Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 43085 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-19761

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, whether it will provide an update on how it is working with national organisations to help them plan their community activities to ensure the widest possible reach.

Question reference: S6W-19744

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, in what ways it has supported the cultural workforce through its Arts Alive programme.

Question reference: S6W-19597

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a plan for the delivery of social security, through Social Security Scotland, for rural and offline constituents.

To ensure that Social Security Scotland benefits are accessible to everyone, they have all been designed so that they can be accessed online, by paper or telephone to suit individual preference. Where clients want further support, an appointment can be booked with our Local Delivery service. This service has a locally based team in each of the 32 Local Authority areas across Scotland, including the more remote and rural communities, providing a local, accessible service to the citizens of that area.

Local Delivery teams can provide clients with support to claim Social Security Scotland benefits, with gathering and providing supporting information, reporting change of circumstances or by providing general benefit advice. We can arrange appointments for clients in their home, in local outreach venues or by video or telephone, ensuring that the service is as accessible as possible and meets the needs of the clients that want to use it.

To raise awareness and encourage take-up of Social Security Scotland benefits, we have an ongoing plan of targeted communication activities that not only raises awareness of our new benefits but keeps information on our existing benefits in the public eye. This is done through a variety of channels such as national TV, radio and social media to ensure the messages are as visible and accessible as possible. This is supplemented by a monthly National Stakeholder newsletter that provides the latest information to stakeholders.

Within local communities, our Local Delivery teams are members of local Community Planning Partnership and Financial Inclusion groups ensuring that our benefits and service are part of local plans and initiatives to maximise families' incomes.Through these local networks we can signpost clients to the appropriate help to ensure that clients receive all of the support available to them.

To further maximise our reach, we hold ‘drop in’ sessions and attend local community groups and events, speaking face to face to citizens so they can hear first-hand about our benefits and get the opportunity to ask any questions directly to our specially trained Advisers.

Question reference: S6W-19584

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which workers in the care sector should have their Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) fees paid for them.

Part of the package of the 2022-23 pay deal, agreed by the SJC Local Government workers, and requested by the SJC unions in their pay claim, Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) fees will no longer be paid by SJC local government employees who require them for work.

On 29 June, The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health accepted a petition from Unite, in person at Parliament, which amongst other things, asked the Scottish Government to end the requirement for all care & support workers to pay for SSSC fees. Ministers are carefully considering its contents.

Question reference: S6W-19453

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update as to what contact it has had with local authorities regarding the expansion of universal free school meal provision to P6 and P7 pupils.

Question reference: S6W-19750

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, whether it will provide an update on how it is helping Museums Galleries Scotland to build on its Skills for Success programme, including by developing future approaches to diversify skills and widen access to careers in culture across the sector.

Question reference: S6W-19757

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, whether it will provide an update on how it is developing ways to show how heritage and culture can transform public thinking to transition to a net zero society and economy.

Question reference: S6W-19753

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, whether it will provide an update on how it is establishing partnerships with other government agencies and public bodies to support economic growth.

Question reference: S6W-19746

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, in what ways it has supported the cultural workforce through its commitment to investigate a living wage for the cultural and creative workforce.

Question reference: S6W-19764

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total amount of grant funding was that was (a) available and (b) distributed for its Creative Communities programme in each year since it was established.