Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 40420 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-05424

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Scottish National Resilience Centre in Dumfries will have in addressing climate change adaption and mitigation plans for communities.

The NCR is continuously learning across its network, and compiling a portfolio of evidence that can support climate change adaption work and mitigation plans for communities. It does this through the commissioning of research, delivery of practical projects, and knowledge exchange. The centre facilitates collaborative projects that contribute key evidence for policy decision making and consideration for national strategy. It commissions research and projects through grant awards, and works closely with its grant awardees. The centre also positions itself to be able to respond to demand-led research, and provides access to a network of academics and appropriate academic consideration that can support a range of activities such as the Scottish Risk Assessment, and the Scottish Government’s annual planning cycle. The NCR provides key support to academics, effectively helping to translate and disseminate project outputs, and maximise the impact of scientific research.

Its recent work on climate change and adaptation includes:

Research into building resilience, to interacting extreme weather driven hazards and cascading impacts.
Research into tools that assess the impact of rainfall on urban resilience and iconic cultural heritage.
A variety of published papers including work on community resilience in response to extreme events, a digital flood evacuation modelling the role of local business in community resilience to natural hazards, and the transition from response to recovery.

A full portfolio of published material is on the NCR website.

It has also worked with key partners to deliver best practice, and has funded training modules for professionals and communities in areas such as:

Flooding good practice guidance

Flooding Resilience training in collaboration with the Conservation Volunteers for schools and the voluntary sector.
A property flood resilience action plan for communities and householders

Typical of its extensive work in the field of climate change, the NCR was heavily involved in the COP 26 Climate Action in South Scotland Conference, where it brought together senior leaders to explore a diverse range of issues.

In short, the NCR is ideally situated, with a growing portfolio of knowledge to inform policy and practice of evidence-based knowledge and solutions that can help address climate change adaption and mitigation plans for communities, through the ongoing delivery of its strategic objectives, building on its extensive networks and the body of work that it has already carried out, published and enabled.

Question reference: S6W-05304

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with SEPA, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and Benchmark regarding the use and release of imidacloprid-based treatments in Scotland’s marine environment.

Question reference: S6W-05145

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10494 by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 August 2017, which of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works are (a) under construction and (b) at the planning or other stage of development, broken down by the (i) expected completion date, (ii) number of properties that will be protected and (iii) (A) initial forecast and (B) final expected cost of each.

Question reference: S6W-05431

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to support survivors of domestic violence during court proceedings.

The Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to ensuring that victims of domestic abuse feel supported throughout the justice system, including court proceedings. A number of measures are in place to support survivors of domestic violence during court proceedings. For example, the court can take extra steps, called 'special measures', to help vulnerable witnesses give the best evidence they can. In criminal courts, deemed vulnerable witnesses (including those in domestic abuse cases) are automatically entitled to special measures including a screen in the courtroom; a TV link to somewhere outside the courtroom; and a supporter who can sit with the witness while they give evidence.

The Scottish Government recognises the key role that advocacy services play in helping victims come forward and engage with the justice process. As such, in the first 100 days of this Government we allocated an additional £5m to fourteen specialist support organisations including Scottish Women’s Aid to bolster the vital services they provide and help ensure those who need support are able to access it.

Question reference: S6W-05190

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consideration of applications for planning permission for the proposed Hoy and Quanterness wind farms.

Ministers granted permission (subject to conditions) on 21 December for the proposed Hoy and Quanterness wind farms in Orkney, on the basis that they are justified by their benefits, including their contribution towards the case for a new electricity interconnector to export renewable energy from Orkney to the Scottish mainland.

The decision letters are available to view at www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/Document.aspx?id=814579 (Quanterness) and www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/Document.aspx?id=814699 (Hoy).

The decision letters set out in full the grounds for the decisions. Ministers cannot comment beyond what is set out in the decision letters.

Question reference: S6W-05218

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what considerations it has given to setting up a support fund for victims of domestic abuse that would deliver recurring payments in the short term to support someone who is leaving an abusive partner.

This fund is one of the recommendations in the Improving Housing Outcomes for Women and Children Experiencing Domestic Abuse report . We have convened an official level implementation and monitoring group to oversee implementation of the recommendations within the report, including working with partners to explore the options for a dedicated fund to support women leaving an abusive partner.

The Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) can currently provide financial and practical support to those experiencing Domestic Abuse with the provision of Crisis and Community Care Grants.

Question reference: S6W-05108

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it intends to appoint a chair of Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, to succeed Erik Ostergaard.

Question reference: S6W-04884

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 11,000 hectares, which have reportedly been planted with trees in the last year, were planted as (a) commercial forestry, (b) agroforestry and (c) private/community woodland.

The area of new woodland that has been planted as (a) commercial forestry, (b) agroforestry and (c) private/community woodland in Scotland in the last year, December 2020 to November 2021, is shown in Table 1. There were no grant applications for the specific agroforestry option, which is different from tree planting on farms. More than half of the applications for tree planting in private and commercial forestry were from the agricultural sector.

Commercial Forestry	7,379	ha
Agroforestry	0	ha
Private or Community Owned Forestry	11,399	ha

Question reference: S6W-05214

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to helping communities which oppose wind farm developments to (a) access and (b) fund legal representation during the planning process.

The Scottish Government provides the policy and legislative framework for community engagement in the Scottish planning system. Whilst not providing an advocacy service for communities, the Scottish Government provides financial assistance to PAS (Planning Aid for Scotland), an independent charity, to provide a free advice service on planning and environmental matters for communities and the public at large, through its professional planner volunteers.

Question reference: S6O-00646

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture minister has had with ministerial colleagues regarding culture-led regeneration of town centres.