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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-00379

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether an economic impact assessment has been conducted in respect to the lockdown restrictions in the Falkirk Council area, and, if so, whether it will publish this assessment.

The virus continues to have severe direct impacts on people’s health, and the potential to put significant pressures on NHS capacity. For this reason, and to tackle the new, faster-spreading Delta variant, we have made the difficult decision to delay a move to Level 1 for some Local Authorities which have displayed high or rapidly increasing levels of incidence.

The decision to allocate areas to a Level, finely balances the need to control the virus and to minimise the wider economic and social harms of the restrictions. Consideration of the economic harms from Covid (Harm 4) is factored into the design of the Levels themselves, and a 4 Harms Assessment was undertaken on these Levels when they were last updated and published.

On 1 June, we published Coronavirus (COVID-19): Protection Levels allocation to local councils which explains the basis on which Levels 2 and 1 were applied to local council areas in Scotland. The Government also has a legal duty to undertake statutory Impact Assessments when Regulations concerning the Levels are changed. These include Equalities, Islands, Child Rights/Wellbeing, and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments, and they are now published.

Question reference: S6W-00205

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many electric charging points ChargePlace Scotland has installed in each year since 2012-13.

The shift to electric vehicles is an important part of responding to the climate emergency and improving air quality in our cities. To help incentivise this shift, the Scottish Government have invested over £45 million in Scotland’s own electric vehicle charging network, ChargePlace Scotland, which has steadily grown since 2012 with the highest number of installs being recorded in 2020 for both private and publicly owned charge points.

The ChargePlace Scotland network currently hosts 2080 electric vehicle charge points, which includes 335 charge points that are not available for public use but will support the blue light services, fleets and depot charging.

Year	Total	Public	Private
2013	122	122	0
2014	129	129	0
2015	277	277	0
2016	107	107	0
2017	170	170	0
2018	118	118	0
2019	321	267	54
2020	556	371	185
2021	280	184	96
	2080	1745	335

Question reference: S6W-00256

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated costs are for structural repair works to the M8 Woodside Viaducts in Glasgow.

Transport Scotland are preparing robust estimates for the all the works involved with the repairs to the viaduct. However, the current estimate for the propping to enable the M8 restrictions to be removed and facilitate the repair works is £33.36million. This estimate, and the delivery programme, is being refined to ensure value for money as detailed design progresses. Costs for the subsequent concrete repair works to the supports will be provided by Transport Scotland’s Operating Company, Amey, when the extent of the repair works and repair method is agreed.

Question reference: S6W-00398

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider providing specific support for the mental health of people working in Glasgow, including self-employed people.

The Scottish Government is working with mental health organisations, employer groups and trade unions to improve mental health support in workplaces across Scotland.

In October 2020 we published our ‘Mental Health – Transition and Recovery’ plan which outlines our response to the mental health impacts of COVID-19. We have recently convened a short life working group aimed at addressing 3 key employment actions from the plan: Mentally Healthy Workplaces; Fair Work Practices; and Home Working.

The focus of the group will be on identifying the key challenges that businesses of all sizes, including self-employed people, will face in supporting the mental wellbeing of their workforce. We will review existing practice and identify any key gaps that may prevent a positive mental health and wellbeing culture within the workplace.

Question reference: S6W-00360

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being put in place to track the progress of ventilation improvements and the deployment of ventilation monitoring equipment (CO2 sensors) across all primary and secondary schools.

Our Coronavirus guidance on reducing the risks in schools was developed in collaboration with local authorities, unions, parents representative groups and teaching bodies, with input from technical experts working across the UK. This includes a section on the potential use of CO2 monitors to assist in assessing whether adequate ventilation is being provided. Each local authority and school can utilise this technology as appropriate to their particular circumstances.

We have worked from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic with the Scottish Heads of Property Services forum to get input and feedback on guidance, and ventilation is a standing agenda item at each meeting. The forum was used to request progress information including: local authority plans to utilise CO2 monitoring, ventilation upgrades required, observations from operational schools and issues arising during different weather conditions where ventilation and thermal comfort could be in tension. The Scottish Heads of Property Services use this forum to share expertise and learning to ensure that efforts and resources are best deployed to optimise solutions across the whole learning estate in Scotland. Links have also been established with other expert groups representing the UK governments to help inform future guidance.

Question reference: S6W-00572

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the NHS Board Performance Escalation Framework and the NHS boards that are currently escalated.

Prior to the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic, there were six Health Boards in Scotland who had been escalated to Stage 3 or above within the NHS Boards Performance Escalation Framework. This is the stage at which Boards are considered to require a higher level of support and oversight, from Scottish Government and/or other senior external support.

Boards can be escalated for a number of different reasons and can have more than one status, reflecting their individual positions. Reasons for escalation include:

Financial position and financial management
Operational Delivery/Performance
Governance, leadership and culture
Quality and safety

The six escalated Boards escalated were as follows:

NHS Ayrshire and Arran
NHS Borders
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
NHS Lothian
NHS Highland
NHS Tayside

Following a recent review of escalated Boards by the Health and Social Care Management Board, and despite the challenges of responding to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the majority of Boards were found to have demonstrated sufficient improvement in relation to the issues which had led to their escalation to justify a reduction in their escalation status. The following table shows the changes which have now been made.

Board	Current Stage after Review	Previous Stage (date)	Primary Factors Influencing Escalation
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	3	3 (July 2018)	Financial position and management
NHS Borders	3	4 (Nov 2018)	Financial position and management;
NHS Borders	2	4 (Nov 2018)	Governance and leadership
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	4	4 (Nov 19/Jan 20)	QEUH & RHC (Infection control and related issues)
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	2	4 (Nov 19/Jan 20)	Performance and Service Delivery – including strengthening management capability and capacity
NHS Highland	3	4 (Nov 2018)	Financial position and financial management; Governance, leadership and culture Mental Health Performance
NHS Lothian	1	4 (Sept 2019)	Royal Hospital for Children and Young People
	2	3 (July 2019)	Performance and Service Delivery:
	3	3 (July 2019)	Mental Health Performance
NHS Tayside	3	4 (Feb 2019)	Mental Health Performance
NHS Tayside	2	4 (Feb 2019)	Financial position and financial management and governance and leadership

Scottish Government officials will continue to closely monitor Board performance during this challenging period. Those Boards who remain at Stage 3 or above will continue to receive enhanced support and scrutiny of progress against their plans for improvement.

Question reference: S6W-00482

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Shetland Fishermen's Association paper, 'ICES-plus': Improving scientific advice in Scottish fisheries management.

Marine Scotland scientists provide the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) with data, evidence and expertise in relation to stocks of interest to the UK providing the basis for international advice. These scientists already contribute to the peer review of ICES advice in accordance with the organisation’s own advisory framework and principles, and are best placed to comment on the quality of advice from ICES and where appropriate challenge that advice or the interpretations and assumptions.

Marine Scotland intends to discuss these issues with the fishing industry under the Future Fisheries Management Strategy. The Scottish Government’s negotiating position has always been to deliver the best outcome for Scotland’s fishing interests through securing sustainable catching opportunities.”

Question reference: S6O-00034

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the appointment of the new Makar.

Question reference: S6O-00043

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to tackle violence against women, particularly in relation to prostitution and purchasers of sex.

Question reference: S6O-00047

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility to the international minimum.