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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-32468

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to introducing a compensation scheme for individuals who have installed underfloor foam insulation under the ECO4 insulation scheme.

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a UK Government scheme that is paid for by energy suppliers and administered by Ofgem. It is a requirement of the ECO scheme that installers meet national retrofit standards and provide a guarantee. The UK Government has published advice for homeowners about their consumer rights, if insulation has been wrongly installed or the quality of workmanship and materials is unacceptable. 2.0_Green_home_energy_consumer_guide_FINAL_links.pdf

The design of the ECO scheme is set out in regulations approved by the Westminster Parliament and as directed by UK Ministers. Consumer protection, as well as regulation of the financial services sector and business regulation more generally are reserved matters for the UK Government. Consumer compensation schemes will therefore be a matter primarily for the UK Government to consider.

Scottish Ministers have repeatedly raised our concerns and proposed changes to the ECO scheme to the previous UK Government.

Question reference: S6W-32548

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many attacks by XL bully dogs have been recorded since 1 August 2024.

Question reference: S6W-32549

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been charged with not having an exemption certificate for XL bully dogs, following the change in legislation that came into force on 1 August 2024.

Question reference: S6W-32433

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13815 by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2023, whether Palforzia will be approved as a treatment for peanut allergies through the NHS.

Question reference: S6W-31956

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the scheduling for the R100 scheme will be confirmed to provide specific forecast dates for properties.

The Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme is delivered through three key strands of activity – the over £600 million R100 contracts (North, Central and South), the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) and continued commercial coverage which includes emerging technologies such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connections.

Our address checker at www.scotlandsuperfast.com shows the most recent digital connectivity plans and timescales for residential and business properties across Scotland that are scheduled to receive an improved broadband connection via the R100 contracts. It is not possible to show digital connectivity timescales for the R100 SBVS as this is a demand-led scheme, which means it is up to eligible property owners or residents to decide whether they wish to secure a connection in this way.

Question reference: S6W-31987

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what powers Historic Environment Scotland has to ensure that consultations are sought prior to any emergency demolition of listed buildings, so that the minimum works needed are carried out to make a dangerous building safe.

In the context of unauthorised work and listed buildings, Historic Environment Scotland’s role is advisory. Historic Environment Scotland has no legal powers in relation to enforcement and listed buildings in general, nor in ensuring that consultation occurs or that the minimum works needed to make a dangerous building safe are carried out. Legal powers related to enforcement and listed buildings lie with the planning authority and, in some circumstances, Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-32018

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which third sector organisations it has given funding to since 2023-24, including the current financial year to date, broken down by organisations that received funding from (a) its third sector budget and (b) each portfolio area that has allocated funding to third sector organisations.

Scottish Government grant making is allocated across portfolios to various parts of the third sector to improve a wide range of outcomes. Some Scottish Government funding will be issued through third sector intermediary organisations. Spending is not all specifically classified as to whether or not it is allocated to third-sector organisations to deliver services. Consequently the information requested is not available.

Question reference: S6W-32193

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22849 by Angela Constance on 21 November 2023, whether the "review of the suite of Preparing Scotland guidance" was completed in spring 2024 as proposed, and when any new guidance on responding to emergencies will be published.

The review of the Preparing Scotland guidance has been completed by officials within Civil Contingencies Division in early 2024 as initially planned. Due to a number of competing demands on the time of responder agencies, and a range of other consultations and requests for participation in working groups etc, the draft document has not yet been circulated for consultation and approval. This decision has also been influenced by the fact that the existing guidance is still current, valid and fit for purpose and therefore there is no immediate disadvantage or danger in postponing the circulation in favour of other work. It is expected to consult on the refreshed guidance by summer 2025.

Question reference: S6W-31921

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that people in (a) rural and (b) remote areas have access to special care dentists.

Question reference: S6W-31922

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many special care dentists there are.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on dentists working in NHS dentistry in Scotland who are also registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) as a specialist in special care dentistry.

However, the Public Dental Service (PDS) does provide special care dentistry for their registered patients. Information on the number of PDS dentists in Scotland is available online at: NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence.