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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-03569

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 3 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what proposals it has to improve the quality of installation and maintenance work on electrical installations.

The Scottish Government published a consultation on the Regulation of Electricians on 23 November 2020 which closed on 12 February 2021. An analysis of responses has been undertaken and report published on 23 March 2021. A link to the report, and submitted responses, where consent has been given to publish the response, can be found on the consultation webpage at http://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/a-consultation-on-the-regulation-of-electricians .

The Scottish Government is currently considering its response to the consultation and key stakeholders will be updated in due course.

More widely, working with officials, the Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland (SELECT) and the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) have introduced a new Single Certificate of Construction designed to help simplify the process of electrical certification in Scotland. The new multi-page document now combines all relevant certificates of construction and electrical installation, confirming that associated building warrant electrical work undertaken is fully compliant with all aspects of Scottish building regulations. Such work aims to improve efficiency and productivity across the industry as well as encourage greater use of certification schemes in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-03565

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 1 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) relevant professional and trade bodies on improving the quality and safety of electrical installations in buildings.

The Electricians Working Group was established in 2017 with a membership reflective of industry, safety, and consumer interests. This group has explored the challenges of ensuring the safety of electrical installation and discussed proposals that aim to protect consumers, protect scrupulous traders, and maintain an environment that allows competition within the provision of electrical services in Scotland.

To date, this work has culminated in the publication of the Regulation of Electricians in Scotland: Research Report (7 June 2019), the Consultation (23 November 2020), and the Consultation Analysis (23 March 2021). Throughout these discussions, the UK Government has been informed of the proposals developed by the Scottish Government. Further detail on these discussions and the outcomes of the consultation are contained within responses to related questions S6W-03566, S6W-03567, and S6W-03568 on 29 October 2021

The Scottish Government continues to hold discussions with key stakeholders in relation to the improvement of the quality and safety of electrical installations in buildings. In addition to the above, officials have maintained robust engagement with Certification Scheme Providers who provide optional certification of electrical installations subject to a building warrant. In June 2021, a certification strategy was approved through the Building Standards Futures Board . Working with delivery partners, including the Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland (SELECT) and the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC), we will encourage greater uptake in use of certification of construction as a further means of supporting improvement to the quality and safety of electrical installations in Scotland.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-03567

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Electricians Working Group is next scheduled to meet and what issues will be on the agenda.

Question reference: S6W-03566

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Electricians Working Group last met and what issues it discussed.

Question reference: S6W-03568

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcomes were of its consultation on the regulation of electricians, and how it plans to take these conclusions forward.

The Scottish Government’s consultation on the regulation of electricians closed on 12 February 2021. All responses were analysed and a report was published on 23 March 2021. A link to the report can be found on the consultation web page at https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/a-consultation-on-the-regulation-of-electricians In addition, on the same web page can be viewed the submitted responses where consent had been given to publish the response. The Scottish Government is currently considering its response to the consultation and key stakeholders will be updated in due course.

Question reference: S6O-00169

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor and review the COVID-19 vaccine certification scheme.

Question reference: S6O-00081

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring it has undertaken of island economies following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Question reference: S6W-01385

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that (a) ministers, (b) officials and (c) its agencies (i) are fully aware of and (ii) follow its guidance regarding three- and one-day COVID-19 testing prior to visiting island communities, and under what circumstances this guidance might not be required to be followed.

The Scottish Government encourages anyone planning to visit a Scottish Island to test for coronavirus prior to travel, this includes any Ministers, staff or agency employees who are traveling to the islands. Scottish Government staff are not routinely travelling for work purposes and continue to work from home wherever possible.

Pre-departure testing for travel to the Scottish Islands is a voluntary scheme, however, everyone is encouraged to participate in order to reduce the risk of inadvertently carrying coronavirus into one of the island communities. Information on travel, including to the Scottish islands, is set out in the COVID-19 Framework for Decision Making – Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis, which is available at www.gov.scot/coronavirus .

Question reference: S6W-01896

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what changes it has made in its revised short-term let licensing order in relation to tourist (a) bed and breakfast accommodation and (b) self-catering units.

Short-term lets can offer people a flexible and cheaper travel option, and have contributed positively to Scotland’s tourism industry and local economies across the country. However, we know that in certain areas, particularly tourist hot spots, high numbers of lets can cause problems for neighbours and make it harder for people to find homes to live in. The Scottish Government considers regulation of short term lets to be vital in balancing the needs and concerns of residents and communities that have been raised with us, alongside wider economic and tourism interests.

The revised draft Licensing Order was published for consultation on 25 June 2021. Table 1 in the consultation paper sets out details of the changes that have been made to the Licensing Order.

Question reference: S6W-01895

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many guest houses it estimates there are in Scotland, and how many are licensed under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.