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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: S6F-01997

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02011

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the First Minister what immediate action the Scottish Government will take to improve the situation regarding ferry services across the Highlands and Islands, in light of recent reports of unprecedented disruption.

Question reference: S6F-02002

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government's plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas, following the end of its public consultation.

Question reference: S6F-01998

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-16452

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent work it has undertaken to increase the number of English and Mathematics teachers.

We are committed to supporting the recruitment of more teachers and my predecessor recently set out measures to Parliament making it clear that we will provide £145.5 million in next year's budget to protect increased teacher numbers and support staff.

In addition, in 2022-23 we offered 150 bursaries of £20,000 for career changers wishing to undertake a one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in STEM subjects - Physics, Maths, Technical Education, Computing Science, Home Economics and Chemistry. These are the secondary school subjects with the greatest demand for teachers. Our STEM bursary scheme will continue in this financial year.

With these interventions, STEM teacher numbers are at their highest level since 2011. We are also continuing to work with universities and local authorities to look at innovative and creative ways to encourage more teachers into STEM subjects.

Question reference: S6W-16558

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15852 by Jenny Gilruth on 27 March 2023, whether it is the case that Transport Scotland has not reviewed or increased the Network Support Grant base rate since 2012, and, if it is the case, what the reason is for this.

The Network Support Grant was introduced in April 2022 and is intended to keep bus services more extensive, and fares more affordable than would otherwise be the case. The return to pre-Covid levels of bus subsidy was agreed with the bus sector as part of the Network Support Grant Plus extension until 31 March 2023.

Transport Scotland will review this grant in 2023 – 2024 to ensure it continues to provide value for money whilst we also progress other opportunities in collaboration with the bus sector to improve bus services.

Question reference: S6W-16553

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason a proposal to fully dual the A1 between Edinburgh and the border with England was not included in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

A range of potential improvements to the trunk road and motorway network, including the A1, were considered and appraised in STPR2. Full dualling was not included in the final 45 recommendations because the transport appraisal concluded that, in line with the sustainable travel and investment hierarchies, the priorities for investment in Scotland’s trunk road network lie elsewhere. These are on improving road safety, reliability and resilience, and adapting the network to deal with challenge of climate change, rather than any large scale interventions on the A1 between Edinburgh and the border.

Question reference: S6W-16466

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Offshore Energies UK's Business Outlook Report 2023, published on 28 March, including the Scotland-specific matters contained within the report.

The OEUK report argues that hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) will be crucial in reducing UK emissions while also creating domestic industrial and economic growth. We welcome the announcement in the UK Government’s ‘Powering Up Britain’ plan that Acorn CCS and the Scottish cluster meets the eligibility criteria for Track 2. We are, however, extremely disappointed that there is still no concrete timescale for the awarding of Track 2, which is adding additional delays onto an already delayed process, which is why we urge the UK Government to listen to OEUK’s call for the Track-2 process to be accelerated so that CCS can be deployed in Scotland.

We welcome the announcement of the shortlist for the first electrolytic allocation round for the Hydrogen Production Business Model and Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF), including five Scottish projects, as well as the four successful Scotland based projects from the NZHF competition. However, we continue to urge the UK Government, alongside calls from industry and the UK Government's own hydrogen champion, to expediate decisions on hydrogen blending, which we view as essential to enable the hydrogen economy in the near term.

INTOG is helping to progress all five themes in the oil and gas sector’s North Sea Transition Deal offering a path for the electrification of platforms and the delivery of the sector targets, providing a route for development of green power for carbon capture and storage; and hydrogen production and importantly, supporting the growth of the supply chain?

Five innovative wind projects with a potential generation capacity of 449MW were successful, providing opportunities for new growth sectors of hydrogen production, novel commercial solutions and stimulation of the supply chain.

The INTOG process is time sensitive, as developers have made clear that operation of offshore wind farms before 2030 is the key milestone to make the projects viable, and maximise opportunities to supply electricity direct to brownfield oil and gas North Sea assets with a limited lifespan. Confirmation of grid connection agreements are key to unlocking offshore wind energy development projects and we will continue to work with the NationalGrid ESO HND team to understand the practicalities of this ambition.

Reducing our energy consumption while ramping up our energy generation capabilities through renewables and hydrogen will mean that, in a net zero Scotland, we will not only be less reliant on importing oil and gas, but a net exporter of cleaner and greener energy to the rest of the UK and beyond.

Question reference: S6W-16409

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the mental health impact has been on teachers and school staff as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Scottish Government recognises the negative impact the pandemic has had on some people’s mental health and wellbeing, including teachers and school staff. This has been evidenced through several UK and Scottish studies.

Since 2020, the Scottish Government has therefore made a package of support available for the education workforce which is designed to help staff look after their own wellbeing, those of colleagues and those they lead. This includes coaching and group sessions focussed on looking after individual mental health and wellbeing and that of any staff managed and also values based-leadership aimed at supporting teachers in the early phase of their career. An evaluation in 2022 found that 93% of participants report an increase in their confidence to manage their own mental health and wellbeing since engaging with this support.

Local Councils employ our teachers and school staff; as such they have a responsibility to ensure workplaces support and promote good mental health benefits for the individuals they employ.

Question reference: S6W-16426

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs has unanimously recommended that the European Union criminalise ecocide through a revised Directive on the protection of the environment, what action it will take to ensure that Scotland's environmental laws are in line with EU law.

The Scottish Government will consider the final revised EU environmental crime directive, once it is agreed, against our policy as stated in the Policy Statement issued under section 6 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 to maintain alignment where appropriate with EU law, taking account of our existing actions to strengthen the legal protection of nature.