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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-30603

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any plans for testing for blood borne viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis C, to be incorporated into the support provided at the safer drug consumption pilot in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-30589

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to (a) ensure that its (i) directorates and (ii) agencies provide migraine-friendly workspaces, (b) support staff who experience migraines to request reasonable adjustments to their working environment and (c) share good practice in supporting staff who experience migraines.

Question reference: S6W-30602

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many improvement notices relating to mental health wards in Scottish hospitals have been issued by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years, also broken down by hospital.

Question reference: S6W-30604

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the delay to the opening of the safer drug consumption pilot in Glasgow is due to the facility failing an initial NHS Scotland Assure inspection and it requiring another one, or is due to the building being incomplete and not being inspected yet.

Question reference: S6W-30167

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to improving financial support for adoptive parents and families.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that adoptive families receive the support they need, when and where they need it throughout life. Despite the challenging fiscal environment, we are providing over £770,000 to organisations delivering services and support to adoptive families and practitioners in 2024-25.

As outlined in the Promise Implementation Plan update published on 19 September 2024, we will publish an adoption vision statement which sets out the place of adoption in Scotland today and our strategic priorities moving forward. This includes a focus on understanding the needs and priorities in relation to improving the consistency of post-adoption support across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-30169

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any plans to (a) improve the consistency of data on the (i) number and (ii) outcomes of adoption placements across local authorities and (b) start monitoring any new data in relation to adoption placements to improve the understanding of adoption in Scotland.

The National Records of Scotland, a non-Ministerial office of the Scottish Administration, publishes data tables annually, including in relation to the number of adoptions per year in Scotland.

In addition, the Care Inspectorate publishes an annual fostering and adoption statistical bulletin which outlines data from local authorities’ annual returns, including in relation to their adoption services.

The Scottish Government uses this data, and direct engagement with stakeholders, to continually improve the understanding of adoption in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-30168

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken to update the current allowance system for adoptive parents and families in order to improve consistency across local authorities, including through the potential introduction of a national set rate, as is the case with the Scottish Recommended Allowance payments for foster and kinship carers.

We are not currently considering the introduction of a national set rate for adoption allowances. A National Review of Care Allowances was published in 2018 which highlighted that each local authority is able to develop their own adoption allowance scheme within the parameters of the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 (‘the 2007 Act’). Under the 2007 Act, local authorities have a duty to assess someone’s need for adoption support services and to provide this support.

The Adoption Support Services and Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2009 (‘the 2009 Regulations’) are designed to ensure that those persons identified in section 1 of the 2007 Act can access and receive the ongoing support for an adoption required to ensure the improved outcomes associated with adoption. It is the duty of local authorities to implement these duties to ensure that adoptive families receive this support.

The Regulations outline the circumstances in which adoption allowances may be paid and the factors that an adoption agency must take into account. Adoption allowances are not a universal entitlement, but are based on a child’s current and potential future needs.

Question reference: S6W-30516

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on its energy policy and strategy, what its position is on the reported calls on the UK Government by Scottish Renewables and other trade bodies to rule out zonal pricing under the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA), and to instead commit to a Reformed National Market (RNM) programme.

Question reference: S6W-30526

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the redevelopment of the Institute of Neurological Sciences in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-30507

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Office of National Statistics mid-year population estimates for the UK and its constituent countries for mid-2023, which shows that Scotland experienced a natural population decline of 19,100 between 2022 and 2023.