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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-15228

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding SEPA receives annually, and what its position is on whether SEPA has the necessary resources to fully exercise all of its statutory functions in a timely manner.

SEPA’s grant in aid funding from Scottish Government has increased over the last five-year period from £34,936,000 to £41,406,000. SEPA determine the amount of resources allocated to meeting their statutory obligations through their Annual Operating Plan in each year in agreement with the Scottish Government.

SEPA Grant in Aid Funding:

£34,963,000 in 2018-19

£34,425,000 in 2019-20

£37,098,000 in 2020-21

£44,449,000 in 2021/22

£41,406,000 in 2022/23 [figures subject to year end audit]

SEPA operate under statutory frameworks to recover the costs associated with their role as the environmental regulator. The annual income recovered across all charging schemes and other incomes as notified to the Scottish Government was as follows:

Charging scheme & other income:

£47,282,000 in 2018-19

£47,807,000 in 2019-20

£44,901,000 in 2020-21

£46,010,000 in 2022-23 [figures subject to year end audit]

Question reference: S6W-14999

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason evidence generated throughout the year, in particular through prelims, will reportedly not be able to be used to support an appeal when a pupil underperforms on exam day.

Decisions relating to the operational delivery of the qualifications, including appeals, are a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

While alternative approaches were adopted in 2020, 2021 and 2022, these were temporary, emergency measures in response to the pandemic and the specific circumstances in each of those years.

SQA arrived at the appeals approach for 2023 based on an extensive evaluation of the 2022 arrangements and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including parents and learners.

Alternative evidence will be considered if a learner is unable to attend their exam, for example through illness or bereavement or whose performance in the examination may have been affected by personal circumstances, through the Exam Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service.

Question reference: S6W-14899

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what additional support the Scottish Qualifications Authority is providing to Ukrainian pupils in Scotland wishing to sit examinations, including with the translation of exam papers.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has confirmed that the approach for Ukrainian students sitting exams in Scotland is consistent with the approach that is taken for all candidates for whom English is an additional language. Any candidates undertaking SQA external assessments who have English as an additional language may be allowed the use of a bilingual dictionary and have a standard extra time allowance of 10 mins for each hour of any assessment, subject to teacher assessment of the candidate’s needs. The use of the dictionary, and any additional time requested for using the dictionary, should reflect the candidate’s way of working in teaching and learning.

This approach is consistent with that taken by awarding bodies across the rest of the UK.

More widely, Education Scotland has provided resources to help schools and teachers support Ukrainian children’s mental health and wellbeing and to meet their learning needs.

Question reference: S6W-14898

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce planning application costs for retro-fitted solar panels in domestic properties.

Permitted development rights already allow solar panels to be retro-fitted on domestic properties without a planning application, subject to relevant criteria being met. Permitted development rights grant planning permission for specified types of development through legislation. In doing so, they help provide certainty and save the time and expense associated with applying for planning permission.

The permitted development rights for domestic solar panels do not, however, apply to domestic properties located within a conservation area, meaning a planning application is required. This allows the planning authority to consider the potential negative impacts of solar panel installations on the visual amenity and character of the conservation area. Under the new fees regulations introduced by the Scottish Government in 2021, such applications qualify for a 25% reduction of the normal application fee.

The Scottish Government is currently considering potential for extending the permitted development rights for renewable energy installations, including domestic solar panels, in the light of the current climate and cost crises. We will be publishing a consultation on our proposals shortly.

Question reference: S6O-01968

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how its Covid Recovery Strategy is supporting the tackling of health inequalities, including in relation to accessing key services such as dentistry.

Question reference: S6O-01923

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the social justice secretary has had with the health secretary regarding any disproportionate impact on households experiencing poverty, and any other social justice impacts, of the reported lack of NHS dental care provision in some parts of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-13793

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in securing a long-term reliable bus service between Dumfries and Edinburgh.

My officials have been in contact with the relevant local transport authorities in respect of bus services between Dumfries and Edinburgh. Regarding the 101/102 service, Houston's Coaches have had a bid approved by SPT, Scottish Borders Council and Swestrans for 3 years with a start date of 1 April 2023. SPT are currently working with Houston's to finalise the contract. Scottish Ministers, however, do not have the power to intervene directly in the provision of bus services due to the de-regulated bus market, which has operated across the United Kingdom since the 1980s.

Question reference: S6W-13813

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what safety and maintenance checks are required for community-based defibrillators.

Question reference: S6W-13812

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many community-based defibrillators there are in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-13798

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent flooding, what its position is on the reported calls to dredge the River Nith.

Any decision about dredging the River is for the local authority to take forward. In relation to dredging, there are circumstances in which this can be an appropriate measure to reduce the risk of flooding. However, it is important to avoid inappropriate dredging. This is partly to avoid damaging the river environment, but also because dredging and other river engineering work can often prove ineffective, or in some cases counter-productive, as a tool for managing flood risk. The scale of these risks depends on the river characteristics and the design of the works, which is why large scale dredging operations require an authorisation from SEPA under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005.