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: S5W-15218

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to music venues for disabled (a) performers and (b) people wishing to attend events.

The Disability Action Plan A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People is removing barriers that stop disabled people from participating fully in communities. We are ensuring barriers to accessing and participating in Scotland's culture are removed. We are currently developing a culture strategy with and for the people of Scotland which will set out a vision and priorities for the future development of culture which enables everyone to have an equal opportunity to take part in and contribute to culture throughout the country.

Creative Scotland's future plans and revised Equalities Outcomes wereinformed by their review of equality, diversity and inclusion in the arts, screen and creative industries. Creative Scotland undertook a major Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Review both in Creative Scotland and in the sectors they support. They now require all their funded organisations to have Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plans in place as a condition of funding, and they are supporting organisations to be ambitious in the delivery of EDI. The EDI Review has been a comprehensive process resulting in revised EDI Outcomes 2017-21 being published including a focus on four revised outcomes and key actions being taken to support them along with a plan on measuring progress against them.One of those outcomes is widening attendance and participation in the arts, screen and creative industries. Creative Scotland are working with a range of partners, including other cultural partners, local authorities, health boards and others, to increase opportunities for engagement throughout the country, and support artists and organisations to understand their audiences better and address any barriers to engagement and participation to help tackle inequalities, deliver social justice and transform communities. Creative Scotland's EDI Report sets out the progress Creative Scotland are making to mainstream equalities and deliver their Equality Outcomes to 2017. This may be found here:-

Question reference: S5W-15234

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 20 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01803 by Fergus Ewing on 22 February 2018, what percentage of premises in the Scottish Borders will have access to superfast broadband by 31 December 2018.

As of the end of Q2 2017-18, 82.7% of all premises in the Scottish Borders are now able to access fibre broadband, and 79.7% are able to access speeds of 24Mbps and above. Without the investment made through the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme, it was predicted that only 39.3% of premises would have been able to access fibre broadband.

Figures for the end of 2017 are being assured at present and should be available in the near future.

Extended build through the DSSB programme is planned throughout 2018, thanks to Gainshare funding. However, at this time, we cannot confirm how many additional premises in the Scottish Borders may benefit from this extended build.

Question reference: S5O-01912

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to people from lower income backgrounds to tackle inequality.

Question reference: S5W-14899

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to mark the centenary of the Forestry Commission in 2019.

During 2019 the Scottish Government will support a range of activities celebrating achievements in the one hundred years since the introduction of the UK Forestry Act in 1919 – including the establishment of the Forestry Commission .

Plans are currently being developed, involving the wider forestry sector and in collaboration with colleagues across the UK. Detailed plans are not yet available, but are expected to include activities to celebrate Scotland’s Trees, Woods and Forests and their contribution to our people, economy and environment. The celebrations will concentrate on recognising past achievements in public and private forestry, and on the opportunities presented by new Scottish forestry legislation to build on that legacy and encourage further significant growth in forestry in Scotland for the next one hundred years.

Question reference: S5O-01891

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle health inequalities, and what role having access to arts and culture can play in this.

Question reference: S5W-14774

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many criminal trials in each of the last 10 years have been abandoned with the presumption that they could be heard at a later date (deserted pro loco et tempore), and how many were subsequently held later, also expressed as a percentage.

Question reference: S5W-14222

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for applying for a temporary Blue Badge, and how long this takes.

The rules are the same for people with permanent and substantial disabilities or temporary and substantial disabilities however, any temporary and substantial disability must be expected to last at least 12 months in order for a Badge to be issued. The application process is the same: online at or using a paper form obtainable from the local authority. The Blue Badge scheme is administered by local authorities, therefore the time it will take to make a decision on an application will vary.

Officials in Transport Scotland continue to review the operation of the Blue Badge scheme in Scotland. This involves engagement with disabled people, local authorities, health and social care professionals and others. It includes assessing whether the Blue Badge eligibility criteria for people with temporary and substantial disabilities are appropriate to facilitate independent living.

Question reference: S5F-02086

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to train and recruit more nurses.

Question reference: S5O-01803

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when 100% of premises in the Scottish Borders will have access to superfast broadband.

Question reference: S5W-14224

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the guidance based on the Human Medicines (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2014 was issued to (a) education authorities, (b) schools and (c) NHS boards in Scotland.