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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-41653

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local organisations, such as Inverclyde Women’s Aid, to meet the needs of survivors of domestic abuse.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that survivors of domestic abuse receive the support they need. We recognise the vital role that local organisations, such as Inverclyde Women’s Aid, play in delivering frontline services and supporting women and children in their communities.

Through our Delivering Equally Safe fund, we are investing £21.6 million annually to tackle violence against women and girls. This includes a £2.4m uplift for 2025/26, ensuring all fund recipients can continue the vital work they undertake to prevent violence and support survivors. Of this total annual investment, £8.6 million is allocated to Women’s Aid organisations across Scotland with Inverclyde Women’s Aid receiving approximately £219,000 in 2025/26.

In addition, local organisations can access funding through the Victim Surcharge Fund. This fund allows any organisation of any size and in any location in Scotland, that support victims of crime including survivors of domestic abuse, to apply for a share of this Fund, which is financed by penalties imposed on offenders.

We also provide support through the Victim Centred Approach Fund which will deliver over £32 million to 23 organisations between 2025 and 2027, including £12 million for advocacy support for survivors of gender-based violence.

Question reference: S6W-41827

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has spoken with businesses about labour shortages in the South of Scotland region.

Question reference: S6W-41826

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has done of historic population movement and projected labour market shortages in the South of Scotland region, broken down by sector.

Question reference: S6W-41825

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted into labour shortages in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, and what steps it is taking to reverse depopulation trends in rural South of Scotland communities.

Question reference: S6W-41829

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out any analysis relating to the impact of population decline on apprenticeship uptake in the South of Scotland region.

Question reference: S6W-41828

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to help businesses unable to fill vacancies in the South of Scotland region.

Question reference: S6W-41837

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will bring the A75 and A77 up to the standard required for major freight traffic to Cairnryan Port.

Question reference: S6W-41560

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on pupils' learning outcomes of any increasing reliance by local authorities on supply teachers, in light of the reported £1.6 million spend by Inverclyde Council on supply teachers in one year.

Supply teachers play an important role in ensuring continuity and quality in education by guaranteeing that any teacher's absence from the classroom can be covered, while also providing flexibility for teachers who choose to work part-time.

Like all teachers in Scotland, supply teachers are required to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) and are therefore required to undertake professional learning and development in order to maintain their registration and uphold the high professional standards expected within the teaching profession.

Local Authorities carry the statutory responsibility for the delivery of Education in Scotland. It is therefore their responsibility to ensure they have planned for the adequate number of staff required during the academic year. To support them in this endeavour, the Scottish Government has provided them with £186.5m during this financial year to increase teacher numbers back to 2023 levels.

Question reference: S6W-41559

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce any local authority reliance on supply teachers, in light of reports that Inverclyde Council spent £1.6 million on supply teachers in one year.

We support the permanent employment of teachers by providing £186.5m to local authorities in 2025-26 to restore overall teacher numbers across the country to 2023 levels and maximise the number of teaching posts available. In addition, we are also providing Local Authorities with £28 million to support better outcomes for children with ASN including the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce.

The recruitment of teachers including recruitment practices are matters for individual local authorities. The use of supply contracts is a long-standing feature of local authority recruitment practice.

Supply teachers play an important role in guaranteeing that any teacher's absence from the classroom can be covered, while also providing flexibility for teachers who choose to work part-time. It also serves as an opportunity for teachers seeking to re-enter the teaching profession after a break, as well as for retired teachers wishing to engage in part-time employment.

Question reference: S6W-41654

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported proposals to reduce wholetime firefighter posts in Inverclyde, and what assessment it has made of fire service resilience across Scotland.