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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-37466

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that the year 2023-24 is dealt with as a transitional year for licensed self-catering operators when supplying annual data to the assessor.

The requirement to provide evidence of letting to assessors to ensure compliance with the thresholds for self-catering holiday accommodation to be included in the valuation roll was introduced from April 2022 to counter a known tax avoidance tactic for second homes.

Assessors undertake annual audits to ensure that self-catering accommodation entered on the valuation roll meets the statutory requirements to be classed as non-domestic property. To provide clarity to self-catering accommodation providers on these requirements, and to provide greater certainty regarding the consequences of failure to meet the requirements, a statutory deadline to respond to requests for evidence was introduced from 1 April 2024. If evidence is not provided to the Assessor by the deadline, or if it is insufficient to establish if the requirements have been met, the Assessor must remove the property from the valuation roll under the current statutory framework.

The Scottish Government has no immediate plans to alter the rules for self-catering properties, however we do keep all policies under review and routinely engage with stakeholders on any issues with the operation of the system and associated legislation.

Question reference: S6W-37480

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct a national needs assessment for alcohol to inform the development of strategic priorities for future recovery-oriented treatment, care and support provision.

The Scottish Government has no specific plans to carry out a national alcohol needs assessment at the moment, but recognises the benefits of needs assessments to help develop our strategic priories for improving care and support for people impacted by alcohol.

Local areas currently rely on their own specific needs assessments, which we encourage them to undertake. The forthcoming UK-wide clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment will also underline the benefits of local needs assessments.

We are currently engaging with partner organisations including delivery bodies and the voices of those with lived and living experience to identify actions that will help develop and deliver future recovery focused systems of care.

Question reference: S6W-37422

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total budget for Food Standards Scotland was in each financial year, from 2020-21 to date.

The following table represents the total budget allocated to Food Standards Scotland (FSS) for each financial year from 2020-21.

Financial year FSS baseline Total Fiscal Resource budget £m

2020-21 15.6

2021-22 19.0

2022-23 22.6

2023-24 22.6

2024-25 22.6

2025-26 22.6

There was an uplift in the financial years 21-22 of £3.4 million and in year 22-23 of £3.6 million totalling £7 million. These uplifts were to fund additional responsibilities FSS were required to take on following the EU Exit.

Question reference: S6W-37420

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual employee count for Food Standards Scotland was in each financial year, from 2020-21 to date.

Question reference: S6W-37423

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many food businesses were inspected by an environmental health officer or food safety officer in each calendar year from 2020 to date.

Question reference: S6W-37468

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to broaden the types of places that can be designated smoke-free.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.

The Scottish Government has not yet taken any decisions on how these powers should be used in Scotland, but any regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament will be informed by evidence and outputs from public consultation. It is not possible at this stage to confirm timescales; however, we will keep Parliament informed as this work develops.

These powers fit with the commitment the Scottish Government has made within the Tobacco and Vaping Framework to review the value and potential implementation of further place-based restrictions alongside our review of the implementation of the hospital grounds restrictions.

Many public places in Scotland already have voluntary restrictions on vaping indoors. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides powers for the Scottish Government to expand on smoke free, vape free and heated tobacco free spaces in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37349

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the national roll-out of the NHS Scotland digital front door app.

I can confirm we will provide an update on the roll-out of the Health and Social Care app in Summer 2025 as set out in our Operational Improvement Plan, as well as in the answer to question S6W-35982 on 28 March 2025.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S6W-37501

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what specific actions it will take to ease teacher workload, as announced in its Programme for Government 2025-26.

The Scottish Government will work with teacher unions, and COSLA through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time.

The Scottish Government and COSLA are committed to working in partnership with the teacher unions to set out a timeline for implementation of this important commitment, so that meaningful progress can be made as soon as is practical.

Question reference: S6W-37500

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will deliver its commitment to reduce teacher class contact time.

Question reference: S6W-37412

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many formal (a) warnings, (b) notices and (c) interventions regarding suicide risks linked to infrastructure in mental health units have been issued since 2022, broken down by NHS board.