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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-00744

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients within the NHS Grampian health board have been waiting more than 12 weeks for (a) inpatient or day case treatment, and (b) outpatient appointments.

Information on the number of patients within NHS Grampian who have been waiting more than 12 weeks is published quarterly by Public Health Scotland and can be found at NHS waiting times - stage of treatment 25 May 2021 - Data & intelligence from PHS (isdscotland.org)

This data shows the number of (a) inpatient or day case admissions and (b) outpatient appointments who have been waiting over 12 weeks.

Question reference: S6W-00750

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many empty (a) private, and (b) public sector residential properties there have been in each local authority area in the South Scotland parliamentary region, in each year since 2011.

Question reference: S6W-01128

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today.

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

These Regulations remove the travel restrictions which are currently in place in relation to travel between Scotland and Manchester, Bolton and Salford. These restrictions are being removed due to changes in the epidemiological position for those areas. These changes will take effect on 30 June 2021.

The Regulations have been published at www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ssi/2021/255 .

Question reference: S6W-01123

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 June 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the coronavirus legislation in place.

We will be removing the travel restrictions which are currently in place in relation to travel between Scotland and Manchester, Bolton and Salford. These restrictions are being removed due to changes in the epidemiological position for those areas. Regulations amending the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 will be made today and will take effect on 30 June 2021. Restrictions between Scotland and Blackburn with Darwen will remain in place.

Question reference: S6W-01007

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what scientific evidence it has used to underpin the decision to prevent domestic cruises operating until all of the country is at least in COVID-19 protection level 1, even if the cruises are sailing only between ports in level 1 areas.

The decision to enable cruise restart was based on the upward trajectory in Covid cases, concerns around the more transmissible Delta variant and the potential to transfer Covid (that has a relatively long asymptomatic incubation period) to multiple touchpoints across different locations, even with the use of near-person testing regimens.

By waiting until all of Scotland reaches level 1, risk of viral spread across the country will be lower. If the evidence supports the planned lifting of restrictions at the next review point, domestic cruising will be allowed from 19 July. By this time, more of the population will be fully vaccinated further reducing the risk of viral spread.

All of the evidence is published online and can be found here: COVID-19 in Scotland (data.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-01006

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out or plans of the economic impact of preventing domestic cruise operations from restarting.

As with all decisions relating to the relaxation of restrictions, this has been given thorough consideration through the 4 Harms process which has included consideration of the economic harm. Since the beginning of the pandemic we have worked closely with the industry to identify the impact on the sector and mitigations that would be necessary to allow domestic cruise restart. We recognise that the tourism sector, including cruise, has strongly felt the impact of restrictions and our aim has always been to enable cruise restart as quickly and safely as possible.

Question reference: S6W-00794

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd is actively considering a tender for the new national flagship vessel that was recently announced by the UK Government, and which will be procured via Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), given that a design competition is to be started soon and that the contractor will be determined by September 2021.

Question reference: S6W-00827

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the ticketing arrangements will be on the MV Pentalina, should it be deployed as a relief for the CalMac fleet, and whether the Road Equivalent Tariff will continue to apply to passenger fares in those circumstances.

Question reference: S6W-00906

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00406 by Jamie Hepburn on 17 June 2021, whether it plans to match the timeframes announced by the Welsh Government in establishing an alternative model of international exchange.

The Scottish Government will be able to provide more detail about a Scottish exchange programme in due course. The programme will be developed based on what would deliver the best value for Scotland and on the needs of Scotland and those of our learners and institutions.

In the meantime, we are engaging with the European Commission and European institutions in line with our commitment for Scotland to remain close to the Erasmus+ programme.

Question reference: S6W-00822

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact that chartering the MV Pentalina from Pentland Ferries has had on industrial relations at CalMac.

To improve the resilience of ferry services serving island and remote mainland communities, we are exploring opportunities for chartering additional tonnage including the temporary time charter of the MV Pentalina. Industrial relations are a matter for CalMac Ferries Ltd, its employees and the recognised trades unions. I understand discussions have been taking place between CalMac and its local Union representatives on these matters.