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-03003

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the consultation on its draft Licensing Order and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) for short-term lets.

Question reference: S6W-02512

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the scientific evidence it received to justify the change in arrangements for regular smear tests for women over 50 from every three years to every five.

The cervical screening programme routinely invites anyone with a cervix who is between the ages of 25 and 64 for a test every 5 years. This is in line with the recommendation given by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), to change the primary screening test from cytology (looking at cervical cells through a microscope to find those which could develop into cancer) to testing for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). The new test is more effective at identifying those at risk of developing cervical cancer, meaning those who don’t have HPV will be invited for a cervical screening test every five years instead of every three. The Scottish Government, along with the rest of the UK, is advised on all aspects of cervical screening including the move to HPV testing by the UK NSC.

Further information on the UK NSC’s recommendation can found on the following website:

Question reference: S6W-02513

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the change to arrangements for regular smear tests for women over 50 from every three years to every five is related to capacity issues.

It is not. The change to routine cervical screening intervals from three years to five years is due to the implementation of a test for high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) as the primary screening test in March 2020. The new test is more effective at identifying those at risk of developing cervical cancer, meaning women who don’t have HPV will be invited for a cervical screening test every five years instead of every three.

Question reference: S6T-00179

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research stating that no recommendations to improve practice are made in nine out of 10 fatal accident inquiries into deaths in prison.

Question reference: S6O-00188

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board will publish its recommendations on future agricultural policy.

Question reference: S6W-02331

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage and facilitate the safe disposal of disused flares and other time expired pyrotechnics (TEPs) in island and rural communities.

Disused flares and other time expired pyrotechnics are likely to be hazardous (special) waste and should be classified and managed as such. Advice on management of special waste is provided by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Guidance is provided on how to classify special waste, how to consign this waste, and how to pay for the waste to be moved safely.

Some manufacturers of flares and pyrotechnics offer takeback schemes. There are specialist hazardous waste disposal companies and operators who can manage this waste in the correct manner.

With regard to maritime flares, maritime safety is a reserved matter. Certain HM Coastguard locations are licensed to store flares, and will accept flares for disposal at their discretion. There are a small number of coastguard operations bases in island and rural locations in Scotland where flares can be taken for safe disposal.

Question reference: S6O-00125

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the procurement of low-emissions ferries to replace the current internal fleet.

Question reference: S6W-01946

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the remit of the Short-Term Let Working Group to “identify and resolve stakeholder issues and concerns”, what specific stakeholder issues and concerns were resolved by the group, and how was this reflected in (a) guidance and (b) any revised legislation.

(a) Stakeholder concerns in respect of the guidance are included in the minute of the third meeting of the Working group in May 2021: . The draft guidance published on 25 June 2021 reflects many of the suggestions made at the Working Group meeting and in correspondence. The draft guidance will be considered further by the Working Group.

(b) The revised draft Licensing Order was published for consultation on 25 June 2021. Table 1 in the sets out details of the changes that have been made to the Licensing Order.

Question reference: S6W-01945

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what baseline data local authorities will be required to use to establish an over-provision policy for its short-term let licensing proposals.

Short-term lets can offer people a flexible and cheaper travel option, and have contributed positively to Scotland’s tourism industry and local economies across the country. However, we know that in certain areas, particularly tourist hot spots, high numbers of lets can cause problems for neighbours and make it harder for people to find homes to live in. The Scottish Government considers regulation of short term lets to be vital in balancing the needs and concerns of residents and communities, alongside wider economic and tourism interests.

Guidance for local authorities on overprovision is set out in chapter 3 of the .

In considering whether there is or would be overprovision in any locality, licensing authorities must have regard to:

1. the number and capacity of licensed short-term lets in the locality,

2. the need for housing accommodation in the locality and the extent to which short-term let accommodation is impacting the availability of housing, and

3. such other matters as they consider relevant.

We have set out in guidance for local authorities that the data which licensing authorities use to evidence overprovision should be drawn from reliable sources, for example using data from their licence schemes.

Question reference: S6W-00732

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to allowing women aged 70 and over to self-refer for breast cancer screening.

The pause to self-referrals for women over 70 is a temporary measure that is regularly reviewed by the Breast Screening Programme Board, the National Screening Oversight Board and the Scottish Screening Committee (of which the Scottish Government is a member). It will be lifted as soon as capacity allows. Meantime, the Scottish Screening Committee, the National Screening Oversight Board and the Programme Board are working with NHS NSD and Health boards to understand how the capacity challenges might be overcome.