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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-21978

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21585 by Richard Lochhead on 3 October 2023, whether (a) it has changed its relationship and (b) public bodies have changed their relationships with any companies listed by the UN Human Rights Office as involved in activities related to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, following the exchanges of correspondence published in response to FOI/202200334471.

I refer the member to my answer to S6W-21585 on 3 October 2023, outlining Scottish Government action.

The Scottish Government asked public bodies to consider the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) list as part of their due diligence processes. Relationship management is an operational matter for each public body.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-22036

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21604 by Neil Gray on 2 October 2023, whether it will provide updates on the three of the four key recommendations not referred to in its answer, and what funding has been allocated to implement the four key recommendations.

As the Pathways report acknowledges, delivery of its recommendation and closing the gender gap in entrepreneurial participation is a long-term undertaking. In addition to the activity outlines in the answer to S6W-21604 on 2 October 2023:

We are addressing the issue of data to improve our collection and reporting of data, developing a dashboard of measures that show how women are supported by our business support systems and how our actions are closing the gender gap and widening participation in entrepreneurship.

We are working with our enterprise agencies, the Scottish National Investment Bank, and private sector investors to make investment avenues more accessible for women-led businesses, and for other under-invested groups; and
We are working with partners to enhance entrepreneurial learning in schools

These initial actions form the foundation for a full implementation of the review’s recommendations.

Question reference: S6W-21887

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether school performance will be taken into account if local authorities do not increase teacher numbers to the levels that it requires, and, if so, how such performance is measured.

Question reference: S6W-21886

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether falling pupil rolls will be taken into account if local authorities do not increase teacher numbers to the levels that it requires, and what impact that will have on any consequences arising.

Question reference: S6W-21939

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints Scottish Water has received regarding sewage discharges in the last five years, and which locations generated the most complaints.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked its Chief Executive to respond. His response is as follows:

Scottish Water does not collate and report annual figures for the number of contacts received about discharges from combined sewer overflows separate from other sewage-related issues reported to them, such as blockages and sewer flooding, and these figures would not be available by area. However, Scottish Water publishes all reportable pollution events each year to SEPA and this information is available in their annual reports, which can be found at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Annual-Reports .

Question reference: S6W-21942

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what happens to any money levied in fines for Scottish Water that it receives from SEPA.

Question reference: S6W-21770

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21008 by Jenny Gilruth on 19 September 2023, what assessment it has made of the phonics approach in improving literacy.

Teachers require a broad professional knowledge of early reading as a complex interplay of skills and background factors in order to improve children's literacy.

Phonics approaches form one aspect of an overall pedagogy for early reading.

Education Scotland is currently working to develop updated guidance and research-informed professional learning resources which will support teachers to develop children’s early reading. The resources will include guidance and advice on phonics as part of an overall reading pedagogy. In line with other items of guidance relating to Scotland’s curriculum, the resources are being developed within a broader context which seeks to empower teachers and schools to adapt their approach to meet the needs of individual learners.

Question reference: S6O-02621

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money it plans to spend in this financial year and in 2024-25 on any work designed to further the case for Scottish independence, including the costs of publication of any independence-related documents.

Question reference: S6O-02639

Asked by: Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any discussions between the City of Glasgow College senior management and trade union representatives regarding the ongoing industrial dispute.

Question reference: S6O-02619

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on public interest journalism.