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-00553

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it monitors local authority adherence to the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 and, if so, what its response is to reports of inconsistencies with menu choice across local authority education boards.

Compliance with the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 is monitored by Education Scotland Health and Nutrition Inspectors who support local authority caterers to undertake a nutrient analysis of school lunch menus using appropriate software to assess compliance with the nutrient standards. They also support local authority teaching and catering staff to assess compliance with all other food and drink provision across the school day against the relevant specifications.

Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 each local authority is responsible for ensuring that they comply with the statutory duties set out in the Regulations. The Regulations are flexible enough to allow for local variations in menu design which helps to ensure that local needs and preferences can be taken into account. As such we would expect to see different menus between local authorities and between schools within a local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-00506

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many inpatient beds there are for people with eating disorders, broken down by NHS board.

Children and young people who require inpatient support for an eating disorder will be admitted to either one of the 3 regional Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) inpatient units, as outlined below, or be admitted to a paediatric ward.

24 beds - Skye House Regional Adolescent Unit, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow
12 beds - Dudhope House, Dundee
12 beds - Young People’s Unit, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh

Similarly, adults who require inpatient support will be admitted to general adult mental health wards locally, or to one of the 3 adult specialist inpatient units in Scotland:

The Regional Eating Disorder Unit at St John’s Hospital, Livingston, which is a 12 bed unit.
The North of Scotland Eating Disorder Unit (Eden Unit), Royal Cornhill Hospital Aberdeen, which is a 10 bedded specialist eating disorder unit.
There are also 4 specialist eating disorder beds in general adult psychiatry ward in Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-00418

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 15 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many projects Community Broadband Scotland has supported in each of the last five years.

Following an extensive review of how best to deliver support to community networks, it was concluded that – despite helping to deliver a number of successful community projects – Community Broadband Scotland (CBS) was no longer the most viable model. As such, CBS was officially closed down in January 2018, with communities given the option of continuing with their own project with public sector support or being included in the Reaching 100% (R100) programme, with all 15 remaining pipeline communities opting for the latter option.

In total, 18 community projects received grant funding, totalling £2.1 million, through CBS – delivering a total of 1,490 connections. In financial year 2016-17, CBS grants totalled around £313,000. In financial year 2017-18, they totalled around £19,000.

Question reference: S6W-00405

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government (a) whether and (b) when it plans to introduce a digital certificate with QR authentication for vaccine record information, in light of this being required by people working and travelling abroad where it is expected in the receiving country.

Yes, in summer 2021 our current vaccination status letters will be replaced by fully digital Covid Status Certificates to be used for outbound international travel. The World Health Organisation is currently developing international standards for this, and it is expected this will include either a QR code or 2D barcode. We are working across the Common Travel Area and our four nations to put in place our fully interoperable digital solution that aligns with these international standards being developed. This digital solution will also have an accessible option for those that need it, such as those who do not have a smart phone.

Question reference: S6F-00134

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the First Minister what engagement the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding COVID-19 business support, in light of the rise of the Delta variant.

Question reference: S6F-00116

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on the commitment to hold an inquiry into the malicious prosecutions concerning Rangers FC.

Question reference: S6F-00111

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to reports that some patients are having to wait over three years to be discharged from psychiatric hospitals.

Question reference: S6F-00102

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00104

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00103

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.