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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.

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Question reference: S6W-18033

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 how many places for nursing students were provided at Scottish universities in each of the last 16 years.

The nursing student intake targets by academic year are listed in the following table.


Academic Year	Intake target (excluding OUiS)	OUiS Places	Total Intake
2006-07 ( 1)	3,125		3,125
2007-08	3,083		3,083
2008-09	2,815	25	2,840
2009-10	2,853	23	2,876
2010-11	2,853	23	2,876
2011-12	2,580	20	2,600
2012-13	2,310	20	2,330
2013-14	2,370	20	2,390
2014-15 ( 2)	2,770	20	2,790
2015-16	2,845	20	2,865
2016-17	3,007	20	3,027
2017-18 ( 3)	3,149	26	3,175
2018-19	3,462	36	3,498
2019-20	3,656	93	3,749
2020-21	3,834	102	3,936
2021-22	4,052	110	4,162
2022-23	4,413	123	4,536

1. In AY 2006-07 SFC took over responsibility for funding the previously commissioned pre-registration nursing and midwifery education that had been directly funded by the Scottish Executive Health Department. SFC allocated funded places for new cohorts of student only, with the new funding arrangements being embedded in AY 2008-09.

2. From AY 2014-15 the previously non-controlled Honours pre-registration nursing and midwifery provision was made a controlled subject, with intake targets and specific controlled funded places (for new entrants) being allocated to the providers for the first time.

3. From AY 2017-18 SFC no longer allocated funded places for new pre-registration nursing and midwifery students from the rest of the UK following the end of the reciprocal agreement.

Question reference: S6W-18034

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 what steps it will take to expand routes into nursing studies.

The Scottish Government alongside a wide range of stakeholders including health and social care partners, NHS Education for Scotland, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and Skills Development Scotland, is taking forward work to develop alternative career pathways into nursing including potential apprenticeship models and other ‘earn as you learn’ routes. These pathways have the potential to widen access into the profession to those individuals wishing to pursue a career in nursing but may not choose the undergraduate route and to those individuals already employed in NHS Boards or the care home sector, allowing people to study and work at the same time whilst accessing education to progress their career. We already know that many Healthcare Support Workers are seeking career progression and some have entered the second year of an undergraduate programme after being supported by their employer and the Scottish Government to complete an HNC whilst working. We are exploring what more can be done to showcase these routes for existing staff whilst also attracting new employees to our NHS by enabling them to understand the opportunities available to develop and progress towards registered roles.

NHS Lothian are currently piloting a traineeship approach with HEI partners for new staff and early indications show high levels of interest and staff retention.

Question reference: S6W-17975

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 May 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that its statutory environmental and forestry agencies are sufficiently resourced to deliver and support effective invasive species control programs to help protect Scotland's native biodiversity and commercial forestry sector.

Invasive non-native species (INNS) are one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. They require a strong partnership approach over the long term to ensure their effective control.

The draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy contains a Priority Action to ‘Implement a Scottish Plan for invasive non-native species surveillance, prevention and control’. This Plan will be produced in collaboration with public bodies and other stakeholders, and will identify detailed actions and targets.

Public bodies will continue to produce operational business plans which set out their priorities and plans to address invasive species. The Scottish Government will continue to provide support to tackling invasive species. The Nature restoration Fund recently provided £2 million to the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative . In 2022-23 Forestry and Land Scotland received £1.3 m for rhododendron control. This is targeted at long-term control at landscape scale in collaboration with the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest and other land managers.

In the new draft Biodiversity Strategy, we are committed to developing a Biodiversity Investment Plan to mobilise public, private and philanthropic funds to close the estimated £8 billion finance gap over the coming decade identified by the Green Finance Institute as required for biodiversity restoration in Scotland. This is in line with the Global Biodiversity Framework Target 19, which recognises the need for ongoing blended funding to restore biodiversity from a range of sources, including green investment.

Our Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital set out our aim to develop markets that also deliver benefits for local communities and wider society, in line with Scotland’s Just Transition principles and land reform objectives.

Question reference: S6W-17973

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been spent on relocation payments to Police Scotland employees in each year since 2017.

Recruitment and deployment of officers and staff is a matter for the Chief Constable and therefore the Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. It is important that the Chief Constable has the flexibility to develop his workforce in a way that responds to the challenges he faces by ensuring the right workforce mix and ensure that the right people are in the right place to support the needs of the communities they serve.

Question reference: S6W-17965

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the options appraisal regarding justice services in the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill will be completed.

Question reference: S6T-01415

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what advice and support it can provide to parents and carers who are struggling to afford nappies and infant feed, in light of recent reports regarding nappy need, difficulties in accessing baby formula at foodbanks and families with young children being forced to cut back on essentials.

Question reference: S6T-01410

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether orthopaedic appointments and surgeries, when they do not require the use of general anaesthetic, should be carried out in local community hospitals.

Question reference: S6F-02201

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2023

To ask the First Minister whether any objections or concerns were raised by the Scottish Ministers during the deliberations about the guidelines for sentencing under-25s, which came into effect in January 2022.

Question reference: S6F-02199

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is regarding recent reports that suggest there is a mental health crisis emerging in the early years sector.

Question reference: S6F-02200

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that the Community Pharmacy Scotland Board has described the financial settlement that it has been offered as "derisory".