Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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-11725

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times ministers have met with (a) owners and (b) representatives of Hinduja Global Solutions since 2007.

The former First Minister, Alex Salmond, met with Hinduja Global Solutions on 12 October 2010 in New Delhi and the Deputy First Minister met with the company in Bangalore on 28 November 2018.

On 9 February 2016, the former Minister for Youth and Women's Employment, Annabelle Ewing MSP, visited the company’s Selkirk office; the former Minister for Business Fair Work and Skills, Jamie Hepburn MSP visited the Selkirk office on 18 October 2018; and the Deputy First Minister visited the Selkirk office on 12 February 2019.

The First Minister met with Hinduja Global Solutions at the City of London Corporation and Scotland Finance and Investment Partnership Dinner held at Mansion House in London on 19 April 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11827

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what actions it is taking to tackle sexual harassment in schools.

We continue to take forward a range of actions in schools, including the Mentors in Violence Prevention Programme, which tackles gender stereotyping and attitudes that condone violence against women and girls; and piloting a whole school approach to tackling gender-based violence with Rape Crisis Scotland and Zero Tolerance.

The Gender-Based Violence in Schools Working Group is developing a national framework document for schools to help tackle sexual harassment and gender-based violence. This will set out the practical prevention and intervention measures that can be used to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children and young people. This work is expected to be completed in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-11721

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is seeking to procure hydrogen-fuelled ferries as part of its long-term plan for public ferries.

Transport Scotland liaises closely with Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) and other partners regarding future vessel projects. These discussions include appropriate consideration of design and operating options, including alternative fuels. As part of our work on the Islands Connectivity Plan, we will consult on pathways to zero/low-emission ferry transport, learning from experience in other countries.

Question reference: S6W-11720

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out into the viability and effectiveness of hydrogen-fuelled ferries.

Question reference: S6W-11718

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether liquified natural gas-fuelled ferries have a role to play as part of its decarbonisation and net zero targets.

Question reference: S6W-11717

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the findings of the recent University College London study, Exploring methods for understanding stranded value: case study on LNG-capable ships.

The Scottish Government is aware of the study published by the University college London on LNG capable ships and of its main conclusions. There is considerable research being carried out into the viability of various future marine fuels and vessel technologies and the Scottish Government, as a global leader on wider climate change policy and actions and as an owner and operator of vessels, is maintaining a close view on developments.

Question reference: S6W-11722

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its target date is for achieving a fully zero emissions fleet of public ferries.

Question reference: S6T-00942

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of misuse of fireworks and pyrotechnics on Bonfire Night.

Question reference: S6W-11113

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the meeting of its net zero targets of Crown Estate Scotland’s announcement that lease periods for targeted oil and gas projects will be extended to 50 years.

Offshore emissions generated as a result of the exploration for oil and gas in the North Sea are not counted as part of Scotland’s emissions inventory and instead are attributed directly to the UK emissions inventory and are not allocated to any devolved administration.

The Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG) offshore wind planning and leasing round will build on the success of ScotWind and enable new innovative and unique offshore wind projects to directly remove oil and gas production emissions from our environment and help Scotland maximise our offshore wind potential and build our offshore wind supply chain.

Lease lengths and conditions were set out by Crown Estate Scotland following engagement with the relevant sectors. INTOG projects that are successful in gaining a lease and consent will help decarbonise the oil and gas production sector, as we manage the structured transition away from the fossil fuel sector, and by supplying excess energy to the grid or converting it to other fuels will directly help meet Scotland’s own net zero commitments. A full Sustainability Appraisal for the INTOG plan will be carried out before any projects are offered Option Agreements by Crown Estate Scotland.

The Scottish Government has stated that our contribution to climate change will end, definitively, within one generation. In line with this commitment, our Programme for Government 2021/22 states that "unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is incompatible with our climate obligations and meeting the aims of the Paris Agreement"; in a post-COP26 world.

Question reference: S6W-11320

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11100 by Jenny Gilruth on 30 September 2022, when it expects the (a) evaluation stage to be completed and (b) invitation to tender to be issued.

I would refer the member to the written answer of S6W-11101 of
‎ 4 October 2022; which confirms that significant progress is expected this year on the tender design stage, with the Invitation to tender stage to be undertaken thereafter.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers