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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-04156

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing legislation in the current parliamentary session that aims to deter men who pay women for sex.

Programme For Government includes a commitment to develop a model for Scotland which effectively tackles and challenges men’s demand for prostitution.

This model will aim to reduce stigma and criminalisation experienced by women and encourage better access to services. Ensuring that women are supported and that services are responsive to their needs is central to this work. We have also committed to engaging with those with direct or lived experience to shape services, and design measures which will protect them from harm and provide service users the support they need.

There are several considerations which must be made in designing the model, including ensuring it’s alignment to the Equally Safe Strategy and our unique legal landscape in Scotland. The model must operate effectively not only to hold those who buy sex to account, but to deter them from purchasing sex. Any changes proposed to the current criminal law would require legislation.

The criminal law is only one aspect of the model and it is vital that a package of measures is developed in parallel to underpin any changes which are brought forward.

We will continue to work across government and with stakeholders as our work on Scotland’s future approach to prostitution progresses. A Short Life Working Group with key stakeholders considering the fundamental principles to underpin a model for Scotland will hold its initial meeting, later this month.

Question reference: S6W-04006

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported adoption of the UNECE Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention decision VII/8s, and whether there are plans to reform judicial expenses in light of the decision.

The Scottish Government notes that paragraph 1(b) of response VII/8s published by the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC) endorses the findings of the ACCC's response VI/8k that progress has been made by Scotland. However, the ACCC considers that more needs to be done in respect of the requirements set out in paragraph 2(a), (b), and (d) of VII/8s. We are considering what action to take in respect of this and, as requested by the ACCC, will be submitting a plan of action, including a time schedule, by 1 July 2022.

As stated in the Programme for Government in September 2021, we will be introducing a Legal Aid Reform Bill in this Parliament and consulting on a Human Rights Bill in this Parliamentary year. In addition, in the next few weeks, we will be consulting on court fees for the years 2022 to 2025. In drafting these consultations and this legislation, we will give serious consideration as to how we can improve access to environmental justice.

The ACCC indicated that it had concerns about the operation of the system of protective expenses orders (PEOs). PEOs are the responsibility of the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC) and the Scottish Government will raise the matter with SCJC.

Question reference: S6W-04223

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to extend the non-domestic rates exemption for renewables microgeneration in relation to renewable energy installations that have a capacity of up to 50kW, and, if so, within what timescale this will be implemented.

The Scottish Government provides the most generous and comprehensive non-domestic rates relief package for renewable energy producers in the UK, including a number of existing policies aimed at incentivising investment in low carbon technologies, such as heat networks and renewable electricity generation. As part of this package we deliver a non-domestic rates exemption for renewables with a capacity of up to 50kW, which supports microgeneration producers, and businesses that retrofit micro renewable schemes to reduce their carbon foot print. This exemption is not time-limited, unlike other parts of the UK, making it the most generous exemption for renewable microgeneration in the UK.

All our non-domestic rates policies are kept under review. Decisions on any non-domestic rates policies will be set out in the Scottish budget alongside other government priorities in light of affordability.

Question reference: S6W-04074

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding deposit return schemes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35206 on 23 February 2021. Scottish Government officials engage regularly with representatives of the other UK administrations to understand their intentions regarding the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

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-03863

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, broken down by NHS board, (a) how many training places are currently available in the Scottish Ambulance Service for community first responders, and (b) how many community first responders (i) are currently being used as a resource by the Scottish Ambulance Service and (ii) have been appointed in the past three years.

a) There are 6 planned training sessions for Community First Responders between November 2021 and March 2022. Each training session will accommodate up to a maximum of 12 trainees. These courses are scheduled to be held in Braemar (Grampian), Glasgow (Greater Glasgow & Clyde), RAF Lossiemouth (Grampian), Grangemouth (Forth Valley) and Portree (Highland).

i) There are 765 Community First Responders across Scotland and approximately 80 Wildcat Cardiac Responders.

ii) The Scottish Ambulance Service recruited 199 Community First Responders between 2019 and 2021. In March 2020 utilisation of Community First Responders was suspended due to COVID-19 and the need to establish safe and effective processes with the subsequent delivery of training in the use of PPE and enhanced Infection & Prevention Control measures. This commenced in Sept ’20 with the majority back on-line by March ’21.

Question reference: S6W-03864

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what training system is used by the Scottish Ambulance Service, and whether the First Person on Scene (FPOS) Intermediate system is currently being used and, if not, for what reason it is no longer used as a training tool.

Question reference: S6O-00443

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Stirling’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2025, following its inclusion in the longlist for selection.

Question reference: S6O-00427

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported backlog in at-home COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine appointments in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

Question reference: S6O-00425

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to tackle the reported backlog of colorectal cancer screening.

Question reference: S6O-00436

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that construction firms adhere to the highest building standards.