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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: S6F-00048

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2021

To ask the First Minister what engagement the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding the extension of the deadline for application to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Question reference: S6F-00041

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00040

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00039

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-00134

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people who are on frontline placements with the NHS or other public sector organisations, and who require to drive to carry out their duties, will be able to access driving tests and driving theory tests, in light of the reported backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK government`s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is responsible for the delivery of driving tests in Scotland, however the Scottish government works closely with the DVSA to ensure that waiting times to access a driving test are minimised as much as possible. In collaboration with the DVSA we secured delegated authority earlier this year for some transport operators and the emergency services to undertake driving tests for their own staff, thereby reducing the numbers of people awaiting tests at DVSA test centres. In advance of driving tests resuming when Scotland moved to Protection Level 3 on 26 April 2021, we engaged with DVSA on their remobilisation plans and the development of communications materials to ensure that candidates were “test ready” when they presented for a test. We continue to meet regularly with the DVSA to discuss ways in which we can expedite access to driving tests.

Question reference: S6W-00137

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the final report of the Site Recovery Group for St Ambrose and Buchanan High Schools in Coatbridge, and what discussions it has had with North Lanarkshire Council regarding the four key conclusions made by the Chair, including that "they require ongoing attention or because the Site Recovery Group is yet to be convinced that a solution has been found."

The establishment of the Site Recovery Group was one of the recommendations from the report of the Buchanan and St Ambrose Independent Review, and we welcome the Group's report.

North Lanarkshire Council has assured us that it is taking action as quickly as possible to resolve the issues raised by the Chair within the Group’s report.

As it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate, any further questions on this matter should be put to the Council directly.

Question reference: S6W-00130

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the introduction of Gaelic medium education in Edinburgh will have on the (a) funding and (b) timing of the proposed New Liberton High School.

Question reference: S6W-00131

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its plan to offer the COVIID-19 vaccination to people aged 18 to 39 in some areas of Glasgow, whether it will reconsider the request from the offshore oil and gas sector to be given priority access to phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Concerns raised over the rising number of Covid-19 cases in South Glasgow over the past several days and its links to the more infectious Indian variant of COVID-19 B.1.617.2.

The JCVI highlighted the need to accelerate and promote vaccine uptake for everyone within priority groups 1-9 who have yet to be vaccinated, and bring forward the dose schedule from 12 to 8 weeks in areas where the 02 variant is of the highest threat.

The JCVI’s advice is that an age-based approach is the best way to quickly protect those who haven’t yet had the vaccine.

Question reference: S6W-00080

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which suppliers of bicycles will be used to fulfil its policy of providing every child who cannot afford one with a bicycle.

Question reference: S6W-00081

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider changing its guidance so that children under the age of 18, from the same household, do not count towards the total number of people meeting both outdoors and indoors, in light of restrictions on larger families with teenagers who are still unable to meet with one other family household, and in consideration of the effects of isolation on young people’s mental health.

The Scottish Government regularly reviews restrictions on indoor and outdoor socialising to ensure they are appropriate and proportionate to the health risks and the direct harms of the virus. This past year has been highly challenging for our young people who have had to stay away from family members living in other households, including grandparents. We have made significant progress in suppressing the virus and vaccinating a growing proportion of the population over the last few months, but the virus has not gone away and we remain at risk from new, more transmissible variants which may become resistant to the vaccines. The Scottish Government’s approach is that only children under 12 years old do not count towards numbers indoors and outdoors, although they do count towards the number of households indoors. Close contact does still carry risks especially if it is indoors and amongst large groups of adults from multiple households. In recognition of the effects on young people’s health and wellbeing, the Scottish Government has allowed 4 12-17 year olds from 4 different households to meet outdoors in Level 4, increasing to 6 people (including 12-17 year olds) from 6 households in Level 3, 8 people from 8 households in Level 2 and this will increase to 12 people from 12 households in Level 1. Additionally, from 17 May the guidance was changed to make it clear that people can hug family members and loved ones indoors in a private dwelling or in their garden within the permitted limits.