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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.

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Question reference: S6W-36606

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the amount saved by (a) visitors, (b) patients and (c) staff in the NHS (i) Dumfries and Galloway and (ii) Borders area since the abolition of car parking charges at NHS premises in 2008.

Question reference: S6W-36607

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what costs have been incurred through the discretionary housing payments that were aimed at mitigating the so-called bedroom tax in the (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) Scottish Borders local authority area since 2013.

Question reference: S6W-36604

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what costs have been incurred by the R100 broadband upgrade programme in the (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) Scottish Borders local authority area, and what assessment it has made of potential further R100 spend in this area.

Question reference: S6W-36605

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many P1-5 pupils in the (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) Scottish Borders local authority area are eligible for universal free school meals.

Question reference: S6W-36427

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many baby boxes have been issued in the NHS (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) Borders area since (i) their introduction and (ii) 31 March 2024.

Question reference: S6W-36428

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the introduction of baby boxes on parents in (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6W-36145

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jim Fairlie on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on publication of the UK Pesticides National Actional Plan.

The UK Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP) was published on 21 March 2025.

The NAP is a UK-wide document which sets out the shared ambition of the Scottish Government, Defra, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. It aims to minimise the risks and impacts of pesticides to human health and the environment, while ensuring that our land managers in the agriculture, horticulture and amenity sector have effective tools to manage pests and pesticide resistance.

Supporting uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is central to the actions set out in the NAP. This includes targeting use of conventional chemical pesticides to when environmentally and economically justified. It also includes equipping pesticide users with the knowledge and support needed to adopt a range of sustainable crop protection practices, including innovative precision application technologies, to continue to reduce the use of conventional chemical pesticides whilst retaining the ability to address the crop protection challenges arising from climate change. The NAP also commits to improving and supporting compliance with regulations to ensure that pesticides are used safely.

Measuring progress is a key commitment of the NAP and as such sets the first domestic reduction target for pesticides in the UK, with an aim of reducing a suite of representative pesticide load indicators by 10% by 2030. The target is designed to measure progress against reducing environmental pressure from pesticides, rather than representing a simple usage reduction target. This reduces the potential for unintended consequences, which could risk the removal of important tools for farmers, growers and other land managers. The NAP sets a target for the arable sector, using data from the existing pesticide usage surveys, but also acknowledges that we want to improve our understanding of the nature of pesticide use in the amenity and amateur sectors in future.

We welcome publication of this plan, which commits us to measuring our progress over the next five years, and we look forward to working with stakeholders during the implementation of these actions.

The plan can be viewed at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-pesticides-national-action-plan-2025.

Question reference: S6O-04411

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the new deal for agriculture and its agricultural support schemes will aim to support the dairy sector.

Question reference: S6W-35349

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 February 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the Scottish Hospital’s Inquiry’s investigations into the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Edinburgh.

The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry concluded its hearings on the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Edinburgh (RHYCP/DCN) last summer. Today, the Chair of the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, Lord Brodie, published his interim report. I would like to thank Lord Brodie and all the members of the Inquiry for their dedication in delivering this report and I am extremely grateful to the many witnesses, especially patients and families, who have provided evidence to the Inquiry’s hearings. I welcome the progress made by the Inquiry in delivering this report. In line with the requirements of the Inquiries Act 2005, the report has been laid in Parliament.

The report totals more than 370 pages and makes 11 recommendations. It is now important that the Scottish Government takes the time to reflect on the findings of the report and to consider and respond to each of its recommendations. Subject to the agreement of Parliament, I will make a statement to Parliament on the report soon.

The Scottish Government also recognises that this report does not represent the conclusion of the Inquiry. Its investigations into the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow (QEUH) continue with further hearings due to start in May 2025. It is vital that the work of the Inquiry continues so that patients, families and all those affected have the answers that they deserve.

Question reference: S6O-04398

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support increased levels of sport and physical activity in Dumfries and Galloway.