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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-14780

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the VisitScotland publication, Scotland. Made for Cycling, published in January 2023.

The Scottish Government notes the Made for Cycling report and recognises the opportunity on offer for Scottish cycling tourism to further develop and for Scotland to establish itself as a world-class cycling destination, as identified within the publication.

The topic paper highlights some of the positive work that VisitScotland has undertaken in recent years, including the creation of a new Cycling Industry Guide, to help businesses and communities maximise the sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits from a growing interest in cycling and cycling tourism. These business advice assets are especially important as Glasgow and Scotland gear up to host the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships between 3 – 13 August.

This event provides a platform to generate behaviour change across Scotland –bringing benefits for individuals, communities and businesses as a result.

Question reference: S6W-14658

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many knives have been confiscated in schools in each year since 2019, broken down by the age of pupil.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of knives confiscated in schools, though information is available on the number of recorded crimes of having in a school an article with a blade or point. This is provided in the following table. At least part of the reduction in cases during 2020-21 (and subsequent increase in 2021-22) will likely reflect the closure of the school estate during the pandemic related lockdowns.

Possession of articles with a blade or point in schools

	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
Having in a school an article with a blade or point not used in other criminal activity	91	112	56	98
Having in a school an article with a blade or point used in other criminal activity	34	21	9	37

Source: Police recorded Crime Statistics: March year-end data

Question reference: S6W-14654

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Police Scotland recording that 30% of the people referred to its Prevent de-radicalisation programme in 2021-22 were aged under 15.

National Security, which includes the Prevent strategy, is reserved to the UK Government but delivered through devolved functions in Scotland. Prevent has been a statutory duty on Policing, Healthcare, Education, Local Authorities and Prisons in the UK as a whole, Scotland included since 2015.

The collective focus of Prevent in Scotland is always on identifying the earliest opportunity to offer support to individuals who may be vulnerable to being drawn into or supporting terrorism, or who are exposed to divisive extremist narratives.

There is no fixed profile for someone who may benefit from support in this context. However, as exposure to radicalisation and a range of extremist narratives has grown in the online space in particular, referrals to Prevent across the UK have indicated an increase in individuals being exposed to such harms at a younger age.

Scottish Government works closely with Police Scotland and other key partners including the education sector to ensure proportionate responses to such challenges across a broad spectrum of threat.

Our alignment of Prevent to existing safeguarding processes such as the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC), seeks to ensure Prevent works in a supportive, multi-agency way in line with other strategies designed to prevent harm and safeguard children from exposure to such issues as drug use, criminal gangs, physical abuse and sexual exploitation.

A Prevent referral allows for a multi-agency safeguarding assessment to be conducted where appropriate, and all referrals are carefully assessed based on the specific details of the case.

Where a referral is deemed appropriate for Prevent case management, the type of support available is wide-ranging, and can include help with education, parental or carer support or child social care involvement. The ongoing provision of training and online guidance aims to ensure that when a Prevent referral is made, it is robust and appropriately informed, and that the response is considered and proportionate.

The publication of Prevent referral statistics on an annual basis is reflective of efforts to ensure as much transparency as possible in respect of the Prevent programme, within the confines of what is appropriate in line with the protection of individuals’ data.

Question reference: S6O-01906

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on small-scale drinks producers.

Question reference: S6W-14656

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) teachers and (b) pupils have been (i) hospitalised or (ii) required police/ambulance assistance as a result of violence in schools in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-14507

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 14 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Operation Close Pass, and whether Police Scotland has plans for another campaign of this nature.

Operation Close Pass is an ongoing exercise carried out by Police Scotland and aligns with the latest version of the Highway Code introduced in January 2022 which highlights leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking people cycling at speeds of up to 30mph and giving them more space when overtaking at higher speeds. In the complementary 'Give Cycle Space' campaign funded by Transport Scotland, 62% of drivers report being more likely to give at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking a cyclist. Based on research by West Midlands Police (available publicly) we know that Operation Close Pass can reduce the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on the road by as much as 20%. The Scottish Government will continue to support Police Scotland with Operation Close Pass in 2023-24 on specific dates or at locations as determined.

Question reference: S6W-14235

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure the provision of early intervention and support for young people with speech difficulties, in light of reports that North Ayrshire’s speech and language therapy waiting list is closed due to waiting times exceeding two years.

Question reference: S6W-14437

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 9 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of any disproportionate financial impacts of the Deposit Return Scheme on poorer households.

A Fairer Scotland Impact Assessment (FSIA) looked at the additional initial outlay on ONS Household groups. This was both as a percentage of a grocery shop as well as a percentage of mean net income. The results can be found in the Annex A of the FSIA at:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/consultation-paper/2019/09/deposit-return-schemme-scotland-regulations-accompanying-statement-proposed-regulations/documents/fairer-scotland-impact-assessment/fairer-scotland-impact-assessment/govscot%3Adocument/fairer-scotland-impact-assessment.pdf

Question reference: S6W-14361

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest reported NFU Scotland Intentions Survey results, which found that "almost two-thirds of all respondents identified future agricultural policy as the most significant threat" to their business.

We continue to support active farming and food production with direct payments to provide certainty to the industry. We delivered 2021 Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) payments to schedule with over £564 million issued. In 2022, we brought forward the payment date to as early in the year as was practicably possible in order to provide support to businesses with immediate cash flow challenges. Over 17,356 businesses have already benefitted from this change with around £417.4 million paid out to date.

The Scottish Government is working with the industry and partners with an interest in delivering a thriving, sustainable, rural economy, to co-develop and co-design future agricultural support structures and delivery, to offer clarity, and through a just transition, avoid cliff edges for Scotland’s farmers and crofters.

The Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB), co-chaired by Cabinet Secretary RAI and NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy, provides advice to the Scottish Government on actions that will assist the sector in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises at pace, and enable it to make targeted investment for longer-term benefits and outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-14258

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) First Minister, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, (c) Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training and (d) Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights last visited an independent school.