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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-24231

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it sets a requirement for a minimum number of medically-trained NHS 24 call handlers to be on shift at any given time, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Question reference: S6W-23877

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the legislative framework is for providing young disabled people with a plan for their transitions from school to adulthood, and what its position is on whether it should include a guarantee that it is started from no later than their 14th birthday.

The Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 sets out clear timescales for post school transition planning. In the accompanying statutory guidance , schools are encouraged to plan for transitions well ahead of the statutory timescales, which apply from the date a young person is expected to leave school.

We recognise that not all young people are currently getting the transitions support they need. We are working closely with local government partners to improve the experience of children and young people with additional support needs at school, through the implementation of the recommendations set out in the 2020 review of additional support for learning. This includes work to encourage best practice in this area and improve the implementation of existing transition duties. A further update on this work is due to be published in May 2024.

Through the development of the National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy, we are also considering what additional support disabled young people may need. As set out in the published Statement of Intent for the strategy, one of the proposed overarching ambitions is to further embed the Association for Real Change Scotland’s widely-endorsed seven Principles of Good Transitions , and the similar characteristics of good transitions outlined in our published literature review , in the policy, planning and practice of organisations that provide support for disabled young people.

Question reference: S6W-24553

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-24270

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any analysis to ascertain the estimated total value of Scotland’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, and, if so, whether it can provide details of this.

The Scottish Government has long identified the intrinsic importance of Intangible Cultural Heritage(ICH) for local communities and as part of our national identity. We therefore support and welcome UK Government finally deciding to notify their intention to ratify ICH on 23 December 2023 and will continue to encourage, support and collaborate with our four nations colleagues as the ratification process proceeds.

As the member will know, Scotland has been a vocal proponent of ratification and is considered to be ahead of the other nations as we already have an online ICH inventory https://ichscotland.org/ as a result of collaborative work between Museums Galleries Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and Creative Scotland.

Regarding analysis of the estimated total value of Scotland’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, as ICH is by definition intangible and is very much community led such analysis would require that the definitions/approaches/ assessment frameworks needed to undertake this analysis would need to be developed.

At present this formal analysis has not taken place but will no doubt form part of the collaborative work of the 4 nations group which will be working together before and after the UK Government ratifies ICH.

As formal ratification work continues, the Scottish Government remains committed to supporting ICH in our local communities, whether through increasing access to traditional skills, providing ways to experience or participate in the performing arts or supporting community art projects. We will also continue to support our public bodies, national performing companies and agencies to ensure all people in Scotland can access ICH.

Question reference: S6W-24272

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what level of demand for culture funding it anticipates from organisations over the next five years, and whether that will impact on its plans for future funding.

Creative Scotland received applications from 361 cultural organisations with a total ask of £96m per year for their Multi Year Funding programme, which will commence from 2025-26.

The Scottish Government expect the £96m indicative request figure for the Multi Year Funding Programme to reduce once Creative Scotland has assessed applications and completed necessary due diligence.

The outcome from Stage One of the Multi Year Funding process will be announced at the end of February 2024.

We are increasing funding to the culture sector by £15.8m next financial year to £196.6m. This is the first step on the route to investing at least £100m more annually in culture and the arts by the financial year 2028-29. In 2025-2026 we aim to provide an additional £25m to the culture sector.

Question reference: S6W-24266

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that all parties with an interest in seaweed aquaculture are represented on any project board that is established to take forward the development of a regulatory framework, as recommended in A Review of the Aquaculture Regulatory Process in Scotland, which was published in February 2022.

Question reference: S6W-24181

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the £66.9 million investment in offshore wind, announced in its Budget 2024-25, will be delivered; what the investment priorities will be, and what the (a) timeline and (b) process will be for releasing the funds.

We are initiating our commitment of up to £500 million to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland with investment of £67 million in 2024-2025.

This commercial and grant investment will stimulate and support private investment in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to the growth of our world-leading offshore wind sector.

We have worked with public sector partners to develop a framework which will achieve strategic alignment of public sector investment in offshore renewables supply chain and infrastructure development.

This very much aligns with the approach taken by the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) in developing the Strategic Investment Model (SIM) to move from project-led to sector level investment that better supports growth in port and supply chain capacity and capability.

We will continue to collaborate with public sector partners and engage with industry and other partners as we finalise our approach and we will provide an update in due course.

Our strategic investment will support market certainty, create new jobs, embed innovation, and boost skills to foster a competitive economy, underscoring our determination to maximise the economic benefits from Scotland’s offshore wind potential.

Question reference: S6W-24137

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last used (a) external auditors and (b) independent review to consider whether the (i) Housing to 2040 strategy, (ii) 110,000 affordable housing supply target and (iii) Affordable Housing Supply Programme are achievable.

Question reference: S6W-24108

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the Hospital at Home service.

Question reference: S6W-24136

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 16 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to begin an immediate and urgent external review of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.