICS Crime Audit 2016, that some crime is being displaced and is now taking place online, and how it is working with Police Scotland to improve capabilities to identify, record, and investigate cybercrime.

The increasing use of the internet offers greater opportunities for criminals to conduct their activity at a distance from their intended victims. Police Scotland is investing significant funds in developing its cybercrime infrastructure through the development of a network of state of the art hubs to ensure that knowledge and skills are maintained to a high level.

It is essential that Police Scotland has all available resources at its disposal to support its efforts to combat the ever increasing threat of cybercrime. It is therefore critical that Police Scotland continues to be able to access the support and expertise available from the European Cybercrime Centre at Europol.

Question reference: S5W-03130

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of online child sexual abuse there have been in each year since 2013.

The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Government publishes annual National Statistics on both sexual crimes recorded by the police and convictions in court, however the data we receive is based on a simple count of all crimes and convictions and we cannot distinguish whether these cases both involve children and have an online element. Furthermore one case or incident can involve multiple recorded crimes or convictions or vice-versa.

Question reference: S5W-03127

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what strategy it has developed in cooperation with Police Scotland to counter cybercrime.

Question reference: S5W-03143

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the First Minister on 25 May 2016 (Official Report, c. 9), regarding broadband access that “by 2021, we intend to reach 100 per cent of premises across the country”; what minimum speed of broadband will be available by 2021, and what plans it has to increase speeds beyond then.

The Scottish Government is committed to extending superfast broadband access to 100 per cent of premises across Scotland by 2021.

Beyond this, we are working with Scottish Futures Trust to develop our World Class Digital Infrastructure programme. This is looking beyond immediate coverage priorities and taking a longer term view, with the aim of ensuring that Scotland has the underlying infrastructure that can support the future evolution of digital technologies – whether from superfast to ultrafast networks, or from 4G to 5G. This work is identifying key infrastructure requirements, assessing commercial models and determining how the public sector most effectively stimulate commercial investment and activity in these areas.

Question reference: S5W-03141

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding (a) the services that could be requested under, (b) the timetable for the delivery of, and (c) other matters in relation to the proposed universal service obligation.

The Scottish Government has responded to both the UK Government and Ofcom consultations regarding the introduction of a proposed broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO). In addition letters have been written to the UK Government and Ofcom, urging them to establish a Working Group involving the Devolved Administration to oversee the design of the proposed USO for broadband. I also recently met with Sharon White, Chief Executive of Ofcom, at which the broadband USO was discussed.

Question reference: S5W-03140

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the potential impact of the proposed universal service obligation on its plans to roll out superfast broadband to 100% of premises.

The potential impact of the UK Government’s Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband cannot be fully assessed until there is greater clarity on how it will be delivered across the UK. Ofcom is expected to publish its initial findings by December 2016. We have proposed to the UK Government and Ofcom that, in advance of this, they establish a Working Group involving the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations, to explore these issues and ensure alignment.

If designed effectively, the USO could help ensure that every part of the UK has an underlying fibre infrastructure that supports a range of technologies capable of delivering a 10Mbps service initially; but one that is dynamic and future-proofed, keeping pace as technology and service capabilities grow. As such, if designed in this way the USO could usefully support our plans to extend superfast access to 100% of premises.