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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-31229

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the literature review that it committed to carry out to ascertain the current knowledge on masking for children and young people with additional support needs (ASN).

As part of the Scottish Government's response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee's Inquiry on Additional Support for Learning, I committed to undertaking a literature review to ascertain the current knowledge on masking for children and young people with additional support needs.

The scope of the literature review is currently being considered by my officials and I will up-date the Education, Children and Young People Committee on progress of this work as soon as I have received a substantive update.

Question reference: S6W-31214

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25762 by Natalie Don on 13 March 2024, whether it will provide an update on what the average length of time has been between a disclosure check application being received by Disclosure Scotland and the provision of disclosure information in each year since 2016.

I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

Table: The average number of days to process disclosure applications, by application type, calendar year 2016 to October 2024

Application Type	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024 YTD
Basic disclosure	4.0	3.9	2.9	5.5	7.2	6.0	3.4	5.9	4.0
Standard and Enhanced disclosure	5.6	5.3	4.8	7.7	8.1	7.2	5.1	7.4	8.3
PVG scheme record	5.1	4.7	4.5	9.2	9.0	7.1	6.3	8.4	7.2
PVG Scheme Record Update	2.7	2.1	2.3	6.9	8.5	6.9	6.4	8.5	7.2
PVG Scheme Membership Statement	5.3	4.9	4.8	9.4	5.9	3.9	2.2	2.9	3.6
PVG Scheme Membership Statement (Countersigned)	4.2	3.4	3.8	7.8	6.8	4.6	3.8	4.2	4.3
All application types	4.0	3.8	3.2	6.9	7.9	6.5	4.9	7.3	5.9

Question reference: S6W-31218

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the issue highlighted in the SQA Higher History Review 2024 that "recruitment and retention of sufficient markers has become increasingly challenging over recent years".

The recruitment and retention of markers is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in its independent role as an examination body.

SQA works closely with the wider education system to promote and source markers, who are all experienced teachers and lecturers. There are established contingencies in place, should this be required, to ensure marking is completed on time.

Question reference: S6W-31226

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that pupils from lower-income families can take part in school trips, including curriculum-related trips and activities, and P6 and P7 residentials.

Statutory responsibility for the delivery of school education, including any school trips, rests with local authorities and they can utilise a range of funding sources to remove or minimise costs to lower-income families.

The Scottish Government is investing up to £1 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge this parliamentary term to tackle the poverty related attainment gap, including £520 million of Pupil Equity Funding which goes directly to schools.

Headteachers are empowered to use this funding to take school-level approaches to supporting children and young people from lower income families. Some choose to contribute to or cover costs such as residential trips, theatre trips and outdoor learning experiences in order make access to such learning opportunities as equitable as possible.

A new national working group is also considering how to further promote inclusive and impactful outdoor learning in all its forms, including but not exclusive to residential outdoor education.

Question reference: S6W-31389

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Digital Academy courses have been completed by employees of Scottish public bodies, other than the Scottish Government, in each year since it was launched in January 2018, broken down by public body.

Since the Scottish Digital Academy was established in 2018, there have been 1,348 employee registrations from Scottish public bodies. This includes recognised Advisory and Executive Non Department Public Bodies.

Broken down by year:

2018 (51)

2019 (39)

2020 (33)

2021 (56)

2022 (238)

2023 (483)

2024 to October end (448)

Number of registrations by public body:

Accounts Commission for Scotland (1)

Bord na Gaidhlig (1)

Cairngorms National Park Authority (4)

Care Inspectorate (40)

Children’s Hearings Scotland (19)

Community Justice Scotland (20)

Creative Scotland (14)

Crofting Commission (22)

Highlands and Islands Airports (4)

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (10)

Historic Environment Scotland (37)

Independent Living Fund Scotland (2)

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority (33)

National Library of Scotland (52)

National Museums of Scotland (4)

NatureScot (93)

Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (2)

Public Defence Solicitors Office (1)

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (12)

Scotrail (6)

Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (1)

Scottish Childrens Reporter Administration (44)

Scottish Enterprise (146)

Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (317)

Scottish Funding Council (48)

Scottish Land Commission (2)

Scottish Legal Aid Board (70)

Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (16)

Scottish Natural Heritage (33)

Scottish Qualifications Authority (146)

Scottish Social Services Council (53)

Skills Development Scotland (71)

Sports Scotland (8)

Visit Scotland (11)

Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland (3)

Scottish Commission for Social Security (2)

Question reference: S6W-31403

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the (a) expansion of anaerobic digestion and biogas capacity and (b) reported potential negative impact of any such developments on efforts to tackle the climate crisis and their increased reliance on the existing gas network.

The Scottish Government supports the expansion of anaerobic digestion and biogas capacity, where it adheres to the guiding principles for bioenergy use as set out in our draft Bioenergy Policy Statement (BPS). These include the use of biomass, when in compliance with SEPA environmental regulations and stringent sustainability criteria. Bioenergy use must support emissions reduction and facilitate Scotland’s sustainable development goals.

The draft BPS also sets out that in the longer term, bioenergy should be prioritised towards applications with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) - which will support decarbonisation across relevant sectors and contribute to efforts to meet Scotland’s net zero targets.

Question reference: S6T-02208

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on fuel poverty in Scotland, what its response is to the reported announcement that the energy price cap will increase by 1.2% for the period covering January to March 2025.

Question reference: S6T-02209

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is preparing for winter, in light of widespread weather-related disruption over the weekend due to Storm Bert.

Question reference: S6F-03564

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03572

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to reduce the length of time that children are placed in temporary accommodation.