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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: S6O-02334

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the introduction of whole life sentences as an option for judges in relation to the most serious offences.

Question reference: S6O-02332

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the next regular review of the Sentencing young people guidelines is due to take place.

Question reference: S6O-02346

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many modern apprentices working in construction, from the 2017 and 2018 cohorts, are still in training.

Question reference: S6O-02336

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that police officers are fully resourced.

Question reference: S6W-18144

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out what it anticipates a "more significant and recognised role for colleges" will look like.

Question reference: S6W-17468

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with churches, regarding the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 (Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land) Regulations 2021, since 1 January 2023.

Question reference: S6W-18044

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly not possible to currently (a) train in paediatric palliative medicine and (b) study for a community children's nursing (CCN) qualification in Scotland.

Given the small numbers of highly specialised trainees in paediatric palliative medicine, training is currently delivered at the UK centre of excellence at Great Ormond Street.

With regards to studying for a community children’s nursing (CCN) qualification in Scotland, the Scottish Government has commissioned education specific to the needs of nurses delivering care in the community in the form of the Integrated Community Nursing Graduate Diploma.

This education provides opportunities to select an optional module, one of which is focused on integrated care of children and young people. In tandem with this, the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland, alongside other colleagues and stakeholders, contributed to the revision of the NMC post-registration education standards, available online here Standards of proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk) .

These standards continue to include provision for the development of community children’s nurses education programmes and higher education institutions in Scotland, and across the UK. We are now considering how best to develop programmes in alignment with the revised standards.

Question reference: S6W-18032

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase the number of student places available on nursing courses at Scottish universities.

The target intake for funded places on nursing and midwifery undergraduate programmes has increased for 10 consecutive years. Recognising that undergraduate programmes are not the single solution to developing and increasing the workforce, the Scottish Government has agreed with Higher Education Institutions, NHS Boards and other key partners, to maintain the target intake of 4,837 (4536 nursing and 301 midwifery) for 3 years. Funded places will continue to be monitored annually whilst we work collaboratively with those partners to maximise the places that are filled and explore alternative pipelines into these critical professions such as earn as you learn routes and apprenticeships.

Question reference: S6W-18029

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timeline for the full implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

In June 2022 the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousef published a timetable for the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 on both the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website and Care Inspectorate website .

This timetable is still valid although it is noted the guidance consultation period is now due to start in June 2023, rather than May 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17989

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors, and communicates to stakeholders, public support for the critical minerals sector and related projects, and what steps it has taken to draw attention to the role of critical minerals in achieving Scotland’s net zero goals and a just transition.

Critical minerals are becoming increasingly important for emerging technologies. However, the Scottish Government is not aware of any existing research on public support for critical minerals for communication to stakeholders.

I would encourage all business sectors in Scotland that rely on critical minerals to ensure that supply chains are resilient to current and future impacts of climate change, and that critical minerals are obtained from sustainable sources.

Where new development proposals come forward, our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) supports the sustainable management of resources, whilst minimising the impacts of the extraction of minerals on communities and the environment.