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-00492

Asked by: Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its coordination of COVID-19 policies can ensure people living in Perthshire South and Kinross-shire are supported through the recovery from the pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00493

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met with key stakeholders, including business owners, to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine certification scheme.

Question reference: S6O-00494

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies across government will support island communities to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00501

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to people in the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency who are in fuel poverty.

Question reference: S6O-00500

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its pilots to provide free bicycles for school-age children.

Question reference: S6O-00496

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies across government will support families on low incomes to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00498

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, A Vision for Scotland's Railways, produced for Scotland's rail unions.

Question reference: S6W-04534

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the cost of the Deposit Return Scheme, in light of the delay in its implementation.

The costs and benefits of delivering Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) are set out in the Full Business Case (FBC) Addendum, published on 16 March 2020, which sets out the clear economic case for DRS. It is available here: .

We are aware that some in industry have been exploring alternative values for some of the assumptions set out in the FBC Addendum. We have not had the opportunity to assess the evidence for these alternative assumptions in detail. However, where the figures appear credible we are analysing them and will respond in due course.

In line with the principle of producer responsibility, the operating costs of DRS will be borne by the drinks producers who supply the Scottish market.

Question reference: S6W-04540

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities that have signed contracts, which may be up to 25 years, to provide aluminium, plastics and glass to waste management companies will be compensated if or when they are no longer able to provide these volumes as a result of a proportion being captured by the deposit return scheme.

Recyclate contracts are typically much shorter than residual waste management arrangements, normally 1 to 3 years. Modelling by Zero Waste Scotland projects that for 29 out of the 32 Scottish local authorities, cost savings from residual waste reductions as a result of the Deposit Return Scheme will be greater than any lost recyclate-related income. Zero Waste Scotland is working with the three remaining local authorities to see how their collection and processing systems can be reshaped following introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme to realise efficiencies and to help mitigate any potential losses. Local authorities are also expected to benefit from a reduction in the impact of litter, for instance through reduced demand for street cleansing.

We are taking key steps to support local authorities in the introduction of our Deposit Return Scheme, to help meet our ambitious waste reduction, recycling and climate change targets. This includes making our first investments from the £70m Recycling Improvement Fund to support local authorities in improving recycling infrastructure, and working with local government partners to review the Household Recycling Charter’s Code of Practice, to help make it easier for householders to recycle the right things. The review will ensure that the Code of Practice continues to enshrine best practice and prepares local authorities for the implementation of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

Question reference: S6W-04537

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research published by the British Association of Social Workers in January 2021 regarding the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental wellbeing and quality of working life of social workers.

The Scottish Government is aware, as explained in the Report, the mental wellbeing and quality of working life of social workers have been adversely affected by the COVID pandemic. In order to ensure that Scotland has a skilled and confident social services workforce, we are heavily investing in its development, working in association with key sector partners.

The wellbeing and resilience of Scotland's social workers have been at the centre of our actions, as we support the recovery of the workforce from the negative effects of the pandemic.

We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level.

We have taken the following specific actions to encourage a supportive culture within the social work profession:

£80,000 has been provided to Scottish Association of Social Workers to develop the Professional Support Service.
The service will provide peer support, allowing social workers to talk through issues and develop their career by getting advice and support from their own coach.
The development of a coaching culture within social work will help to support the development of a stronger professional identity.
Wellbeing and workforce resilience issues will be given a particular focus as we support the workforce’s recovery from the pandemic.
A signposting service will allow social workers and social work students to identify appropriate learning, development and career pathway resources developed by the SSSC, NHS Education for Scotland and Iriss. This service will provide and promote career development opportunities through the provision of training opportunities.