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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: S6O-03631

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland’s Strategic review of the Scottish Police Authority, which was published earlier this month and sets out the progress made by the Scottish Police Authority in providing oversight and scrutiny of policing in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03627

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its humanitarian aid funding, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza, in light of recent developments, including Ireland, Spain and Norway’s recognition of the state of Palestine.

Question reference: S6O-03644

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any specific measures or alternative programmes it is considering as a replacement to Erasmus+ in Scotland, whether it can provide a timeline for any support that may be available for Bishopbriggs Academy and other schools.

Question reference: S6O-03638

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to end the reported disruption to students in further education, in light of the ongoing industrial dispute between College Employers Scotland and EIS-FELA over pay and conditions.

Question reference: S6O-03632

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its decision to grant early release to prisoners currently in custody, whether all victims and their families will be duly notified of the early release of any prisoner.

Question reference: S6O-03636

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is undertaking to tackle racism in justice and community safety-related public bodies.

Question reference: S6W-28060

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Sanjeev Gupta, and whether it will publish the minutes of any recent meetings that it has had.

Question reference: S6W-28071

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to fatal accident inquiries, how many cases the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has investigated in each of the last 10 years, and what the comparative figure was for each of the last 10 years in which the former unit for investigating deaths was in operation before it was replaced by the SFIU.

In relation to each of the last ten years, the number of deaths reported to the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has been as follows:

Financial Year	Deaths Reported
2014-15	9,173
2015-16	9,579
2016-17	10,931
2017-18	10,865
2018-19	10,397
2019-20	10,921
2020-21	15,739
2021-22	15,377
2022-23	14,147
2023-24	13,218

The comparative figures of deaths reported to the Procurator Fiscal for each of the last ten years prior to the commencement of SFIU on 1 April 2012 are as follows:

Financial Year	Deaths Reported
2002-03	14,508
2003-04	13,885
2004-05	13,786
2005-06	13,746
2006-07	13,572
2007-08	13,457
2008-09	13,608
2009-10	13,498
2010-11	13,112
2011-12	11,671

The extent of the investigation that requires to be carried out will depend on the particular circumstances of each death. A decision to conclude a death investigation may be able to be taken in the very early stages or after extensive enquiries have taken place. There are often legitimate reasons for prolonged enquiry before a decision on the conclusion of an investigation or the holding of an FAI can be taken, including the need to await the outcome of investigations by reporting agencies, to consider reports from other agencies or to instruct and receive expert opinion. It is not therefore possible to provide figures for every death investigation where the holding of an FAI has been in contemplation.

Question reference: S6W-28087

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service regarding the safety of (a) staff, (b) members of the public and (c) other court users during the pilot to reduce the number of police officers routinely on duty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Question reference: S6W-28070

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to fatal accident inquiries, how many people are currently employed in the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and what the comparative figure was for the former unit for investigating deaths that the SFIU replaced.

The Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) is one of a number of specialist units within COPFS which investigates deaths and may conduct Fatal Accident Inquiries. Current staffing figures are shown in the following table:

	Legal & Case Preparer Staff	VIA (Victim Information & Advice) Staff	Administrative Staff	TOTAL
Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU)	42	5	31	78
Health & Safety Investigation Unit (HSIU)	25	4	5	34
Custody Deaths Unit (CDU)	8	0	0	8
COVID Deaths Investigation Team (CDIT)	50	20	17	87

Staffing levels in these units have increased in recent years to reflect the importance of this area of work.

Prior to the commencement of SFIU in April 2012, deaths were primarily reported to Procurators Fiscal who would carry out investigations alongside their other core function of the prosecution of crime. It is therefore not possible to provide comparative staffing figures.