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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: S5O-01803

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when 100% of premises in the Scottish Borders will have access to superfast broadband.

Question reference: S5W-14224

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the guidance based on the Human Medicines (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 was issued to (a) education authorities, (b) schools and (c) NHS boards in Scotland.

The Scottish Government published Guidance on Supporting Children and Young People with Healthcare Needs in Schools on 20 December 2017. This includes guidance on schools' powers to hold salbutamol inhalers and, more recently, adrenaline auto-injectors for use in emergency situations. The guidance is available on the Scottish Government's website through the following link: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/12/3694/0.

Question reference: S5F-02026

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2018

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take to protect politicians and candidates from abuse.

Question reference: S5W-13990

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on asking retailers to sign up to a voluntary ban on acid sales to people under 18.

There was a recent UK-wide consultation on new statutory proposals in relation to corrosive substances which, at the request of the Scottish Government, extended to Scotland. This consultation ended in December 2017 and the views offered will inform consideration of next steps for Scotland. Legislation in this area would likely touch on both reserved and devolved matters with decisions on next steps being a matter for both the Scottish Government and the UK Government.

The Scottish Government understands that a number of UK retailers have applied the voluntary ban in Scotland as well as England and Wales and this action has the support of the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5O-01755

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the Berlin and Brussels trade hubs are expected to open.

Question reference: S5W-13944

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 30 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government which groups of people are eligible for oxygen on prescription.

Question reference: S5W-13988

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to protect the 160 historic sites that have been reported by Historic Environment Scotland as being at high risk.

A scheme of delegation by the Scottish Ministers delegates the conservation and management of the properties in the care of Scottish Ministers to Historic Environment Scotland. I welcome their publication of a Climate Change Risk Assessment which informs publication of an Asset Management Plan under the terms of the scheme. This is expected in February and will assist with the prioritisation of investment across the properties. During the past two financial years I have secured additional capital funding of around £6 million in support of conserving and managing the properties. Managing the threats that climate change brings is a challenge for all and I am pleased that HES continues to lead the field in understanding the impacts on the historic environment. The Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland will be happy to provide further operational information.

Question reference: S5W-13987

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much it would cost to extend concessionary travel passes to people in rural areas up to age 26 who are in (a) further education and (b) the first year of employment.

Question reference: S5W-13989

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it aims to increase diversity in the culture sector.

Culture contributes to the development of a fairer and more diverse Scotland and as a Government we are committed to tackling inequality and making Scotland a stronger, fairer, more inclusive society, including within the culture sector.

We are developing a Culture Strategy for Scotland in collaboration with individuals, artists, cultural organisations and communities across the country which will ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from cultural engagement. We will work with the sector to encourage increased diversity.

Creative Scotland funds, develops, influences and advocates for the arts, screen and creative industries throughout Scotland. All these functions are underpinned by their commitment to equalities, diversity and inclusion. Creative Scotland have undertaken a major Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Review both in Creative Scotland and in the sectors they support. Creative Scotland consulted widely and supported further activity to deliver their Equality Outcomes, improving the mainstreaming of EDI policy and practice in all Creative Scotland activities, and in those they fund. They now require all their funded organisations to have Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plans in place as a condition of funding, and they are supporting organisations to be ambitious in the delivery of EDI. The EDI Review has been a comprehensive process resulting in revised EDI Outcomes 2017-21 being published including a focus on four revised outcomes and key actions being taken to support them along with a plan on measuring progress against them.

Creative Scotland's EDI Report was published last year and sets out the progress Creative Scotland are making to mainstream equalities and deliver their Equality Outcomes to 2017. This may be found here:- http://www.creativescotland.com/resources/our-publications/policies/equalities-in-creative-Scotland

Question reference: S5W-13993

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to engage with The Environment Agency regarding the consultation on the regulation of the Solway, Eden and Esk Fisheries.

Scottish Government officials held discussions with colleagues in the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) prior to Christmas regarding the Agency’s assessment of salmon and sea trout stocks in the Solway, Eden and Border Esk rivers and their plans to consult on new byelaws to manage the fisheries on those rivers.

The Agency’s consultation launched on 25 January and will close on 16 February 2018. Officials are examining the proposals in detail and will continue to engage with the Agency as they consider the way forward.