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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: S6W-07142

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether statutory sick pay is sufficient support for people who are required to self-isolate due to COVID-19, and who do not qualify for the Self-isolation Support Grant and who care for one or more dependants, and what the basis is for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Government supports the Real Living Wage. As statutory sick pay is reserved to Westminster the Scottish Government continues to engage with the UK Government to improve on the existing arrangements.

The income eligibility threshold for the Self-Isolation Grant are inclusive of our commitment to the Real Living Wage and are one of the most generous of the four home nation schemes. This ensures those low income workers and their families are supported when being asked to isolation as a result of COVID-19.

Those workers who are not eligible for the Self-Isolation Support Grant may be eligible for an emergency grant from their local authority. Scottish Welfare Fund Crisis Grants are available to all people regardless of their current benefit eligibility. They are specifically designed to provide a safety net when an emergency situation occurs and there is no other way to cover costs.

In addition, support can be provided via the Local Self-Isolation Support Service which is a proactive outbound call service operated by local authorities. The service calls people who are self-isolating, and who are happy to pass on their details. This service helps with support to access food, medication, and other essentials, whilst also signposting to further advice services. Help can be provided by contacting The National Assistance Helpline on 0800 111 4000 which anyone can contact, and operates between 09.00 to 17.00 every weekday.

Question reference: S6W-06652

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30436 by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020, whether it remains committed to the memorandum of understanding that it signed with Heathrow Airport, and what further consideration it has given to withdrawing from it, in light of the reported comments in October 2021 of Lord Deben, the chair of the Climate Change Committee, that “there is not any space for airport expansion”.

Question reference: S6W-06653

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee in its sixth carbon budget advice for the aviation sector that “there should be no net expansion of UK airport capacity unless the sector is on track to sufficiently outperform its net emissions trajectory and can accommodate the additional demand”, what its assessment is of whether this test (a) is currently being met and (b) will be met in the future, and if so, by what date; and what the implications are of this for its memorandum of understanding with Heathrow Airport to support the building of a third runway.

COVID-19 has reduced the number of flights to/from Scotland and resulted in a sharp decrease in aviation emissions. As we work with the aviation sector to restore and grow the connectivity which is essential to Scotland’s economy, we are committed to doing so without restoring previous levels of emissions.

In the short term, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) have the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of aviation. Longer term hydrogen/electric aircraft could play an important role, and we remain committed to working to decarbonise all scheduled flights within Scotland by 2040.

Regarding the implications for Heathrow expansion, it is for the UK Government to respond to the Climate Change Committee recommendations for airports in England. The Scottish Government has been clear that the expansion of the UK’s only global hub airport should deliver economic benefits for all the nations of the UK, which is why the memorandum of understanding remains in place.

Question reference: S6W-06656

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30445 by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2020, in light of its updated Climate Change Plan and the information provided in response to the freedom of information request FOI/19/02661, which suggested that an expansion of Heathrow Airport could lead to an additional 75,000 flights to Scotland's airports over 15 years that would produce 600,000 additional tonnes in emissions, whether it considers that its position on any expansion is compatible with its declaration of a climate emergency and the aims of the updated Climate Change Plan.

Question reference: S6O-00922

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding matching Ukrainian refugees with households in Scotland that have registered under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Question reference: S6W-06655

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport on 15 June 2021 regarding the greenhouse gas emissions statistics, in which it was confirmed that the 2019 emissions target was not met (Official Report, c. 35), what assessment it has made of the potential impact that extra flights to and from Scotland, arising from an expansion of Heathrow Airport, could have on its ability to achieve its targets.

The number of flights operating between Scotland and Heathrow in the future will be determined by demand, capacity, and competition from airlines serving other global hubs and how successful Scotland is in growing direct international connectivity. Similarly the environmental impact of these flights will depend on the type of aircraft and fuel used, with aerospace companies aiming to develop the first zero-emission commercial aircraft by around 2035. Detailed forecasting has not yet been carried out in respect of the possible future scenarios due to the high level of uncertainty around the different variables, for example the long term impact of COVID-19 on travel patterns, including demand for air travel.

Question reference: S6W-06651

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will carry out an assessment of the carbon value of the additional flights between Heathrow Airport and Scotland that would result from building a third runway, as set out in its memorandum of understanding with Heathrow Airport and the information contained in the response to the freedom of information request FOI/19/20661, in light of (a) the UK Government’s revised guidance on carbon valuation, as set out in its policy paper Valuation of greenhouse gas emissions: for policy appraisal and evaluation, published on 2 September 2021, and (b) analysis by the New Economics Foundation, published on 27 January 2022, relating to carbon value and airport expansion projects.

Question reference: S6O-00889

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done by sportscotland and Creative Scotland to provide opportunities for children and young people.

Question reference: S6W-06650

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30445 by Michael Matheson on 5 August 2020, whether it will provide an update on its position regarding whether the number of short-haul flights across the UK should be increased.

Our geography means that air travel plays an important role in providing connectivity within Scotland and to other parts of the UK. It is particularly important to our island communities, enabling access to services and helping deliver our National Islands Plan. In addition, on some domestic routes, flying is a lower emission option than the quickest alternative.

Hydrogen/electric aircraft have the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of domestic aviation and as part of our work to develop an Aviation Strategy we asked for views on how we can best work in partnership with industry to have low/zero-emission domestic air services which meet the needs of communities and help deliver sustainable economic growth. We are now in the process of analysing responses.

Question reference: S6W-06654

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates ministers have met Heathrow Airport since 8 October 2020, which cabinet secretary is currently attending the meetings at six-monthly intervals, and whether it will publish copies of the minutes of these meetings and correspondence since 8 October 2020.

Mr Dey met with Heathrow Airport on the 23 September 2021 and the note of this meeting has been published in response to the freedom of information request FOI/202100255769, which can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202100255769/

This response included a list of all the meetings, calls and correspondence between Scottish Ministers and representatives of Heathrow Airport which have taken place in 2021 until 16 November 2021.

As the Minister for Transport, I will be attending the future meetings with Heathrow Airport on the memorandum of understanding.