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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-30862

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported calls from community groups for a pause on processing planning applications for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), in light of reports that there is currently 100GW of energy storage in the National Grid connection "queue" but the Electricity Systems Operator's Future Energy Scenarios highlighting a UK need for 20GW to 30GW of energy storage by 2035.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) provides modelling of the projected amount of (short duration) battery storage that could be required in the GB system and Scotland. On 5 November NESO published advice to the UK Government on how to achieve Clean Power by 2030. At the same time, NESO also published consultations on the connections queue reform. We are currently considering this advice and modelling, which will inform our approach. We will also consider any measures proposed in the forthcoming UK Government Clean Power Action Plan.

Scotland’s National Planning Framework 4 ensures that the impacts of proposals on communities and nature are important considerations in the decision-making process.

Question reference: S6F-03553

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reported calls to widen access to Scotland’s Redress Scheme to allow survivors of abuse at Fornethy House to seek redress.

Question reference: S6W-30749

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with rail companies whose trains pass through Carstairs railway station but do not stop there about increasing the frequency of rail services from Carstairs.

Question reference: S6W-30750

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to calls for improved regulation of non-healthcare professionals who carry out medical aesthetic treatments, such as Botox and dermal fillers.

Scottish Government officials have been undertaking scoping work with a variety of stakeholders including healthcare professionals (representatives from British College of Aesthetic Medicine and British Association of Cosmetic Nurses), hair and beauty industry representatives, Environmental Health Officers, and Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

This scoping work is informing the development of a consultation that will seek the views of the public on the specific details to ensure that proportionate, robust, flexible and future-proofed further regulation is introduced. This new public consultation will be published by the end of the year.

Question reference: S6W-30748

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are plans to increase rail services from Carstairs railway station.

Question reference: S6O-03889

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported decision by members of the Integration Joint Board of Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership to reject the recommendations of an independent review to re-open the Clenoch Birthing Centre at the Galloway Community Hospital in Stranraer for in-hospital births.

Question reference: S6O-03866

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to fully implement the recommendations of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review in relation to the A77.

Question reference: S6W-30495

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what planning guidance it issues in relation to the proximity of large-scale solar farms to housing.

Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) states that, when considering development proposals for renewable energy generation, potential impacts on communities, nature and other receptors will be important considerations in the decision-making process. NPF4 Policy 11 requires project design and mitigation to demonstrate how impacts on communities and individual dwellings, including residential amenity, will be addressed. All applications are subject to site specific assessments.

Question reference: S6W-30078

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it was aware that workers at companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing sector had been recognised by the Home Office as victims of trafficking when it awarded any funding to those companies.

Question reference: S6W-30076

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what due diligence was carried out prior to it providing any funding to the group of companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on modern slavery in the Scottish fishing sector.