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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-14781

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the consultation on its proposed Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill will begin.

The Scottish Government intends to launch a public consultation on the Bill in the second half of 2023. We will confirm the exact dates of the consultation in due course.

The consultation will provide an opportunity for people across Scotland to express their views on policy options that could be included in the draft Bill, as well as on whether the Bill should establish a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Commissioner.

A decision on the timing of the Bill’s introduction to Parliament will be taken by Cabinet in the context of setting the content of future legislative programmes.

Question reference: S6W-14729

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out regarding providing early payment to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under public sector contracts.

Prompt payment of the supply chain is not only the ethical and socially responsible thing to do, it is critical to the sustainability and resilience of our supply chains in delivering critical products, services or works to, or on behalf, of the people of Scotland. The Scottish Government is committed to paying our contractors promptly and ensuring that they do the same with their subcontractors. There is already a significant range of measures in place in Scotland to tackle late payment in both public and private contracts through legislation, policy and practice.

The Scottish Government continues to lead by example through our target to pay all valid invoices within 10 days of receipt whereas our statutory obligation is 30 days. For financial year 2021-2022, 97% of valid invoices received were paid within 10 days and 99% paid within 30 days.

The Scottish Government sought views in our 2020 Public Procurement Survey of Suppliers, where 85% of respondents were SMEs. The survey included a number of questions on payment performance, and identified opportunities to improve payment performance, particularly for sub-contractors in supply chains.

As a result the Scottish Government worked alongside public bodies, supplier groups and other stakeholders to bolster the Scottish Government’s prompt payment policy. An updated procurement policy note was published in April 2022 which was welcomed by the Federation of Small Businesses and the Small Business Commissioner. The updated policy encourages public bodies to consider bidders past payment performance during tender exercises, and to request bidders confirm that their terms & conditions for all sub-contractors will contain a prompt payment clause, driving payment of valid invoices within a maximum of 30 days throughout the full supply chain for public contracts.

Scottish Government Procurement officials continue to support the updated policy implementation and work with stakeholders to determine how to monitor the extent to which the policy is embedded within public bodies procurement processes.

In terms of payment in advance, the Scottish Public Finance Manual states that advance payments should only be made in exceptional circumstances, where good value for money can be made from them and all reasonable steps should be taken to protect public funds.

Question reference: S6O-01939

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of its contributions to development in Malawi through its Malawi Development Programme 2018-23.

Question reference: S6O-01933

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-01932

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the nationwide programme of inspection to assess the condition of, and the impact of climate change on, some of Scotland's most significant heritage sites, being undertaken by Historic Environment Scotland, is expected to be completed.

Question reference: S6O-01954

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent study by the University of Stirling, published on 20 February 2023, which showed that the curriculum is narrowing under the Curriculum for Excellence, with a reduction in the choice of school subjects.

Question reference: S6O-01934

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding the potential impact on Scotland of the ongoing negotiations over the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.

Question reference: S6O-01946

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service, NHS boards and others, to support the health and wellbeing of people in prison and prevent deaths by suicide.

Question reference: S6O-01937

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what gender-specific risk and safety planning is carried out to support Ukrainian refugees at the point of their arrival in Scotland, as well as in the medium and long term.

Question reference: S6O-01948

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to encourage local authorities to provide all primary school children with the opportunity to access swimming lessons.