Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 3221 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-19473

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19037 by Maree Todd on 26 June 2023, whether it will provide details of any plans it has to assess or review the level of safeguarding in place regarding named persons defined under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

On 28 June 2023, the Scottish Government published its response to the Scottish Mental Health Law Review and set out initial views on the proposals. We have taken time to carefully consider Lord Scott’s recommendations and will now establish a new Mental Health and Capacity Reform Programme. Over the summer we will be designing the Programme, working with people who have experienced the mental health system, to reach decisions about the changes that are needed in the short, medium and long-term and how to put them into practice.

One of the high-level priorities for this Reform Programme is to consider whether there are changes that can be made over the shorter term to improve the current operation of the Mental Health Act and to strengthen safeguards when it is considered necessary to provide non-consensual care or treatment. This could include the consideration of improvements to provisions around named persons.

Question reference: S6W-19452

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update as to what contact it has had with local authorities regarding the establishment of a pilot scheme for universal free school meals in secondary schools.

Question reference: S6W-19453

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update as to what contact it has had with local authorities regarding the expansion of universal free school meal provision to P6 and P7 pupils.

Question reference: S6W-19839

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to change the paper form for the reusable nappy voucher in the Baby Box by adding an electronic QR code option, in order to improve uptake and ensure that the voucher is accessible to all.

Question reference: S6W-19409

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to introduce any tax incentives to encourage businesses to transition to employee ownership.

Many of the tax levers to support businesses remain reserved to the UK Parliament. The devolution of further taxes to Scotland would present new policy options for Scotland to support entrepreneurs and businesses.

We constantly review the support we offer to businesses, including employee owned businesses and businesses transitioning to employee ownership, and will set out our tax policies for 2024-25 to Parliament at the next Budget.

Question reference: S6W-19412

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish National Investment Bank is helping employee-owned businesses to access growth funding.

The Scottish National Investment Bank is a mission focussed impact investor. It was established to invest in Scottish business, projects, and communities in order to deliver positive environmental and social impacts and positive financial returns for the people of Scotland.

The Bank offers long-term, patient capital on commercial terms and will make both debt and equity investments. It seeks to invest where the risks are beyond the appetite of private capital. The Bank’s approach to investment helps crowd in and stimulate private investment helping to create and shape new markets.

The Bank is open to approaches from employee-owned businesses that are in line with its missions and Investment Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-19415

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its ministers have had with UK Government ministers regarding special taxation deals for Scottish cities.

Question reference: S6W-19619

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given any consideration to expanding the number of public projects covered by Project Bank Accounts (PBAs).

The effectiveness of Project Bank Accounts is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. Applicability was expanded in 2019 and the current considered position is that further expansion is not justified at this time. Scottish Government actively facilitates PBA use beyond mandated applicability in two main ways (1) flexibility to use a PBA on projects which are marginally below threshold (2) organisational freedom to use a PBA on lower value projects where they consider it appropriate.

Expanding PBA coverage would increase the number of applicable projects but risks upsetting the current fine balance of commercial viability, corporate capacity, skilled capability and budget affordability. Keeping those factors in a reasonable state of equilibrium is fundamental to ensuring PBAs remain a viable means of delivering prompt and insolvency-protected payment to supply chain firms.

Question reference: S6W-19240

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its reasons were for reshuffling some of the portfolio responsibilities that were previously the responsibility of the now Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition and her junior ministers.

Question reference: S6W-19454

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18820 by Natalie Don on 21 June 2023, when its officials last met with Welsh Government officials to discuss issues relating to children in care and social care; what was discussed, and on how many occasions such meetings have taken place since 6 May 2021.