Parliamentary questions
Stephen Kerr
2,595 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with representatives of sports bodies, other than those representing football, ahead of its announcement regarding its plan to introduce COVID-19 vaccine passports at certain events.
Answer · Maree Todd: Ministers and officials are engaging regularly with sectors affected, including the wider sports sector, to ensure that a workable and proportionate vaccine certification scheme is developed.
2 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with representatives of the theatre sector ahead of its announcement regarding its plan to introduce COVID-19 vaccine passports at certain events.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: 21 September 2021 Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with representatives of the theatre sector ahead of its announcement regarding its plan to introduce COVID-19…
2 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with representatives of football clubs ahead of its announcement regarding its plan to introduce COVID-19 vaccine passports at certain events.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Prior to introducing plans for Covid-19 vaccine passports at certain events, the Scottish Government consulted the Scottish Football Association on the potential operational issues which would need to be considered in delivering a workable and proportionate v…
2 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with representatives of the nightclub sector ahead of its announcement regarding its plan to introduce COVID-19 vaccine passports at certain events.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government maintains regular contact with the hospitality and nigh time trade sectors. This has included engagement on proposals for a domestic vaccine certification programme both before and after the policy announcement, and that dialogue conti…
30 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to former residents of Hong Kong who have moved to Scotland under the UK Government's British National (overseas) visa.
Answer · Shona Robison: Scotland has a long history of welcoming people of all nationalities, including those from Hong Kong. We recognise the positive contribution of people who choose to make Scotland their home. They are assets to our society and communities: sharing their cultur…
30 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the UK Government's investment in hydrogen as an alternative energy source, including the Acorn Hydrogen project in Aberdeenshire.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The development of a domestic hydrogen sector will play an important role in supporting a just transition to Net Zero by 2045, and presents significant long-term economic opportunities. We are taking forward an Energy Transition Scotland programme, including…
30 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons the Tesla Model 3 has been identified as the most suitable fully-electric vehicles to meet the needs of the Government Car Service.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The reasons why the Tesla Model 3 Long Range was chosen were:- 1. The vehicles have capacity to transport up to 4 passengers, with sufficient interior space to allow business to be conducted effectively whilst traveling between engagements. 2. The vehicles …
25 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding whether digitised patient health records can be easily accessed by different bodies within the NHS, such as GP clinics, NHS boards and dentists.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: We continue to work with key partners across Scotland to ensure that relevant information from patient health records is available to healthcare staff when and where they need it. Significant investment in national IT systems, such as those for GP practices a…
25 Aug 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the future of farm support payments.
6 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many school teachers have been employed on temporary contracts in each year since 2006.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The full-time equivalent of teachers in temporary posts in each year since 2006 is shown in the following table. Year Full-time equivalent number of teachers in temporary posts Percentage of teachers on temporary posts 2006 4,188 8% 2007 4,593 9% 20…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how much it costs local authorities to consider each application regarding proposals for spectators at football matches, and whether it plans to provide additional funding to cover this cost.
Answer · Maree Todd: We have worked with local authorities when developing the exemption process for events to ensure it is proportionate and workable in practice and we will continue to engage closely with them on the process going forward. Scotland’s councils have been allocat…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what types of tree have been planted in Scotland since 2018, broken down by how many of each type has been planted.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Under the current Forestry Grant Scheme, in the period 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2021, Scottish Forestry has calculated that approximately 81.7 million conifers have been planted. Of this, Sitka spruce forms the majority species with 51 million trees. Other ma…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the relative carbon intensities of electricity generated by (a) wind, (b) nuclear and (c) natural gas with carbon capture and storage.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the question S6W-02013 on 22 August 2021 . All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/writte…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any benefits for the economy from nuclear energy production (a) at present and (b) in the future.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the question S6W-01692 on 16 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any benefits for (a) jobs and (b) skills from nuclear energy production (i) at present and (ii) in the future.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the question S6W-01692 on 16 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has in place to ensure that there is a reliable supply of firm low-carbon power as part of it achieving its net-zero targets.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01690 on ? 16 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it is making to mitigate any adverse impact on Scotland's carbon emissions from the planned retirement of Torness Nuclear Power Station in 2030.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the question S6W-02013 on 22 August 2021 All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the anticipated impact on the carbon intensity of Scotland’s electricity grid of the planned retirement of Hunterston B Power Station.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We have not made an assessment of this kind. Scottish Ministers’ view, as set out in our Climate Change Plan update, is that renewables, carbon capture technologies, storage, system flexibility and greater energy efficiency comprise a more efficient and econo…
29 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the public financial cost of a homicide.
Answer · Keith Brown: Every homicide represents the loss of a loved family member, a friend or a work colleague. The emotional cost of such loss cannot ever be captured by the financial costs arising. Within this context, the Scottish Government does not make specific assessments…
22 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the justification was for purchasing Tesla electric vehicles for the Government Car Service, and for what reason it decided to purchase these over other makes of electric vehicle.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is fully committed to the decarbonisation of its vehicle fleet, including vehicles used in the Government Car Service. The 2019/20 Programme for Government outlined our commitment to phase out the need for all petrol or diesel cars in…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a strategic wood-use policy, and, if so, what this is.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: One of the three overarching objectives within Scotland’s Forestry Strategy 2019-29 is to Increase the contribution of forests and woodlands to Scotland’s sustainable and inclusive economic growth , with Improving efficiency and productivity, and developing m…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much COVID-19 relief funding it has allocated to local authorities and what information it has regarding how (a) this has been spent and (b) much remains in local authority reserves.
Answer · Tom Arthur: Scotland’s councils have been allocated an additional £1.5 billion in direct support through the local government finance settlement. Furthermore in 2020-21, the Scottish Government replaced £972 million of Non-Domestic Rates Income for the cost of COVID-19 …
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for the digitisation of people's medical records.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Our strategy is for all health records to be held electronically. The majority of people’s medical records are already digitised, following significant investment in GP IT systems in primary care and full implementation of the TrakCare patient management syst…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what longer-term plans it has for the Pupil Equity Fund.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Attainment Challenge Programme, including the Pupil Equity Fund, has a vital role to play in building upon the progress being made to close the poverty related attainment gap. In 2021 to 2022, over £215 million of targeted funding will be invest…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what conclusions its advisory sub-group on education has reached regarding reducing the number of mandatory self-isolating students identified as contacts of people with COVID-19.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues has concluded that the previous position on self-isolation for children and young people as contacts was not commensurate with the risk going forward and should be revised to exempt all children and yo…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy and plan is for the national installation of 5G.
Answer · Kate Forbes: Deployment of 5G in Scotland is being commercially led by the four main mobile network operators. To support that rollout and accelerate adoption and use of 5G, we published a strategy in 2019 (available at 5G: strategy for Scotland - gov.scot ). This sta…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many school teachers are on temporary contracts, and how this compares with each of the last three academic years.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The annual teacher census collects information on the basis of teaching posts, not people. Some teachers hold multiple posts which may mean the information held does not represent the nature of an individual teacher’s employment contract or the overall workin…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for mental health (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment, and how this compares with each of the last three years.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Information on (a) the current national waiting times statistics for CAMHS and Psychological Therapies (PT) do not provide information on diagnosis. Therefore we are unable to report on the average wait for mental health diagnosis. A patient level data set (…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local authorities to raise awareness of mobile/walk-in COVID-19 testing centres.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government continues to promote testing in its communications and public messaging. To raise awareness of how individuals can access testing at walk-through test centres and mobile testing units, the Scottish Government has:supported local author…
21 Jul 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on supporting the fishing industry since 1 January 2021.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has spent £16,959,406.60 supporting the fishing industry since 1 January 2021. This is made up of residual EU and domestic project funding as well as the support through the Seafood Producers Resilience Fund.