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 MSPs 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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Displaying 1153 questions Show Answers
Question reference: S5W-35586
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Friday, 26 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the cost of extending free bus travel to people in receipt of benefits because of a low income, including universal credit.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-35582
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Friday, 26 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increase in the number of universal credit claimants over the last nine months, whether additional resources will be transferred to local authorities to meet the cost of any additional demand for passported benefits.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-35581
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Friday, 26 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 4 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increase in the number of benefit claimants because of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether the 2021-22 Budget will reflect any additional costs for Social Security Scotland to respond to any increase in (a) benefit claim payments and (b) the number of staff required by the department.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-35238
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government with which organisations it regularly consults with to seek the views of disabled people.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-34694
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 January 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether older people who are hospital inpatients will be vaccinated against COVD-19 while in hospital to avoid missing a local appointment that might have been scheduled to take place during the time of their hospital stay.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-34691
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 January 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what protocols are in place to ensure that older people will be vaccinated against COVID-19 if they miss appointments for any reasons, including the late delivery of mail.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-35239
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for the Job Start Payment there were between 17 August 2020 and 31 December 2020, broken down by the sex of the applicant; how many (a) were refused and (b) are yet to be processed, and what proportion of applicants that were approved were awarded the (i) standard and (ii) higher rate.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-35150
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Thursday, 11 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 18 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) relationship between the legalisation of assisted suicide in other countries and the rate of suicide in the general population and (b) study (i) “Does Euthanasia Have a Dampening Effect on Suicide Rates? Recent Experiences from the Netherlands”, which was published in the Journal of Ethics in Mental Health on 28 December 2017 and (ii) “How does legalization of physician-assisted suicide affect rates of suicide?”, which was published in the Southern Medical Journal in October 2015, and how this assessment will impact on its suicide prevention strategy.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-35024
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 15 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government on which of its advisory and strategic groups is Engender represented.
Answer
Question reference: S5W-35023
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2021
- Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 15 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations it regularly consults with to seek the views of women.