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: S5O-04912

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received an update from the UK Government on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and how it might impact on Scotland's public finances.

Question reference: S5O-04833

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it is providing to the holiday accommodation sector regarding the relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions over Christmas.

Question reference: S5W-33363

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ivan McKee on 19 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on replacing the European structural funds that will be lost to Scotland as a result of leaving the EU.

Structural Funds have been key to Scotland’s economic development over the past 40 years, investing more than £5.6 billion into a wide range of projects. As the United Kingdom crashes out of the EU at the end of next month so Scotland will no longer have access to such funds.

Since the UK Government announced its intention to establish a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to replace these funds in 2018, it has failed to engage meaningfully with the devolved nations, providing no detail on how such a fund might work, how much funding will be available and what it will fund in future. Scottish Ministers and officials continue to try to engage with the UK Government to secure the information needed to plan for the future. However, the Scottish Government has also sought to develop a position on future funding priorities to ensure Scotland’s distinctive needs and priorities are met.

Today the Scottish Government is publishing its proposals for a Scottish Shared Prosperity Fund. They can be found at .

This paper has been produced following 12 months of extensive consultation with stakeholders around Scotland and with the support of an expert Steering Group, co-chaired by Professor David Bell of University of Stirling and Professor John Bachtler of University of Strathclyde. I want to thank Professors Bell and Bachtler and all the members of the Steering Group wholeheartedly for giving so generously of their time and expertise. Their work has significantly informed the development of these proposals.

The Scottish Shared Prosperity Fund will aim to address and reduce economic and social disparity within and between places and people in Scotland through a partnership approach, It will focus on four key areas of investment – empowering places, reducing poverty, enhancing wellbeing, and increasing skills, growing business and jobs. These will be underpinned by two horizontal themes – wellbeing and climate change - which will be integrated in all activity delivered through the fund, thus ensuring this funding works to help achieve inclusive growth and meet the commitments to address climate change and achieve net zero emissions.

Work is now underway to develop policy around the practicalities of operating the Fund and Scottish Ministers will keep Parliament updated of progress. Scotland’s stakeholders will play a central role in the approach that we propose to take and its wider development. Local Authorities, our enterprise agencies and community groups will be integral to our plans and we will build on their expertise when we roll out this programme.

Scottish Ministers and officials will continue to press the UK Government for full replacement of all lost EU structural funds. The UK Government may announce details of the UKSPF as part of the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. It is essential that Scotland doesn’t lose out financially going forward and must receive at least £1.283 billion for a replacement 7 year programme for 2021 – 2027 to replace the EU Structural Funds, the European Territorial Cooperation and LEADER Programmes; equivalent to £183 million each year. The Scottish Government will also expect full control over replacement funding being given to Scotland. Ongoing attempts by the UK Government to undermine the devolution settlement in relation to powers and funding in this area will continue to be resisted vigorously.

Question reference: S5W-32397

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 9 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider putting in place a regular COVID-19 testing regime for home carers in order to prevent house-to-house transmission, in light of the stricter measures already in place for care home staff.

A Clinical and Scientific review of the Scottish Governments COVID-19 Testing Strategy published on 23 October 2020 has been carried out in light of the latest evidence of the state of the epidemic in Scotland and understanding of testing capacity and demand forecasts in the next three months.

The consensus clinical view of the prioritisation of capacity, over and above that required to meet symptomatic demand, clinical care requirements and existing commitments, is that the focus in any extension of routine regular asymptomatic testing should be on protecting those most vulnerable to severe harm. Further details on the review can be found here: .

As set out in our Strategic Framework for the pandemic, also published on 23 October 2020, as testing capacity builds over the next three months, this will include considering how best to extend routine testing to staff who provide care at home for those most vulnerable to harm. Further details on the Framework can be found here: .

We recognise that routine testing of people who do not have symptoms has an important role to play in protecting the vulnerable and preventing outbreaks in high risk settings. It must however be seen alongside a strong emphasis on symptomatic social care staff immediately self-isolating and arranging testing, use of appropriate PPE, physical distancing, environmental optimisation and decontamination and good social hygiene.

Question reference: S5O-04690

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the timeline for the draft consultation on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Question reference: S5O-04648

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether an up-to-date impact assessment on Scottish tax revenues post-COVID-19 and post-Brexit has been prepared.

Question reference: S5W-31413

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to people in Pathhead, Fala and Fala Dam who have had no access to public transport following the closure of the A68 due to a landslide.

Transport Scotland liaises closely with Midlothian Council on a daily basis to discuss and mitigate any concerns highlighted as a result of the landslide or local impacts around the affected area. Public transport operates in a deregulated market where individual bus operators use their commercial judgement to decide provision of services. Additionally, local authorities have a duty to subsidise services that they deem to be socially necessary and that would otherwise not be provided commercially. Notwithstanding this, Transport Scotland will continue to support the local authority to mitigate the impact of affected public transport and liaise with transport operators as required.

Question reference: S5W-31412

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 2 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the residents of Fala and Fala Dam who have been affected by flooding following recent extreme weather.

A number of residential properties in Fala Dam suffered from flooding overnight on 11/12 August 2020. Evidence suggests that this incident was associated with the failure of the embankment supporting the A68 trunk road to the south of the village, and the resulting surge of water and detritus that impacted the village.

In light of recent events Midlothian Council is engaging with local residents and relevant groups to consider any appropriate actions. The Scottish Government supports the work of the Scottish Flood Forum which works with the local authorities, other agencies and local communities to reduce the impacts of flooding.

Reducing flood risk is a priority for the Scottish Government and we will continue to support authorities to deliver actions that protect our communities; as well as raising awareness amongst the public and businesses.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to provide an additional £150 million over five years to support flood management actions, building on our existing £42 million annual commitment to local authorities for this purpose.

Question reference: S5W-30338

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reopen (a) swimming pools, (b) therapy pools and (c) gyms for people dependent on these to help deal with medical conditions.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of aquatic and other physical therapies to many people and will continue to gather the clinical evidence that would support the reopening of these services.

We will prepare guidance in consultation with sport scotland, Community Leisure Scotland, the Scottish Leisure Networking Group, Local Authorities, Leisure Trusts, Hospitality Sector, Trade Unions, Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport and other partners in the sporting system to assist us in understanding the needs of facility operators in the sector whilst adhering to social distancing and hygiene measures and where additional guidance will be required for indoor sports facilities to open safely, no earlier than 31 July.

Careful consideration has been given to facilities which are utilised by the public for aquatic therapy, rehabilitation and exercise. Hydro pools are considered in line with any aquatic return and can be reopened when other pools are.

Question reference: S5O-04419

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact of Brexit on EU-UK relations, in light of concerns that any breakdown could have a detrimental impact, including in Scotland, on the response to issues such as the COVID-19 crisis.