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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-06732

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it assesses public value for money of woodland and moorland schemes in terms of achieving (a) biodiversity, (b) climate change and (c) rural employment targets.

All Forestry Grant Scheme applications are assessed according to the criteria set out in the guidance available at Scoring criteria and clearing process (ruralpayments.org)

This includes value for money and compliance with the UK Forestry Standard, the governments’ approach to sustainable forestry, which recognises that forests have environmental, economic and social objectives and sets out how these can be achieved.

Question reference: S6W-06815

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many housing officers have been employed by each local authority in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-06754

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when Ministers last discussed increasing rail services from Lockerbie railway station with train operators.

Lockerbie railway station is serviced by Avanti West Coast and Transpennine Express, known as cross-border rail operators. These operators are managed by the Department for Transport.

Transport Scotland officials have frequent meetings with all cross-border rail operators to discuss Covid related issues and service delivery. We are aware of the issues that Transpennine Express face in delivering a reliable service at Lockerbie due to Covid and industrial action but continue to press for improvements to performance.

We welcome their intention to increase services in May 2022 and the arrangement reached by Transpennine Express for Avanti West Coast to make special stops, where possible, at Lockerbie in the event that Transpennine Express is unable to call.

Question reference: S6W-06810

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Greenbelt Group is selling land to other individuals and organisations.

Question reference: S6W-06658

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what date universal free meals in primary schools will be fully implemented and what the timetable is for achieving this.

Universal free school lunches are now available for all children in primaries 1 to 5 during school term-time and we remain committed to further expanding universal free school lunch provision, to include all children in primary and special schools, during the remainder of this parliamentary term.

Our budget for 2022-23 includes a £30 million capital allocation for initial investment in school kitchens ahead of the roll-out of free school lunches to all primary school children later in this parliamentary term.

We will continue to work with our partners in local authorities to plan for the expansion of free school lunch provision over the next academic year. This work will ensure the expansion can be delivered equitably across all schools, in all areas, whilst maintaining high quality lunch provision for all children.

Question reference: S6O-00820

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Christine Grahame (On Behalf of the SPCB) on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) whether the business case for the new Scottish Parliament website was presented to, and signed off by, the SPCB in the previous parliamentary session.

The project to put in place the new Parliament website was a significant and complex change project.

The business case for the project was considered and agreed by officials on the Digital Strategy Board. This is the usual governance for digital projects undertaken in the Parliament.

The budget for the project was included in the SPCB’s budget process in each of the financial years that the project was running.

Question reference: S6O-00856

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (On Behalf of the SPCB) on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what assessment has been made of the new car park barrier system.

The new vehicle entry system was one of several security enhancements to upgrade the security of the Service Yard. These enhancements were identified in the Police Scotland review commissioned by the SPCB in 2017, following the tragic attacks on Westminster Bridge in London.

The main aim of the Service Yard project was to improve the security of the area by addressing vulnerabilities with the layout and replace ageing technology with a state-of-the-art hostile vehicle mitigation system.

There have been several assessments throughout the Service Yard project in relation to users’ safety. These have included a review of the flow of vehicle traffic, the safety of the gates and barriers and an overall health and safety review of the arrangements in the Service Yard.

The results of these assessments are that the project to improve the Service Yard has delivered the desired outcomes of significantly improving safety and security at the vehicle entrance area.

Question reference: S6O-00889

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done by sportscotland and Creative Scotland to provide opportunities for children and young people.

Question reference: S6O-00888

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding is being provided to restore and enhance rural health services.

Question reference: S6O-00886

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that people visiting rural Scotland, including the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, are aware of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.