Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1294 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6O-01905

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on avian flu in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-14223

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission its statutory environmental agencies to embed the control of the most prolific species, such as grey squirrels, into their operations long-term, in light of reports that non-native invasive species are now recognised as one of the top five drivers of biodiversity loss, and of it making the managing of them a priority in the latest draft of its Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045.

The control of invasive non-native species is already a priority in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy which states that a key aim for the Strategy is that by 2045:

“Harmful invasive non-native species (INNS) will be managed so that established INNS no longer degrade native habitats and species or impede their restoration and regeneration and new introductions are managed quickly and effectively”

The Strategy will be supported by a delivery plan which will set our approach to tackling INNS in Scotland, including the grey squirrel.

NatureScot, the key statutory agency for delivering the Biodiversity Strategy states in its business plan for 2022-23 that it will:

“Deliver invasive non-native species controls and reduce the biodiversity impacts of established invasive non-native species”

Work on the ground at present includes Scottish Government to support the work of Local Action Groups including the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI), an ambitious 5-year partnership project led by NatureScot that is tackling invasive non-native species alongside rivers and water courses in an area of 29,500km2 within northern Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-14224

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission NatureScot to lead on red squirrel conservation and embed grey squirrel control in its operations to ensure a future for the red squirrel in Scotland.

NatureScot has worked with partners on red squirrel conservation, including work to control grey squirrels, for many years. In particular, the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel (SSRS) partnership project has been working in strategic areas to protect, maintain and promote existing red squirrel populations since 2007. With support from project staff, professional Grey Squirrel Officers (GSOs) have been working with volunteers and landowners to deliver strategic grey squirrel control.

NatureScot, Scottish Forestry and Forestry and Land Scotland are currently providing core funding for these roles. It remains a priority for the Scottish Government to ensure the important work undertaken by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels continues.

Question reference: S6W-14444

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much each fit and proper person test, carried out by Police Scotland as part of short-term let licensing applications, costs the service.

Question reference: S6W-14275

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much each fire safety check carried out by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as part of short-term let licensing applications costs the service.

Question reference: S6O-01843

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Creative Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-13815

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to approve Palforzia, a treatment for children with peanut allergies, for use in Scotland, in light of it being available through NHS England.

In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraises the clinical and cost-effectiveness of newly-licensed medicines. Making decisions about whether or not to recommend routine access to new medicines is a complex task and the SMC bases its decisions on the best available evidence provided to it. Following a full submission from the submitting company, Aimmune Therapeutics, on 10 October 2022, the SMC published “not recommended” advice for Health Boards on the routine use of Palforzia ® in NHS Scotland. The submission received did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis to gain acceptance by the SMC.

By way of an update, Aimmune Therapeutics has indicated its intention to make a resubmission to the SMC.If they do, information on the specific timelines for the reassessment will be available via the search facility available on the home page of the SMC’s website here . There is a fast-track resubmission option, which reduces the normal assessment timeline.

In the meantime, Health Boards have procedures in place using the Peer Approved Clinical System “PACS Tier Two” process, for clinicians to request the use of licensed medicines on a ‘case-by-case’ basis for individual patients, when the treating clinician considers that there would be significant clinical benefit for a patient.

Question reference: S6W-13659

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for households in rural areas in Scotland that do not have a mobile or radio signal and cannot therefore install a smart meter and receive any benefits that come with it.

Question reference: S6W-13660

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it (a) can take and (b) is taking to ensure that households that are eligible for a smart meter can install one.

Energy policy, including the rollout of smart meters programme, is a matter reserved to the UK Government.

Smart meters have an important role to play in helping the Scottish Government achieve our aim of increasing energy efficiency across Scotland as well as helping consumers manage their spend on energy. At the recent energy summit chaired by the First Minister, we committed to working with partners to increase the number of households with smart meters in Scotland, with a focus on rural areas, by highlighting the benefits they can deliver in terms of both energy bills and energy efficiency. As part of this work, we will continue to call upon BEIS and Ofgem to take the necessary action to ensure all households eligible for a smart meter have the opportunity to install one in their home.

In the meantime, we will continue to work with our consumer advice and advocacy partners to ensure they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and information to support consumers seeking help on managing or accessing a smart meter.

I would also urge consumers who are struggling with their energy bills to contact Energy Advice Scotland on 0808 196 8660 or at energyadvice.scot.

Question reference: S6W-13550

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of when it will deliver its commitment to roll out a national thrombectomy service that enables approximately 800 stroke patients to receive the procedure each year.

Work is ongoing to establish the most effective means, and timescales, of further expanding access to thrombectomy, including how the increased budget will be best used in recruiting staff to maximise the number of patients able to benefit from this treatment.

By working with National Services Division, we aim to ensure that decisions taken on potential expansions of the thrombectomy service consider the wider access requirements of patients across Scotland and ensure access is as equitable as possible.