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 48973 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-23354

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of any meetings over the last 12 months during which the next Draft Climate Change Plan was discussed, including a list of the attendees at each meeting.

The Scottish Government has discussions regarding the draft Climate Change Plan regularly and when required. Cabinet meets weekly and discusses climate change and net zero matters on a regular basis; for example it discussed the draft Climate Change Plan on 7 November 2023. The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Climate Emergency discussed the draft Climate Change Plan on 6 December 2022, 31 January 2023, 14 March 2023 and on 20 June 2023. The cross-party and stakeholder Climate Change Plan Advisory Group which centres on the development of the Climate Change Plan met on 23 February 2023, 23 March 2023, 18 May 2023, 29 June 2023, 31 August 2023 and 5 October 2023. The draft Climate Change Plan has also been discussed between the Deputy First Minister and with members of the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group at their liaison meetings on 2 February 2023, 19 July 2023, 28 September 2023 and 23 November 2023.

Question reference: S6W-23375

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to prevent the practice of "multiple contract working" among the civil service workforce.

The Scottish Government requires its staff to register any outside occupation or activity where there is the potential for a conflict of interest to arise. Senior Civil Servants are required to register all relevant outside occupations and activities. Those who are not civil servants but are undertaking work for the Scottish Government are also required to register all relevant outside occupations and activities. Outside occupations and activities in other organisations which require attendance during official working hours must not be accepted unless part of official duties.

Question reference: S6W-23353

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Rape Crisis Scotland campaign, Survivors Can’t Wait, which calls for emergency waiting list funding to be extended beyond March 2024 to save 28 jobs, and for long-term sustainable funding for Rape Crisis Centres across Scotland.

Rape Crisis Scotland and other frontline services are crucial, that is why we are investing record levels of funding to support them. This includes over £5 million for the Rape Crisis network through our annual £19 million Delivering Equally Safe fund. Rape Crisis Scotland and its centres will continue to receive Delivering Equally Safe funding until March 2025, along with other DES funded projects.

I am aware and acknowledge the concerns about waiting list funding ending in March 2024. Rape Crisis Scotland was awarded a one-off grant of £2,250,000 from COVID Emergency funding from October 2021 until September 2023 to them to respond to cutting waiting lists following the pandemic. A further £580,000 was provided in June 2023 to extend the funding to March 2024. In addition Rape Crisis Scotland was issued with a grant of £65,000 in June 2023 to enable RCS to consult on sustainability options including funding diversification and service models.

Ministers are currently considering budgets for next year during a particularly challenging financial time. The Scottish Government aims to ensure the funding provided works most effectively to improve outcomes for those using services. We are working with COSLA to develop a sustainable approach to funding for violence against women and girl services.

Question reference: S6W-23308

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22468 by Jenni Minto on 7 November 2023, whether it plans to provide an update on its consideration of the recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland by the end of 2023.

Question reference: S6W-22721

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the residency eligibility criteria in the UK Government's Funding guidance for young people 2022 to 2023 including holders of Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visas, whether people from Hong Kong with a British National (Overseas) visa will be eligible for “rest of UK” tuition fees in higher education in Scotland, if they have three years of residency in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

From Academic Year 2023-24 all students who meet the following criteria will be eligible for home fees status and student financial support in Further Education and Higher Education:

Ordinarily resident in the UK for three years prior to the relevant date;

Ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date; and

Granted a form of leave to enter or remain in the UK, where that leave has not expired.

In the case where a student is instead ordinarily resident in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, but satisfies the remaining criteria, they would be expected to qualify for the “rest of UK” tuition fee rate of up to £9,250 per year. As the British National (Overseas) visa would be considered a form of leave to enter or remain in the UK, I would consider a student in the situation described likely to be eligible for the “rest of UK” tuition fee rate.

It is, however, the responsibility for each university and college, as autonomous bodies, to make a determination regarding a student’s fee status based on the available evidence and their interpretation of student support regulations.

Question reference: S6W-23388

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in its State of the nation report: The psychiatric workforce in Scotland.

We are engaging with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and other stakeholders, to ensure that the issues identified and recommendations made in the recent ‘State of Nation: the Psychiatric Workforce in Scotland’ report are considered as part of our ongoing work to implement the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Action Plan.

As part of work already underway, we have established a Psychiatry Working Group to consider how we can better support the recruitment and retention of psychiatrists in NHS Scotland. This Working Group are actively considering the issues raised in this report.

In addition to this, in 2022-23 we increased the number of Core Psychiatry training places by a further ten. This year we will fund another 15 Core Psychiatry training places. We also continue to work with NES and the Royal College of Psychiatry to encourage medical students to consider a long-term career as a psychiatrist.

The most recent publication of Mental Health Workforce data (5 December) shows that under this Government and since 2007, the number of Psychiatric Consultants across All Specialities in NHS Scotland has increased by 18.6% to 535.5 whole time equivalent posts.

Question reference: S6O-02921

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with Scottish Mountain Rescue teams regarding mountain safety this winter.

Question reference: S6O-02925

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scotgold Resources Ltd regarding any support that can be provided to employees who may lose their jobs at its Cononish Gold Mine near Tyndrum, in light of the reported announcement that the company has gone into administration.

Question reference: S6O-02918

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the small business minister has had with ministerial colleagues regarding an assessment of the total number of self-catering properties in Scotland since the introduction of its short-term let licensing scheme.

Question reference: S6O-02920

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the steps that it is taking to tackle loss and damage in marginalised communities.