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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-23064

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi McAllan on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update following the first meeting of the Storm Babet recovery taskforce.

Following initial discussions between Ministers in the aftermath of Storm Babet, the Deputy First Minister chaired the first formal meeting of the Storm Babet recovery taskforce this morning. It brought together relevant ministers and the Chair of the Tayside Recovery Group to discuss the impact of Storm Babet and any support the Scottish Government can provide for impacted communities working in partnership with local recovery partnerships.

The taskforce agreed a package of Scottish Government support for those suffering from the impacts of Storm Babet. This package will include a £1,500 community recovery payment for individuals whose properties have been flooded, and a £3,000 business recovery grant for businesses impacted by flooding. Grants will be administered by local authorities, further information on when and how to access will be made available in due course.

In addition, support is already available to impacted households and businesses through Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates, with powers available to Councils to exempt households and provide reliefs for impacted properties. Ministers also agreed to an extension of the timeframe to which the Bellwin scheme will apply, which will further support Local Authorities with the cost of recovery. The Scottish Welfare Fund is also in operation to help people in Scotland on low incomes through crisis grants and community care grants. There will also be support for the repair of agricultural floodbanks as well as an additional £50,000 for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) to help bolster the charity’s Flooding Crisis Fund.

This support is in addition to our long-standing annual funding of £42 million and the additional £150 million for flood risk management and £12 million for coastal change adaptation over the course of this parliament.

The taskforce will also consider medium and long term impacts of Storm Babet, and will meet in another two weeks to assess progress.

Question reference: S6W-22898

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by George Adam on 10 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what legislative consent memorandums it anticipates lodging in the Parliament in connection with the legislative programme of the UK Government announced in the King’s Speech on 7 November 2023.

In accordance with the Sewel Convention and in line with Rule 9B of Standing Orders, the UK Parliament should not legislate with regard to devolved matters – that is on matters within the legislative competence of the Parliament, or which change the competence of the Parliament or the Scottish Ministers – without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

Within the legislative programme announced by the UK Government, Bills which appear to give rise to the requirement for the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament are:

Animal Welfare (Livestock Export) Bill
Automated Vehicles Bill
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership Bill
Criminal Justice Bill
Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (carried over) – legislative consent memorandum already lodged
Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill (carried over) – legislative consent memorandum already lodged.

In addition, the following Bills extend to Scotland. The Scottish Government will consider the need for legislative consent when the text of these bills is available, but we do not currently expect they will generate a requirement for a legislative consent motion.

Media Bill
Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill
Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill
Victims and Prisoners Bill (majority of provisions apply to England and Wales)

The Scottish Government will consider the content of all Bills before making its recommendation to the Parliament on legislative consent. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine whether to give or withhold consent.

It is possible that legislative consent may be required for other UK Bills and those will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise.

Question reference: S6O-02654

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is addressing any labour shortages or skills gaps affecting the economy as a result of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-02618

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to further the case for Scottish independence.

Question reference: S6W-22266

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Paul McLennan on 16 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the domestic abuse fund that will provide financial support to women to leave an abusive partner.

I am pleased to announce that a £500,000 pilot fund will be made available this month to support women to leave an abusive partner.

Supporting victim/survivors of domestic abuse is a priority for the Scottish Government and financial uncertainty should not be a barrier to women leaving a relationship with an abusive partner. We are piloting a fund to leave in the 5 local authority areas where there are highest number of presentations to local authorities for homelessness assistance by women due to domestic abuse. These are Glasgow, South Lanarkshire, Edinburgh, North Lanarkshire and Fife.

The Fund to Leave will help to reduce the financial burden of leaving an abusive partner by helping to pay for the essentials women and children need, including rent and clothing.

Question reference: S6O-02588

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is helping to provide capacity for community groups to buy any neglected land in their local communities.

Question reference: S6O-02578

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the Scottish Education Exchange Programme initial test and learn project this year.

Question reference: S6O-02546

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the winter flu and COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Question reference: S6W-19903

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the latest known levels for the starting salary for a police officer in Scotland, and on how this compares to the levels in (a) England and (b) Wales.

Currently in Scotland a new constable will start on a salary of £28,074. In England and Wales the lowest starting salary for a Constable is currently £23,556.

You will wish to note that police pay negotiations are ongoing for 2023-24, therefore salaries for police officers in Scotland will be revised on the conclusion of those negotiations. You should also be aware that the UKG’s decision to accept PRRB’s recommendations in E&W, indicates that salary levels there are also likely to change.

More information on Police Officer salaries in Scotland can be found on the Police Scotland website using the following link: Pay and Grading Structure - Police Scotland .

Question reference: S6W-19396

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the contribution of healthcare chaplains during the COVID-19 pandemic, when new guidance on spiritual care will be published.

I would like to recognise and acknowledge the vital role of spiritual care in supporting individuals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Health Organisation states that "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” and the Scottish Government affirms this statement. The ethos of spiritual care affirms that people are not merely physical bodies requiring mechanical fixing.

The Scottish Government is committed to the delivery of the highest quality of care which takes into consideration what matters most to an individual (including personal values and deeply held beliefs) – as part of this we recognise and affirm that spiritual care is a core part of person-centred care.

As part of our commitment to these aims, we have today published a national framework which will support both health and social care providers to consider, and build on the many opportunities and excellent practice which currently exist in the provision and delivery of spiritual care across Scotland and enhance Scotland’s reputation as world leaders in the development and delivery of spiritual care. The framework is available on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805258858