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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: S6O-01450

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what activities it plans to hold to commemorate 800 years since Dumbarton became a royal burgh.

Question reference: S6O-01463

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will amend education support guidance to distinguish between voluntary home education as a matter of choice and involuntary home education as a matter of necessity.

Question reference: S6O-01454

Asked by: Graeme Dey, MSP for Angus South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to support armed forces and veterans’ families in Scotland during the cost of living crisis, in light of recent reports that almost 3,000 serving military personnel in the UK are reliant on Universal Credit.

Question reference: S6O-01453

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to ensure that retailers are aware of and comply with the measures in the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 that came into effect on 10 October.

Question reference: S6O-01449

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its international work, following the constitution secretary’s attendance at the recent Arctic Circle Assembly.

Question reference: S6O-01445

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered all the implications of a border between an independent Scotland and England.

Question reference: S6W-11287

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the creation of a fund for public artwork, fulfilling the SNP manifesto commitment, and when it anticipates that this will be in place.

We are committed to broadening the range of people represented in Scotland’s public places, in particular the contribution of women and ethnic minorities. We will work with Creative Scotland, whose remit includes public art, on what form a fund would take and how a fund might best be deployed within available resources. The effects of the pandemic and the current cost crisis facing the culture sector, along with the challenging outlook for public expenditure, mean that we do not have a confirmed timeframe for when this will be in place.

Question reference: S6W-11370

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure that Ukrainian guests who are currently housed in hotel accommodation in Scotland will be appropriately housed when the current contractual arrangements that they have with the Scottish Government end, and how this will be achieved without adding to any existing housing pressures faced by the communities in which these hotels are located.

The Scottish Government is working with partners to identifying suitable long term sustainable accommodation so we can continue to support displaced people whilst they are in Scotland.

On 22 September, we introduced a new fund with up to £50m to bring void council and Registered Social Landlord properties into use and to increase available housing supply. We are working closely with Local Government resettlement teams across the country to support those currently in hotel and ship accommodation transition into longer term accommodation and host offers.

Question reference: S6W-11378

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 19 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether its evaluation of minimum unit pricing will take into account any changes to excise duty.

We are currently in the process of evaluating minimum unit pricing (MUP) as a whole over its first five years of operation. Public Health Scotland will be producing a final report on MUP in 2023, which will inform our evaluation report which will be laid in Parliament and published in 2023.

Work on reviewing the level of MUP has started as part of our overall evaluation, as the impact of MUP is connected to the unit price. We are evaluating the impact of MUP at the current price of 50 pence per unit and will assess what level MUP should be set at going forward, if MUP is to continue. It is important that we have a robust evidence base to support any decision on a change in the level of MUP.

Part of this work includes a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment which will look at the likely costs, benefits and risk of any proposed legislation. This will include how any changes to MUP will interact with any potential changes to excise duty.

Question reference: S6W-11296

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Food Security and Supply Taskforce report, whether the Food Security Unit has been set up and, if this is not the case, when it anticipates that this will take place, and what engagement it has had in this regard with (a) the UK Government, (b) the EU and (c) other international food security structures, including the European Food Security Crisis Preparedness and Response Mechanism (EFSCM).

The Programme for Government 2022 to 2023 on 6 September 2022, outlined that a dedicated Food Security Unit would be established within the Scottish Government with a view to monitoring ongoing supply chain vulnerabilities and linking with future food security work’. The Food Security unit is in the process of being established.

However, until the unit is officially established and underway, work is being taken forward by officials in regards to food security including the completion of other recommendations from the Short Life Food Security and Supply Taskforce Report as well as regular engagement with the Food and Drink industry.

The Scottish Government takes the topic of food security in Scotland seriously and I, as well as my fellow Scottish Ministers continue to press the UK Government, urging them to take action immediately on particular issues they have control over. I also recently wrote to the UK Government again to highlight the cumulative impact on the food and drink sector of labour and skills shortages and now rising costs.

We also continue to have a range of regular engagement with the EU, including on the important issue of food security and the associated work of the European Food Security Crisis preparedness and response Mechanism.

Scottish Ministers and officials will continue to work closely with industry representatives, and continue to engage across the sectors and governments in relation to food security and supply issues.