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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.

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Question reference: S6W-29315

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when Scotland's Mental Health First Aid: Young People (SMHFA: YP) courses will be available, following the reported pausing of the programme in 2020.

The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) holds the national licence for Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid: Young People- (SMHFA:YP). Following COVID, PHS took the decision to pause the delivery of the SMHFA: YP, due to the content of the course being considered out of date, given changes to the social and cultural context in which young people live in Scotland (for example, content in relation to alcohol and drugs and bullying). There are no current plans to update the content or reverse the current pause on this programme; as many alternative and up-to-date sources of advice are available to adults who support children and young people.

A new professional learning resource for school staff, supported by the Mental Health in Schools Working Group, was published in 2021. The resource provides essential learning required to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. The resource is free and can be found at: CYPMH – Professional Learning Resource. A number of education resources linked to Curriculum for Excellence are also available to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in schools and other settings. Just this week, a new resource will be launched – One Good Adult:Job Description. This was designed by children and young people to help those around them provide the support they need.

In addition, Public Health Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland have developed further digital resources aimed at those supporting the mental health, self-harm and suicide prevention needs of young people. These can be found at: Informed level of practice | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)

Interactive training is also available on specific topics. For example, Self-Harm Network Scotland provides free training sessions, in-person or online. Anyone can sign up for these sessions, and there are a range of options offered, with more in-depth sessions for professionals. Since these started in early 2023, the service has already trained over 2,500 people.

These sources of advice complement expanded provision of supports and services for children and young people – with access to counselling available through every secondary school; over 300 community-based mental health and wellbeing supports for children and young people now in place across Scotland; and advice for young people themselves available through the investment we have made in the likes of Young Scot’s Aye Feel website.

Question reference: S6W-29667

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28979 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 September 2024, how much of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB 2) for the installation of wheelchair space in vehicles has been taken up by operators.

Question reference: S6W-29804

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether any farm subsidies that it plans to introduce will include Scottish Outdoor Access Code compliance obligations.

Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 (LRSA) there is a right of responsible non-motorised access to land throughout Scotland with few exceptions. The rights and responsibilities of land managers and those exercising access rights are set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, also approved by the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government is clear that the countryside is a living and working environment and that there is a need to balance the right of the land manager to conduct their activities with the upholding of access rights. I will continue to co-develop future support with our industry and partners to ensure that together we deliver on the outcomes of the Vision for Agriculture.

Question reference: S6O-03767

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with the four nations steering group on the review of noise guidance for onshore wind turbines as it applies to Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03718

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with organisations in the arts and culture sector since the publication of the Programme for Government 2024-25.

Question reference: S6W-28979

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to public transport operators to provide transport for disabled people.

The Scottish Government through its subsidy, has funded publicly owned ScotRail Trains Ltd., Caledonian Sleeper Ltd and ferry operators, namely CalMac and Serco, in Scotland. This includes meeting their obligations to provide accessible transport as set out in various, relevant legislation.

The National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People provides free travel on local and long distance scheduled bus journeys throughout Scotland for eligible disabled people living in Scotland.

In 2014 the Ferries Accessibility Fund worth a total of £500,000, was launched by the Scottish Government to improve accessibility on Scotland’s ferry network as part of the Ferries Review and Plan 2013-2022; which has successfully delivered a number of projects that improve accessibility across the ferry network.

Although its focus is on supporting bus operators in meeting our Net Zero targets, the second phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB 2) funded 252 buses and coaches of various sizes. The majority of these vehicles must comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR 2000). ScotZEB 2 also offered funding towards the installation of wheelchair space in vehicles which did not need to comply with PSVAR 2000 regulations.

Question reference: S6W-28977

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to private transport operators to provide transport for disabled people.

Question reference: S6W-28978

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what requirement there is for private car hire firms to provide transport for disabled people.

Accessibility obligations for taxi and private hire car drivers and Local Licencing Authorities are reserved to the UK Government under the Equality Act 2010.

However, the taxi licensing system is devolved under the Civic Government Act 1982 and is implemented by (local authority) licensing authorities. Therefore, the day-to-day administration of the licensing regime for taxis and private hire cars rests with independent local licensing authorities, who are best placed to take local circumstances into account in the decision making process to ensure that they provide safe and appropriate services for members of the public.

Question reference: S6W-28913

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Place Based Investment Programme.

As set out in the Scottish Budget, the financial position for 2024-25 is extremely challenging and we continue to operate in a volatile period, with difficult decisions being made and robust spending controls in place. In light of the potential financial risks and uncertainties, we are unable to confirm the 2024-25 Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) funding position for local authorities at this current time.

Ministers have, however, authorised an initial release of PBIP funding to support projects that are well underway and at risk of stalling, to protect significant investment made to date, and to reduce the risk of losing match funding. Scottish Government officials have been working closely with councils to identify these priority projects.

We hope to be able to provide further clarity on the full PBIP allocation for 2024-25 in the autumn.

Question reference: S6W-28912

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many applicants that had previously been approved by local authorities for the Place Based Investment Programme will now no longer receive funding, and what options are now available to them.

Given the nature of Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) funding, it is the responsibility of local authorities to administer and manage their respective PBIP allocations. As such, the Scottish Government does not hold that level of information on local authorities’ provisional plans for use of their PBIP funding.

We hope to be able to provide further clarity on the full PBIP allocation for 2024-25 in the autumn.