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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-23416

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received a response from the UK Government to the letter that it sent on (a) 3, (b) 5 and (c) 15 September 2023 regarding reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Question reference: S6W-22976

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the overall education budget is dedicated specifically to additional support needs provision, and how this has changed over the past three fiscal years.

The Equalities, Inclusion and Additional Support for Learning budget was £26.8 million in each of 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 which equates to 0.65%, 0.63% and 0.65% of the wider Education and Skills portfolio budget.

This budget includes the Scottish Government’s investment of an additional £15 million per year since 2019-20 to help local authorities respond to the individual needs of children and young people. This investment has helped contribute to the highest recorded level of support staff in schools, 16,606 in 2022.

The Scottish Government’s policy towards local authorities’ spending is to allow local authorities the financial freedom to operate independently. As such, the vast majority of revenue funding is provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on education, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

The most recently available Local Government Financial Returns show that Additional Support for Learning accounted for a record high of £830 million of Gross Revenue Expenditure in 2021-22, equivalent to 12.1% of Gross Revenue Expenditure on education.

Question reference: S6W-22984

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reviewing the current relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education resources to ensure that sufficient education on abortion is included.

It is up to schools and teachers to decide what resources to use when delivering relevant and engaging learning. A summary of resources that may be used to support delivery of RSHP education is available on Education Scotland's National Improvement Hub at https://education.gov.scot/resources/a-summary-of-rshp-resources/. One of these resources is the RSHP National learning and teaching resource which contains a learning activity at third/fourth level (Secondary 1 to Secondary 3) on abortion. This activity lets young people know that abortion or termination services are available and that sexual health services are confidential. The partnerships of health boards and local authorities who supported development of this resource conducted a review of all learning activities this year.

Officials have also been working with key stakeholders to review and revise the statutory teaching guidance on RSHP education. The public consultation on the revised guidance closed on 23 November 2023 with over 3,800 responses received. Officials are now analysing the contributions to the public consultation with a view to finalising and publishing the statutory guidance for the start of the next academic year.

Question reference: S6T-01709

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out and use of tasers within Police Scotland, in light of reports that they have been used 131 times, and discharged nine times, against children since 2018.

Question reference: S6T-01702

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Police Scotland is considering closing more than 40 police buildings.

Question reference: S6F-02675

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that Creative Scotland's National Lottery Extended Programme Fund has received applications equating to double the available budget, leaving some organisations and charities without funding.

Question reference: S6F-02673

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government can promote and assist organisations that tackle loneliness, isolation and self-harm over the festive period.

Question reference: S6F-02679

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the First Minister whether, and how, the Scottish Government plans to increase awareness of spiking ahead of Christmas and New Year.

Question reference: S6F-02672

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the First Minister how the Budget will support climate action.

Question reference: S6F-02663

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.