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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-24463

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what additional support for training it is considering providing to UK Apprenticeship Levy payers and SMEs.

The UK Government Apprenticeship Levy is a reserved tax on employers of which Scotland receives a proportionate share of tax revenues via the block grant as per the Fiscal Framework agreement with UK Treasury. Scottish Government do not receive a specific allocation of Apprenticeship Levy revenue.

While recognising the challenging budgetary pressures, Scottish Government have been clear that we will continue to invest significant funding in education, training and skills – including apprenticeships - to meet the needs of employers, the workforce, young people and Scotland’s economy. The overwhelming majority of funding, including investment in our apprenticeship programmes, is available to employers regardless of their size or whether they pay the Levy.

Question reference: S6W-24629

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government on what date its Culture and Creativity in Learning Group will publish its workplan, as set out in A Culture Strategy for Scotland: Action Plan.

Question reference: S6W-24542

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Net Zero Nation's proposed project for a Net Zero Pilot Accelerator involving 20 SMEs “to help decarbonise the Grangemouth supply chain”, as referred to in the Grangemouth Future Industry Board minutes of 11 August 2022.

Net Zero Nation launched their first Pilot Accelerator programme in Grangemouth in June 2023. This was funded by the Grangemouth Future Industry Board. The launch of this event was hosted by Forth Ports, who collaborated with Net Zero Nation to identify businesses in the Grangemouth area to recruit onto the Accelerator programme. The organisation successfully recruited 20 local SMEs onto the programme in 2023 and have plans to launch their Accelerator 2.0 Programme with a second cohort of Grangemouth businesses in early 2024.

The Accelerator programme provides businesses with advice on developing carbon reduction plans as well as access to CBN Expert carbon accountancy software, allowing them to record and report their carbon emissions in compliance with SECR and PPN 06/21 standards. The programme also facilitates networking opportunities for businesses to share their experience, with a goal of fostering collaboration between businesses who are seeking to decarbonise their operations.

Question reference: S6W-24540

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) representations it has made to and (b) discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding (i) securing the reported £60-80 million investment in the hydrocracker and (ii) whether any action could be taken to enable Petroineos Grangemouth to refine a greater volume of crude oil from the North Sea, and if doing so could potentially extend the life of the oil refinery beyond 2025.

Question reference: S6W-24599

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what objectives it set for any funding that it has provided to the Al-Mahdi Foundation and Al-Mahdi Islamic Centre since 2019.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24394 on 19 January 2024 which outlined the objectives of the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) programme and covers the 2019 period. 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-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government has provided no direct funding to the Al-Mahdi Foundation beyond the Climate Challenge Fund projects.

Question reference: S6W-24535

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy will instruct the Grangemouth Future Industry Board to appoint representatives from (a) Petroineos Grangemouth, (b) Unite the Union and (c) local businesses.

Question reference: S6W-24538

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy can take to secure the reported £60-80 million investment in the hydrocracker at Petroineos Grangemouth, in order to extend the life of the oil refinery beyond 2025.

Question reference: S6W-24631

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22701 by Christina McKelvie on 10 November 2023, how many times the Culture Conveners group, which it co-chairs along with COSLA, has met since January 2020.

Question reference: S6W-24539

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it can take any action to enable Petroineos Grangemouth to refine a greater volume of crude oil from the North Sea, and if doing so could potentially extend the life of the oil refinery beyond 2025.

Question reference: S6W-24534

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with (a) Petroineos, (b) Unite the Union and (c) local businesses to discuss the future of Petroineos Grangemouth, and what matters were discussed.