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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-29275

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) Economic Leadership Group was established, and how many times it has met.

Question reference: S6W-29208

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many whistleblowing champions it currently employs.

Question reference: S6W-29185

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Renewables regarding reports that "significant investment" is required to make the most of "an unprecedented opportunity to grow the renewable energy supply chain in Scotland and to establish the facilities we will need to manufacture and supply the components for wind turbines", and whether Scottish Renewables has provided it with a figure for such investment.

The Scottish Government holds regular discussions with key stakeholders in the renewable energy industry, including Scottish Renewables.

We remain committed to ensuring projects are supported to deliver maximum economic benefits. This includes investing up to £500m over the next five years to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland. Our commercial first approach will stimulate private investment in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to the growth of our world-leading offshore wind sector. Sumitomo’s £350 million high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable manufacturing plant in the highlands is a significant step which will address a major supply chain constraint for offshore wind projects.? Investment into the sector will support market certainty, create a highly productive, competitive economy, provide thousands of new jobs, embed innovation and boost skills.

In addition, the Onshore Wind Sector Deal, which was signed with the onshore wind sector in September 2023, contains a series of commitments that promote supply chain opportunities, including the circularity of wind turbine blades. The onshore wind sector has committed to the delivery of at least one blade treatment facility in Scotland by 2030.

Question reference: S6W-29273

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, based on the most recent data it holds, which 10 breeds of dogs have been most responsible for seriously injuring or killing people, ranked in order.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24486 on 24 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

As noted in the answer to S6W-24486, there is no central database within Scotland or the UK that provides data on dog attacks, broken down by the breed of dog involved.

Data is available from National Records Scotland on deaths from being bitten or struck by a dog in Scotland. Data is also available from Public Health Scotland on the number of inpatient and day case admissions to hospital where a diagnosis of dog attack (bite or strike) was recorded. Data on the breed or type of dogs involved is not recorded.

Question reference: S6W-29272

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, since the new rules came into effect on 23 February 2024, how many XL bully-type dogs have been (a) found abandoned or handed in to animal welfare charities and (b) euthanised under the Scottish Government scheme.

Information on the number of suspected XL Bully dogs that have been abandoned or handed in to animal welfare charities is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

XL Bully owners who have taken the decision to have their dog euthanised can claim up to £200 compensation from the Scottish Government.

To claim compensation, the owner of the XL Bully must have arranged to have their dog euthanised by 31 July 2024. The euthanisation itself can happen after this date, but arrangements must be in place by this date. The Scottish Government must receive any claim by 30 September 2024.

The Scottish Government has so far received 25 claims for compensation following arrangements being made for the euthanisation of an XL Bully dog.

Where an XL Bully dog owner has decided to have their dog euthanised without seeking compensation from the Scottish Government, the Scottish Government would not be advised by the owner. Therefore, the number of claims for compensation sent to the Scottish Government may not be a full picture of the number of XL Bully dogs euthanised.

Question reference: S6W-29263

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to amend Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation to embed gender analysis that recognises women-led growth sectors, including the care economy.

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) is a ten-year strategy, and we stand by its vision to grow a sustainable and inclusive wellbeing economy. Two and a half years into that ten-year strategy, significant progress has already been made in driving us towards that vision of a fairer, greener wellbeing economy.

Through NSET we have established a Centre of Expertise in Equality and Human Rights, which is embedding equality and human rights in our economic policy development. We recognise the importance of care to Scotland’s economy and understand that the majority of unpaid care is provided by women. In line with NSET’s ambition to tackle structural inequalities, we are implementing recommendations from the ‘Pathways’ report on Women in Entrepreneurship; addressing barriers to start-up participation for under-represented groups via the Techscaler network; and building an inclusive labour market by delivering person-centered employability support.

Since publishing NSET we recognise that much has changed – fiscally, politically and internationally. Our focus is therefore now on accelerating delivery of NSET through our Programme for Government by prioritising actions that are affordable, deliverable and will have the greatest impact on the Government’s four priorities of eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, and delivering high quality and sustainable public services.

Question reference: S6W-29570

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to South of Scotland Enterprise in each of the last five financial years.

Question reference: S6W-29888

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the No One Left Behind approach has made to date, and what its future priorities are for devolved employability services.

Latest devolved employability statistics show that over 61,000 people have started receiving support through our No One Left Behind approach, with over 19,000 people moving into work.

Today we have published the No One Left Behind Employability Strategic Plan 2024-2027, which outlines the key priorities for No One Left Behind over the next three years and identifies the actions we will take to deliver on these priorities, reaffirming our commitment to continuous improvement.

www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836017738

This includes a commitment to introduce a local, flexible model of Specialist Employability Support across all 32 Local Authorities from Summer 2025. This approach will adhere to the principles of No One Left Behind whilst ensuring a dedicated service offer for disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

Question reference: S6F-03350

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-29583

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the recent postponement to the Medium Term Financial Strategy will result in a further delay to a replacement eye hospital for Edinburgh.

There is no change to the position on NHS Capital Projects as a result of the postponement of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

In December 2023, given the extremely challenging capital funding position, NHS Boards were instructed to pause any project development spend and instead direct capital budgets towards maintenance of the existing estate and essential equipment and digital replacement. Boards were notified that the Scottish Government does not anticipate starting construction of any new project over the next two years at least. Obviously should the UK Government change course on capital investment we have an opportunity to look at this again alongside the capital review ongoing across the Scottish Government.

Year	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
Year	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
Total Allocation	27,300	35,703	37,003	34,469	27,364