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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-03505

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the independent expert working group report on achieving a 48-hour working week (without averaging) for junior doctors.

Question reference: S6W-03265

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the commitment in its Programme for Government to deliver £6 million for the regeneration of the Stranraer East Pier and Waterfront.

Question reference: S6O-00236

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its £500 million of funding to modernise the prison estate, including any updates to HMP Dumfries.

Question reference: S6W-03408

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS will continue on the emergency footing that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care previously extended to 30 September 2021.

Once again, I want to thank our health and care staff for their magnificent work to date. Whilst we are beginning to see a reduction in the numbers of new Covid cases, the last few weeks have been enormously difficult and our health and care services are continuing to deal with a challenging combination of issues.

With the continued increased demands on services across health and social care, we must ensure that the vital services provided by our NHS are protected as we move into a challenging winter period. This means we must continue with a measured and consistent approach to remobilising and renewing across our system, learning from the pressures we were subjected to over the last year and maintaining the ability to quickly respond and intervene, where necessary. I am also mindful of the impact of these pressures on our excellent health and care staff, many of whom have been on the frontline of the Covid response for a considerable period.

It is clear that as we move into the winter period, we need to continue to balance the capacity of the NHS to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic against increasing demands of emergency, urgent and planned care and delayed discharges.

With this in mind, I have decided that the NHS will remain on an emergency footing until at least 31 March 2022.

Question reference: S6T-00160

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the impact of the increase in wholesale gas prices on food and energy availability in Scotland, particularly ahead of winter.

Question reference: S6O-00178

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve journey times on the Dumfries-Glasgow and Stranraer-Ayr railway services, to help reduce emissions from the use of other modes of transport.

Question reference: S6W-03046

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress on the Cairnryan Border Control Post project.

Scotland did not vote to leave the EU, but the UK’s departure means that there is now a trade border between Scotland and the EU. While our preference remains to have tariff and barrier free trade with the EU, as a responsible Government, the Scottish Government started work to build a Border Control Post (BCP) to apply devolved sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls on EU goods arriving into Scotland through the Loch Ryan ferry routes from Belfast and Larne. Work began to consider our needs in this regard last autumn, including appropriate engagement and liaison with UK Government. Dumfries and Galloway Council and other devolved administration officials to determine the scope, scale and specification of what might be required as a BCP for these Loch Ryan routes. During this time, I have sought assurances from the UK Government regarding the funding for this infrastructure and the effect of its approach to guaranteeing access for Northern Ireland goods to the market in Great Britain (Phase 2 Unfettered Access) on transiting EU goods.

In the absence of any such assurances from the UK Government, and given the enduring uncertainty surrounding the UK Government’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol, I have taken the decision to pause the construction of the BCP until there is greater clarity on the long term funding, the need for this infrastructure, and more information about the timescales when controls might come into effect. Once we have greater clarity, work on the BCP can recommence with a view to completion to accommodate Phase 2 Unfettered Access should that be introduced. Contingency plans are also being made to enable SPS checks to take place away from the ports, should that be needed. I will update Parliament of any relevant developments relating to this BCP.

The UK Government’s decision unilaterally to further postpone the introduction of border controls adds to this uncertainty. That decision was made without any prior or meaningful engagement with the Devolved Administrations, which I have continued to push for recently at an Inter-Ministerial Group meeting on 13 September and in a separate call with UK Ministers on 14 September. We have advised Dumfries and Galloway Council and will continue to engage with them regularly.

Question reference: S6O-00140

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the control, use and licensing of shooting ranges and firearms with Police Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-01675

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which of the recommendations from the October 2020 Scottish Land Commission Report into derelict and vacant land it will implement, and what the timescales for implementation are.

We are committed to exploring opportunities to target long-term vacant and derelict land to deliver sustainable inclusive growth and mitigate climate change as part of the Green Recovery.

In October 2020 we welcomed the Vacant and Derelict Land Taskforce’s report and recommendations. Since then, we have been working with the Scottish Land Commission and key stakeholders to develop detailed proposals to help deliver a culture change in Scotland’s approach to vacant and derelict land. In addition much of our current work already aligns with the recommendations.

A key recommendation was the establishment of a national programme of investment to bring our legacy of vacant and derelict land back into use in ways that will contribute to a fair and green recovery, support job creation and skills development and help rebuild community resilience.

In response to that recommendation, in March 2021, we opened our new £50m low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme, which is being delivered over an initial five year period. It will help to open up for new use persistent vacant and derelict sites, which are especially prevalent in disadvantaged areas. This will create opportunities for new green infrastructure, and support place-based approaches to regeneration and a just transition to net zero.

Question reference: S6W-01125

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported plans to develop a shooting range in Eskadalemuir, and related concerns raised over safety and noise, whether it will review the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, in order to bring the licencing of shooting ranges under the control of the Scottish Government.

Licensing of shooting ranges and gun clubs is a function of Police Scotland and is not part of the planning system.

Decisions on planning applications, including for shooting ranges, are primarily a matter for the relevant planning authority. Scottish planning policy sets out that planning decisions should be made at the most local level appropriate wherever possible. Where a planning authority were to refuse permission the applicant has the right of appeal which would be either to the Local Review Body or to Scottish Ministers.

Scottish Ministers have the power under current legislation to ‘call-in’ any application for their own determination. While Ministers exercise these powers sparingly, it is open to any individual to contact the Scottish Ministers to request call-in of any application prior to a decision being issued by the planning authority.

The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to review the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.