- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34000 by Angela Constance on 7 February 2025, and in light of the recent judgment by the Supreme Court on the legal definition of "woman”, whether it plans to publish a bill to implement the recommendations of the Working Group on Misogyny in the current parliamentary session, and, if so, when.
Answer
As set out in answer to question S6W-37425, which was answered on 2 May 2025, due to the short amount of time left in this parliamentary session, there is insufficient time for a Misogyny Bill to be finalised and introduced. Therefore, the Scottish Government has decided not to proceed with this Bill in this parliamentary session.
However, in order to allow for the protected characteristic of ‘sex’ to be added to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 so that women and girls have the same protections as other groups protected by that Act, we will lay before the Scottish Parliament in September a proposed draft of an SSI under the powers within the Act. This will allow for views to be offered on the approach taken before a finalised SSI is then subsequently laid which will, if agreed, result in new protections for women and girls being introduced.
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
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether poor parental attitudes contribute to rising pupil indiscipline in schools, in light of reports that NASUWT members expressed such views at its recent annual conference.
Answer
The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research, published in 2023, identified a range of factors that staff identified as contributing to the rise in challenging pupil behaviour, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these factors included “wider societal changes such as a general lack of respect in society, the ubiquity of social media and changing approaches to parenting”. Staff suggested that greater engagement with parents could help to support staff’s efforts to promote positive relationships and behaviour.
We recognise the importance of schools and families working together to promote positive relationships and behaviour in schools. A strong partnership between home and school helps create a consistent, supportive environment where children feel safe, respected, and are better able to learn and thrive.
The relationships and behaviour in schools action plan 2024-27 emphasises the vital role of parents and carers in supporting positive behaviour. As part of the action plan, we are currently developing guidance on responding to behaviour in schools. The guidance will be available in the coming weeks and will include advice for schools on working with parents to support positive relationships and behaviour.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has held any discussions with Petroineos regarding public ownership of Grangemouth refinery, and if so, whether it will publish the minutes of those discussions.
Answer
To date, we have never received a request from the business for such an intervention therefore no discussions have taken place.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask the Scottish Funding Council to revise its teaching grant methodology, in light of reports that the current methodology does not adequately reflect institutional financial needs.
Answer
The Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 establishes an important separation of roles between the Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Government, whereby the statutory responsibility for decisions on funding to individual institutions sits with the SFC - not with government. However the Scottish Government continues to engage with the SFC and sector bodies on matters concerning funding allocations, including the SFC’s teaching grant.
Following discussions between the Scottish Government, SFC and Universities Scotland, the SFC’s indicative allocations for 2025-26 met an ask from Universities Scotland to remove 2,500 additional ‘SQA’ places introduced in academic year 2021-22 and repurpose the associated funding to enhance the teaching unit of resource – teaching subject prices for 2025-26 have therefore increased by 3.3% across all six subject price groups.
The Scottish Government is open to exploring the future funding model of our universities with the sector, from the clear starting point that we will not reintroduce tuition fees. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and I will continue to engage with Universities Scotland on the sector's future funding, and we welcome contributions from all stakeholders.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged with the UK Government to explore joint ownership of Grangemouth refinery, and whether it has received any indication of support for such a proposal.
Answer
Scottish Ministers, including the First Minister, have urged UK Ministers on numerous occasions to take tangible and decisive action to secure the site’s long term and sustainable future. We have continued to assert that the Scottish Government stands ready to play its part but that we require the weight of the UK Government’s vast resources to be deployed.
The UK Government’s commitment of £200 million from the National Wealth Fund to support Grangemouth’s transition is welcome but it must be available now. I hope the member will join me in calling on UK Ministers to provide clarity as to how businesses at Grangemouth can access this money to ensure new employment opportunities are made available in the near future and not much further down the line.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any implications of the delaying of downgrading elements of the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme, particularly for (a) the Port of Grangemouth and (b) other key national infrastructure.
Answer
The next steps in the process for the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme are to be undertaken by the local authority.
Should Falkirk Council confirm the scheme in its current form and wish to access further Scottish Government funding, it will be necessary to demonstrate that the scheme, in whole or phased elements, is value for money, and assessed against other flood protection schemes across Scotland.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the risk of any project delay or reduction in scope for the Grangemouth Flood Prevention Scheme arising from financial uncertainty over future years' allocations.
Answer
The Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme (GFPS) as proposed by the council, is exceptional in terms of scale and financial cost and requires careful consideration to ensure that it delivers for the local community.
The Scottish Government must weigh up any investment decision both in terms of the impact to the individual project, but also to the impact any individual project has on its ability to invest in other areas. As such, in 2023, Ministers and Falkirk Council agreed that the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme would be removed from consideration as part of the existing national funding agreement with local authorities for flood protection schemes because its size had a distorting effect on the affordability of the overall programme.
A Task Force approach has instead been used to examine how to take forward improved and affordable flood resilience for Falkirk and Grangemouth residents and local communities.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has undertaken with prison officers and women's advocacy groups on the reported proposal to make wigs and underwear available to transgender prisoners through a centralised repository.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
No consultation has been taken forward in response to the suggestion made in His Majesty’s Inspector of Prisons’ Full Inspection report on HMP Barlinnie published on 24 March 2025 for a central repository for items to support people on their transgender journey. SPS has no current plans to create such a repository.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what policy is in place for vetting and approving access to gender-affirming items by prisoners convicted of violent or sexual offences.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
The Management of Transgender People in Custody Policy 2023 is in place for managing transgender people in prisons who may need access to additional property to assist them to live in their affirmed gender.
The procurement of these items is subject to the same level of assurance and approval processes as it is for all items requested by individuals living in prisons.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether any First Minister has ever (a) met and (b) requested to meet the Chairman of INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Answer
The First Minister most recently met the Chairman of the INEOS Group, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, on 25 April 2025 to discuss the challenges that the INEOS businesses at Grangemouth continue to face.
