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-26142

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage the use of hydrogen-powered boats and ships in Scotland.

As set out in our Hydrogen Action Plan, hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels could play a significant role in the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.

Our long-term goal is to reduce carbon emissions very substantially by 2045 and, ideally, to eliminate them. However, this is dependent on alternative fuels becoming commercially available. This is a challenge facing the whole shipping industry.

Hydrogen may well become one of the future maritime fuels used by the global shipping fleet. However, this technology is not yet fully developed, and the decision of vessel owners to use specific maritime fuels will be determined by a number of factors. One of those factors will be availability of the fuel source, therefore we believe that working to develop a safe and economically viable supply will assist in the development of hydrogen vessels. This will ultimately be a decision for ship owners and port operators, along with the UK Government, which has policy responsibility for shipping regulations in UK waters.

Question reference: S6W-26143

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage the use of hydrogen-powered trains in Scotland.

As set out in our Hydrogen Action Plan, hydrogen in the transport sector could act as a complementary energy source alongside electrification, providing an option to parts of the transport sector such as parts of the rail network, when full electrification is challenging.

Transport Scotland has encouraged the use of hydrogen-powered trains in Scotland by continuing to engage with train fleet owners on the subject, with sector working groups developing the understanding of the safe and economically viable means to deploy hydrogen trains, and with other parts of Scottish Government and agencies including Scottish Enterprise, in developing understanding of potential demand and possible transition scenarios.

Question reference: S6F-02965

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024

To ask the First Minister what analysis of passenger behaviour and numbers has been carried out since the inception of the removal of peak rail fares pilot.

Question reference: S6O-03216

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it has taken to support the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.

Question reference: S6O-03187

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress towards introducing its proposed Land Reform Bill.

Question reference: S6O-03124

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to Aberdeen's festivals.

Question reference: S6O-03112

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the operations of the Parole Board for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-24810

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of any potential challenges faced by universities and students impacted by new UK visa restrictions, in relation to family members accompanying students, what steps it is taking to support universities in Scotland to (a) adapt to the new restrictions and (b) provide information and guidance to affected students.

The Scottish Government remains deeply concerned about the new UK visa changes and the impact on Scotland’s ability to attract international students.

The Scottish Government will launch a Talent Attraction and Migration Service in 2024. The service will help address Scotland's demographic challenges and will attract and welcome more workers from outside Scotland, including the rest of the UK, with the skills that our economy needs.

The service will provide immigration support for employers, including our universities and colleges, based in Scotland and for those wishing to set up in Scotland, to enable them to use the UK’s immigration system effectively and efficiently to help meet Scotland’s skills and labour needs.

The service will also cater to immigration queries from people whose leave is about to expire and to international students approaching the end of their studies who wish to remain in Scotland and seek employment with a Scotland-based employer.

We have also recently launched our International Education Strategy which sets out steps we will take to work collaboratively with the sector to support international students to study in Scotland.

As immigration is a complex legal area, students may wish to seek professional advice, as the Scottish Government cannot provide legal or immigration advice. An immigration advisor can be found through the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner which regulates immigration advice and services.

Question reference: S6W-24808

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of new UK visa restrictions, in relation to family members accompanying students, and any potential negative impact on student wellbeing and academic success as a result of family separation, whether it is considering any measures or support programmes to mitigate any such impact, to ensure that the reported positive contribution of international students in Scotland can continue.

We remain deeply concerned that the new UK Government visa restrictions will make Scotland a less attractive destination for international students. We are working closely with the sector to minimise impact.

Universities in Scotland are autonomous bodies with responsibility for teaching, assessment and academic and student support.

The Scottish Government will, throughout February 2024, undertake consultation events with members of the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group on a draft Student Mental Health Action Plan.

The draft Plan recognises the critical importance of early intervention and prevention, ensuring effective access to a diverse range of community-based clinical and non-clinical services, and providing timely clinical acute care for those who require it. It sets out our expectations for institutions on supporting student mental health and wellbeing and how Scottish Government will work with them and the wider public sector.

Question reference: S6W-24809

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of any potential disproportionate impact of UK visa restrictions, in relation to family members accompanying students, on certain nationalities, and the reported importance of attracting diverse talent to Scottish universities, whether it has had any discussions with the UK Government to advocate for exemptions or greater flexibility in the policy for specific cases or countries.

The Scottish Government has urged the UK Government to adopt an inclusive approach to family migration to ensure that those with caring responsibilities are not excluded from our education institutions. Scotland must be able to attract and retain talent without excessive barriers and migration policy should support mobility, collaboration and innovation.

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice wrote to the new Home Secretary on the 22 December, highlighting Scotland’s distinct demographic needs and requested a meeting to discuss our concerns.