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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-16214

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland's tweet of 19 March 2023, which stated that "A new Emergency Alert mobile phone warning service is being trialled in Scotland from today by the Scottish Government", whether it told Police Scotland that the trial of the UK-wide Emergency Alert system was a Scottish Government-initiated trial.

The Scottish Government has been clear in its communication with partners and stakeholders that the Emergency Alerts System is fully funded and owned by the UK Government; and that the Scottish Government has agreed to participate in a trial coordinated by UK Government, recognising that the content of any alerts issued in Scotland is likely to be in relation to devolved matters.

Police Scotland’s tweet of 19 March 2023 included a link to a post on the main Scottish Government account which directed viewers to the dedicated UK Government Emergency Alerts web pages.

The introductory paragraph on those pages states: “Emergency Alerts is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby.”

The Scottish Government continues to engage with UK Government and other UK nations, Scottish partners and stakeholders to ensure that the information about the trial is accurate and shared widely.

Question reference: S6W-16532

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many assaults there have been on NHS staff in psychiatric units in each year since 2018, broken down by NHS board, and how many of these assaults resulted in the admission to hospital of the assaulted individual.

Question reference: S6W-16796

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when regulations will be introduced regarding (a) a fireworks licensing system, (b) restricting the days on which the sale and use of fireworks will be permitted and (c) fireworks control zones.

Due to the ongoing unprecedented challenging financial context the timetable for delivery of the remaining measures in the act has been revised in order to effectively fund the development and delivery of each provision. While full implementation of the Act will take place over a longer period of time, the revised timings will continue to deliver clear, tangible incremental progress, subject to parliamentary process:

Firework Control Zone provisions will commence in advance of bonfire night 2023 as originally planned. Guidance for local authorities on how to consider and designate zones will be published to coincide with the powers coming into force.
The personal fireworks licensing scheme will begin operating in autumn 2024 at the earliest – work is currently underway to procure and develop the IT system for this
The implementation of the restricted days of supply and use provisions is paused to a future financial year. This includes the compensation regulation making power, which is attached specifically to restricted days of supply.

We will continue to monitor and evaluate the impact of each of the provisions as they are delivered to encourage the safer use of fireworks and reduce firework related harm and injury.

Question reference: S6W-16067

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will send representatives to the Scottish Pollinators Conference 2023 on 15 June.

The third Scottish Annual Pollinator Conference on 15 June 2023 is an online only event organised and staffed by our conservation agency, NatureScot. The 2023 theme is monitoring, with the intention of highlighting pollinator monitoring schemes, and, in line with our final draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, published in December 2022, demonstrating the necessity of monitoring for a better understanding of the status of our pollinating insects and wider biodiversity. Scottish Government policy officials will attend the conference.

Question reference: S6W-16797

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its review of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

A Short Life Working Group made up of stakeholders including Police Scotland, COPFS, Royal Mail, the Communication Workers Union, Scottish Community Safety Network and the Scottish SPCA was established last year to assist with taking forward the Scottish Government’s commitment to review the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (“the 1991 Act”).

The Scottish Government led working group has undertaken its review of the 1991 Act. The Scottish Government is now considering the wide range of views offered to determine what may be appropriate as next steps.

Question reference: S6W-16819

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scotland-relevant findings contained in the know.space report commissioned for the UK Space Agency, Size & Health of the UK Space Industry 2022, which was published on 28 March 2023.

The latest report highlights the continuing significance of Scotland’s contribution to the UK space industry, making up 18% of the total workforce.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to supporting our burgeoning space sector identified as a priority in both our Inward Investment Plan and the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

And it is that commitment that helped Mangata Networks choose to locate its state-of-the-art engineering and operations hub for satellite manufacturing and over 500 high skilled jobs in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-16712

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister plans to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

The Coronation is a significant moment and a range of community led events will take place across Scotland to mark the occasion.

The Scottish Government is supporting the Lord Lyon King of Arms to ensure that Scottish Lord Lieutenants and Local Authorities are kept informed of opportunities to be involved in and offer support to those celebrations.

In addition, the Scottish Government has ensured that the people of Scotland will have the opportunity to mark the Coronation by the proclamation of an additional bank holiday which falls on the 8 May.

The First Minister will also represent the people of Scotland when he attends the Coronation at Westminster Abbey on 6 May.

The Scottish Government is also supporting the Lord Lyon’s plan to hold a Service of Dedication and Thanksgiving for The King to be held in Edinburgh later in the year.

Question reference: S6O-02133

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society chief executive that the festival faces an “existential threat”.

Question reference: S6W-16448

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 19 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15827 by George Adam on 23 March 2023, whether it will provide an update on progress towards the objectives outlined in the FOI Improvement Plan, including the 95% target on compliance with timescales.

Work on the FOI Improvement plan continues to be a priority for the Scottish Government. Progress has been made in a number of areas contained in the Improvement Plan to strengthen internal processes and delivery of this statutory function. In his evidence to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee on 23 March the Scottish Information Commissioner noted that unlike most other Scottish public authorities, the Scottish Government has seen a sustained increase in FOI request volumes since the pandemic. The Scottish Government is continuing to see persistent yearly increases in numbers of FOI requests. Efforts are therefore also underway to establish a sustainable case-handling model for the Scottish Government.

Revised guidance for case handlers is now live and this is complimented by increased case handler training, as well as a push on the mandatory FOI awareness training for all staff. Officials are also undertaking internal audits on cases ensuring that responses comply with our internal control and assurance procedures as agreed with the Commissioner. Lessons learned are being shared widely and several directorates are undertaking local improvement activity with advice and assistance from trained Quality Improvement practitioners.

FOI performance figures are published on a monthly basis on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/freedom-of-information-foi-reporting/ . The Scottish Government remains committed to the principles of open and transparent government.

Question reference: S6W-16058

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 19 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Ayrshire and Arran have been treated by an ear, nose and throat specialist for a condition caused by (i) cocaine use and (ii) any other nasal drug consumption in each year since 2013.