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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: S6W-05892

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to Stirling Council for road maintenance in each year since 2017.

The vast majority of funding available to councils is provided by means of a block grant from the Scottish Government. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on road maintenance, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

It is for locally elected representatives to manage the allocation of resources and the level of services that are delivered to their local communities.

Question reference: S6W-05891

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what grant assistance for homeowners is available for cladding insulation.

The Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme Warmer Homes Scotland offers to install external wall insulation for eligible households, where it is appropriate and technically feasible for the property. Most local councils include projects to deliver external wall insulation as part of their Area Based Schemes targeting fuel poor households. This is typically as provided grant-in-aid but property owners may be asked for a contribution to reflect higher individual costs associated with their home (e.g. additional repairs or for a larger detached property).

Households that are not eligible for help as part of our fuel poverty programmes can apply for a Scottish Government loan via Home Energy Scotland. Help is available with the costs of purchasing and installing energy efficiency measures worth up to £10,000 (£6,000 loan plus £4,000 cashback). Full independent advice and information is available through the Home Energy Scotland website.

Question reference: S6W-05894

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has made available to Stirling Council for the introduction of electric vehicle charging points in each year since 2017.

The Scottish Government has provided over £3.2 million of grant funding directly to Stirling Council since 2017 to enable procurement of zero emission charging and refuelling infrastructure. The following table provides the detail of funding awarded to Stirling Council in each year from 2017.

Local Authority/FY	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
Stirling Council	£60,000.00	£689,500.00	£890,000.00	£846,000.00	£714,633.00

Question reference: S6W-05880

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm and publish on its website the (a) application process and (b) eligibility criteria for support for close contact service businesses, including hairdressers and beauticians, that have been impacted by the restrictions put in place in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, and how much support will be available per business.

We have published guidance which includes eligibility criteria for the Close Contact Fund and this information is now available on the Scottish Government website: Coronavirus (COVID-19): funding for businesses affected by Omicron control measures - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and the Find Business Support website:

Close Contact Services Fund (findbusinesssupport.gov.scot) . Businesses will be able to apply for the close contact fund from Monday 14 th February. We have been working with relevant industry representatives to understand how best to target this funding as the sector includes a large number of businesses who do not have premise so cannot use non-domestic rates as a way of validating business details .

Eligible Businesses must be registered as a beauty service, hairdressing and hair removal service or a spa and wellness service and provide services listed in the guidance such as, hair trimming and cutting, laser hair removal, nail treatments etc.

The Close Contact grant is a one-off payment at the rate of £1,000 for self-employed businesses and £1,500 for NDR registered premise based business owners.

Question reference: S6W-05881

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with (a) East Renfrewshire Council and (b) other local authorities about (i) any financial support that will be made available and (ii) the process for delivering such funding to close contact service businesses, including hairdressers and beauticians, that have been impacted by the restrictions put in place in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

All local authorities, including East Renfrewshire Council, have been involved in discussions around delivery of this funding and it has been agreed funding for close contact businesses will be distributed by our delivery partner NEC.

We have published initial guidance which includes eligibility for the Close Contact Fund. This information is available on the Scottish Government website: Coronavirus (COVID-19): funding for businesses affected by Omicron control measures - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and the Find Business Support website:

Close Contact Services Fund (findbusinesssupport.gov.scot) . Businesses will be able to apply for the close contact fund from Monday 14 th February.

Question reference: S6W-06138

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the advice is for choirs in relation to COVID-19; (a) whether and (b) when face coverings should be used during rehearsals and performances with social distancing, and (i) whether and (ii) when social distancing should be maintained during rehearsals and performances.

The approach to face coverings for choirs is grounded in evidence and draws on the expert advice which reflects the unique features of the activity and the environments. This is because the virus spreads when an infected person talks, sings or even breathes heavily, and droplets and aerosols from their mouth or nose are launched into the air. At this stage of the pandemic many of the more intrusive restrictions have been lifted, but the virus and the harms that it causes have not gone away. We still continue to see hospital admissions and deaths as a result of COVID and the impacts of long COVID can be significant. That is why it remains important to maximise the use of the remaining measures such as face coverings.

Performers can of course temporarily remove their face covering in some limited indoor situations if other steps are taken. For example, when they are performing or rehearsing they can remove their face covering if they are separated from others by a distance of at least one metre or by a screen or partition.

Question reference: S6T-00500

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent National Records of Scotland report, Healthy Life Expectancy in Scotland, showing that healthy life expectancy has decreased in each of the last four years for females, and in each of the last three years for males.

Question reference: S6T-00499

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Fire Brigades Union on its plans to remove the bottom of classroom doors.

Question reference: S6F-00803

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is marking LGBT history month.

Question reference: S6F-00797

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2022

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to restore peatland as part of its net zero targets.