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: S6O-04233

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed plans with NHS Lanarkshire to ensure that neurodivergent children and young people receive the right treatment and support.

Question reference: S6O-04205

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed plans to reduce delayed discharge with NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6W-32663

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported call from UK campaign group, Wild Justice, to (a) return Brodifacoum to its pre-April 2016 approval status, so that it can be used in strict "internal areas" within buildings, and (b) limit its use to professional pest control companies.

The Scottish Government continues to work with UK Government and the Welsh Government on the regulation of biocides, including rodenticides, under the GB Biocidal Products Regulation. A Government Oversight Group, that includes Scottish Government representation, oversees the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) and scrutinises the performance of its UK Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme (RSS).

The RSS is being updated firstly to ban the use of the two remaining second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) that are available for open area use from the end of this year. This is also intended to reduce accidental or deliberate misuse of other products including Brodifacoum in open areas. Secondly, training requirements for the farming sector are being brought in line with other sectors from end 2025 to ensure a consistent level of professional training across all sectors and reduce the risk of poor practice. Further changes to the RSS will be considered and implemented if necessary to continue to address SGARs residue levels in wildlife.

Question reference: S6W-32061

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost has been to NatureScot of removing invasive Sitka spruce growing on peat bogs and within mixed native woodlands in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6O-04171

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the data from the Pupils Census Supplementary Statistics, which reportedly shows that the number of pupils with additional support needs in Dumfries and Galloway increased by over 1,000 between 2019 and 2023.

Question reference: S6O-04119

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the request from the A77 Action Group for the establishment of a task force to consider issues relating to the impact of the reported increased use of full road closures on the A77.

Question reference: S6O-04076

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Public Health Scotland’s recent NHS dental monitoring report, which indicates that almost 40% of adults in Dumfries and Galloway are not registered with an NHS dentist.

Question reference: S6W-30862

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported calls from community groups for a pause on processing planning applications for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), in light of reports that there is currently 100GW of energy storage in the National Grid connection "queue" but the Electricity Systems Operator's Future Energy Scenarios highlighting a UK need for 20GW to 30GW of energy storage by 2035.

The National Energy System Operator (NESO) provides modelling of the projected amount of (short duration) battery storage that could be required in the GB system and Scotland. On 5 November NESO published advice to the UK Government on how to achieve Clean Power by 2030. At the same time, NESO also published consultations on the connections queue reform. We are currently considering this advice and modelling, which will inform our approach. We will also consider any measures proposed in the forthcoming UK Government Clean Power Action Plan.

Scotland’s National Planning Framework 4 ensures that the impacts of proposals on communities and nature are important considerations in the decision-making process.

Question reference: S6F-03553

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reported calls to widen access to Scotland’s Redress Scheme to allow survivors of abuse at Fornethy House to seek redress.

Question reference: S6W-30749

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with rail companies whose trains pass through Carstairs railway station but do not stop there about increasing the frequency of rail services from Carstairs.