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-14630

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of civil and criminal remedies available to SEPA to prosecute those that are non-compliant with the Deposit Return Scheme.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) already has a range of civil sanctions, such as fixed monetary penalties or enforcement undertakings, which it can impose as part of its enforcement of a wider range of existing environmental legislation.

Civil sanctions mean that SEPA has a flexible range of enforcement tools available to deal with any breach of environmental legislation. The Lord Advocate has issued guidance to SEPA on its use of civil sanctions which can be found at

In terms of criminal remedies, SEPA would refer such instances to Police Scotland or the relevant police service elsewhere in the UK.

Question reference: S6O-02001

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how it will ensure that the needs of the rural economy are considered in its plans for the decarbonisation of transport.

Question reference: S6W-15415

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to biosecurity concerns beyond avian populations, such as conifers seeding into peatlands, grey squirrel expansion into the Highlands, and ash dieback in forests.

Scottish Government gives very serious consideration to the maintenance of plant and animal health and welfare through a range of biosecurity measures that aim to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful organisms.

On Plant health Scotland’s Chief Plant Officer for Scotland provides advice to Scottish Ministers and ensures strategic and tactical leadership, across forestry, crops and the natural environment, to minimise the risk and impact of plant health biosecurity threats in Scotland. The CPHOS works closely with UK Plant Health service colleagues to co-ordinate the Scottish Government’s plant health response in terms of policy, inspections and surveillance activities. Scotland’s Plant Health Centre of Expertise provides rapid call down evidence to inform policy and SG invests £50 million a year into a portfolio of strategic research.

On animal health and welfare, in both wild and farmed populations, SG funds ongoing disease surveillance and risk communication work through the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and SRUC, as well as working with the other UK Administrations to collate data on current threats through International Disease Monitoring and Veterinary Risk Groups. Outputs from these groups inform policy decision making, both with regards to our borders and within Scotland. In addition the EPIC Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks is funded to provide epidemiological advice which informs actions to protect health and welfare.

On the specific examples, ash dieback is present across Scotland and management efforts are now focused on mitigating safety risks from diseased trees. Scottish forestry recently published advice for forest managers, . The Scottish Government provides funding through its Forestry Grant Scheme to control grey squirrels, where they are a threat to the red squirrel population. The Forestry Grant Scheme also grant aids removal of regeneration, where it will affect the hydrology of a raised bog or blanket bog, and hinder the recovery of the open bog habitat.

Question reference: S6W-14617

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that large numbers of small businesses are still not aware of the requirements of the Deposit Return Scheme due to a lack of effective marketing and engagement within the food and drink sector.

Any business with questions or concerns about registration should contact Circularity Scotland (CSL) for advice and guidance. They can do this via their website or their dedicated helpline.

CSL has ongoing communications with businesses to raise awareness and help them understand their obligations as part of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and what they need to do to comply. This includes a recent series of information workshops across the country for businesses affected by DRS.

I also meet regularly with industry stakeholders to discuss their concerns and to help them prepare for the scheme’s launch in August.

Question reference: S6W-15411

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13127 by Patrick Harvie on 9 January 2023, when it expects to release the annual reports for the (a) Scottish House Condition Survey for (i) 2020, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2022 and (b) Scottish Household Survey for (A) 2021 and (B) 2022.

There will be no Scottish House Condition Survey 2020 annual report. Following the suspension of face-to-face interviewing in March 2020, due to COVID-19, there was no further Scottish House Condition Survey data collection in 2020. The 2021 results will be published in May 2023, and the 2022 results in early 2024.

The Scottish Household Survey results for 2021 will be published in April 2023, and the 2022 results will be published in late 2023 / early 2024.

Question reference: S6W-14628

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that continued uncertainty over the detail of producer agreements could compromise the enforceability of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Question reference: S6F-01887

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support homeowners seeking to reduce their energy bills.

Question reference: S6W-14616

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Circularity Scotland is unable to provide detailed guidance on compliance with the Deposit Return Scheme ahead of the producer registration deadline.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is the regulator for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme.

SEPA has agreed that, where there are clearly evidenced operational challenges, they will take a proportionate approach to compliance. They have committed to providing advice and guidance as the preferred route to achieving compliance for businesses who are striving to meet their obligations.

Any business with questions or concerns about registration should contact Circularity Scotland for advice and guidance. They can do this via their website or their dedicated helpline.

Question reference: S6W-15211

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any specific financial support is available for people on fixed incomes, such as pensioners, to purchase an electric bike.

The Energy Saving Trust runs the ebike loan programme on behalf of Transport Scotland. Interest free loans of up to £3,000 are available for standard ebikes and up to £6,000 for cargo or specially adapted bikes. Applications are subject to credit and affordability checks however those on fixed incomes are not excluded from the programme.

The Energy Saving Trust also receive funding to run a grant programme designed to increase access to ebikes in communities. Depending on need and location, there may be a programme available that offers short and long term access to an ebike and help to purchase one. Cycling UK and Cycling Scotland also run community programmes that can offer support. More information is available on these organisation's websites:

Question reference: S6W-14613

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Circularity Scotland, in light of the reported concerns of producers that the Deposit Return Scheme registration process for glass is too detailed to complete before the registration deadline.