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-00576

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been recorded on the palliative care register in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.

This information is not collected centrally on a national palliative care register, however, under the Primary Medical Services (Directed Enhanced Services) (Scotland) Directions 2018, Health Boards should each have a local Palliative Care Scheme in place to ensure that patients within their areas who reach the last days of their life receive appropriate high quality care. Health Boards are responsible for contracting with GP practices in their areas to assess patients appropriately.

Question reference: S6W-00406

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to establish a new programme of international exchange; when it expects such a programme to be established, and for what reason this was not included in its plans for the first 100 days of the parliamentary session.

We do not support the UK Government’s refusal to participate in Erasmus+. Although we are working on a new programme, this will not be able to replicate in full the benefits of Erasmus+.

In-line with our manifesto commitments, we remain committed to both Erasmus+ and to international exchange. In the interim to securing our place back in Erasmus+ we have begun to consider options regarding a Scottish mobility programme. We are currently undertaking the necessary analysis that will inform our decisions relating to such a scheme.

Our view is that people across Scotland, in all education pathways, should have access to the benefits that international exchange provides. We will announce further steps in due course.

Question reference: S6W-00503

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many children are currently recorded as living in temporary accommodation in the South Scotland region, broken down by local authority area.

Data relating to homelessness and the use of temporary accommodation is collected on a local authority basis. Since the South Scotland region does not align with local authority boundaries it is not possible to provide the number of children in temporary accommodation for this region.

The Scottish Government does however routinely publish the number of children in temporary accommodation by local authority. The most recent figures for children in temporary accommodation as at 30 th September were published in the ‘Homelessness In Scotland: update to 30 th September 2020’ publication on 23 rd March 2021. The publication is available here:

Question reference: S6W-00501

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 June 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that some letting agents and landlords are still charging tenants reference fees, despite this practice being prohibited under the Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Act 2011, what action it has taken to enforce the prohibition of charging such fees.

The Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 made it an offence to charge or receive any premium or require the making of any loan in addition to rent and a refundable deposit of no more than two months’ rent as a condition of the grant, renewal or continuance of a tenancy. This was further amended in 2011 to place beyond any doubt that such fees were illegal premiums. This position is reiterated in the statutory Letting Agent Code of Practice which came into force on 31 January 2018.

Prospective tenants who think they have been charged an illegal premium can refuse to pay, where tenants think they have paid an illegal premium they can raise an action to recover any fee paid through the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber), there is no charge for this, or report the matter to Police Scotland.

In addition, where the person charging a fee is a letting agent, tenants can make an application to the Tribunal in relation to a breach of the Code of Practice. Where an agent is found to have breached the Code of Practice the Tribunal can issue a Letting Agent Enforcement Order that could include provision for the return of any prohibited fee.

Letting agents are required to be registered and to comply with the Letting Agents Code of Practice, which sets out the standards on how they manage their business and provide their services. This includes complying with relevant legislation and to have in place a complaints procedure. Concerns about a letting agent can be raised with the Letting Agent Registration team at the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-00492

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00220 by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2021, what funding provision is in place for cross-border treatment.

Question reference: S6W-00491

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid out from the Energy Investment Fund to date.

Question reference: S6W-00856

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 June 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today.

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 to remove the Republic of Ireland and the area of Bedford Borough Council from the list of areas to which the common travel area restrictions apply.

These regulations also add Manchester and Salford to the list of areas to which common travel area restrictions apply.

The Regulations have been published at .

Question reference: S6W-00416

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response to the WWF Nature Fund report, Feeling The Heat.

We welcome the WWF’s Feeling the Heat report and the focus it brings to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. We are already taking world-leading action at home and abroad, with action on these issues central to our green recovery from COVID-19.

In 2019 we scaled up the ambition of our climate targets; to reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 and to reaching net-zero by 2045. Our Climate Change Plan update, published in December, strengthens Scotland’s pathway to meeting these world-leading targets over the next decade, with nearly 150 policies driving delivery. This includes investments of more than £250 million over 10 years for peatland restoration and an additional £150 million over five years in forestry.

Protection of Scotland’s biodiversity is a key priority and we are committed to doing more to safeguard our species and habitats. Our high level Statement of Intent on biodiversity, published in December 2020, signalled our ambitions for biodiversity in Scotland, our international action and the development of a new post-2020 biodiversity strategy. We have committed £7 million to date to the Biodiversity Challenge Fund, and our latest budget included a further £10 million for a new Nature Restoration Fund in 2021-22.

Furthermore, in response to independent scientific advice on the main climate risks facing Scotland, including to our biodiversity, we are implementing Scotland’s second statutory Climate Change Adaptation Programme, setting out over 170 policies and proposals across Scotland, within an outcomes-based framework aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

These global challenges require a global response, and as European co-chair of the Under2 Coalition, we are committed to working in partnership with governments around the world to support efforts to reach net zero in a way that is fair and just. Since 2012, our world-first Climate Justice Fund has delivered over £21 million to support our key partner nations of Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda, supporting communities to build resilience against the worst effects of climate change. We are also looking forward to the opportunity presented by COP26 to demonstrate our collective ambitions to address both climate action and biodiversity.

Question reference: S6O-00060

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to an NASUWT Scotland survey, which suggests that 53% of teachers have considered leaving the profession in the last year, feeling demoralised, unsupported and unrecognised.

Question reference: S6O-00061

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to schools to enable them to hold modified sports events that can be attended by parents and carers.