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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-24848

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 30 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost is of safety-critical or otherwise vital repairs required on all closed Historic Environment Scotland assets and facilities that are required to be carried out before those assets and facilities can be reopened to the public.

Question reference: S6W-23901

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to reduce waiting times for the processing of claims at Social Security Scotland.

The most recent Adult and Child Disability Payment statistics show improvement, with more applications being processed in the last quarter than at any time since the benefits were launched – underlining the strong progress Social Security Scotland are making.

The most recent published statistics show the average processing time for Scottish Child Payment and Adult Disability payments had both reduced, but we recognise there is more to do.

It was announced in the budget that we will invest £6.3 billion in social security benefits and payments, over £1 billion more than in 2023-24 – our single biggest increase on record in social security funding.

Social Security Scotland now administers 14 benefits to the people of Scotland, helping deliver our national mission to tackle child poverty and inequality, treating people with dignity, fairness and respect, and ensuring people receive the benefits they are due. 94% of clients rate their overall experience of receiving benefits as good or very good.

Question reference: S6W-23936

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the procurement process for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme, what assessment it has made of the estimated cost difference to it between the direct award of a contract and a competitive tendering process.

Question reference: S6O-02936

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the proposed closure of Paisley, Ferguslie Park, Greenock, Bishopbriggs and Milngavie police stations.

Question reference: S6W-23281

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has requested confidential commercial information from Scotland Excel in the course of 2023, and, if so, what information it has requested, for what purpose, and whether Scotland Excel complied with the request.

As part of our National Mission to reduce deaths and improve the lives of people impacted by drug use, the Scottish Government commissioned Scotland Excel, as the centre of procurement expertise in local authorities, to undertake market analysis and engagement with Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships to consider the different routes available to the Scottish Government for developing a national approach to commissioning residential drug and alcohol services.

I can confirm that the Scottish Government did not request confidential commercial information from Scotland Excel as part of this work in 2023. Any information gathered by Scotland Excel as part of this work was done with the knowledge that this would be shared with the Scottish Government in order to inform the market analysis report. As a result, information such as pricing schedules were shared with the Scottish Government in a confidential manner.

Question reference: S6O-02867

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with GMB to discuss the future of the Ferguson Marine yard.

Question reference: S6O-02812

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S6O-02777

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the education secretary last met with Renfrewshire Council, and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S6W-22623

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 15 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total (a) salary bill is and (b) (i) national insurance and (ii) pension contributions are for the (A) one senior civil servant and (B) 24 other civil servants working on the Building a New Scotland papers.

The Scottish Government does not disclose individual personal details regarding pay. For the financial year 2022-23, the costs of the Scottish Government’s Constitutional Futures Division, which co-ordinates the Building a New Scotland prospectus series, are as follows:

As disclosed on 1 June 2023, total salary: £1,393,090.24
Total employer’s pension contributions: £390,097.66
Total employer’s NI contributions: £171,106.88

Question reference: S6W-22536

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister's announcement of an additional £100 million for the arts and culture sector on 17 October 2023, how this figure was arrived at; how the funding will be distributed over the next five years, and whether it will be attributed on an annual rolling basis, or using a multi-year approach.

Ministers will take decisions about where the funding is allocated in 2024-25 and future years subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament.

The draft budget will be published later this year and will be the subject of Parliamentary scrutiny in early 2024. The Scottish Government intends to present the Draft Budget 2024-25 to Parliament on 19 December 2023.