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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-17464

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish a Centre of Excellence for brain tumour research in Scotland, in line with the existing network of four such centres in England.

The Charity Brain Tumour Research currently funds five Centres of Excellence for Brain Tumour Research (at the Institute for Cancer Research in Surrey, the University of Plymouth, Queen Mary University London, Imperial College London, and the University of Portsmouth).

Centres of Excellence | Brain Tumour Research

Brain Tumour Research has a UK-wide remit and Scottish Institutions are eligible to apply for Centre of Excellence status.

Centre of Excellence designation is awarded by Brain Tumour Research based on a process of independent expert review. This process is not a matter for the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-17103

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how much the Scottish Child Payment would need to be equal to in order to meet the (a) interim child poverty target for 2023-24 and (b) child poverty target for 2030-31.

With limited powers and a constrained budget the Scottish Government has already increased Scottish Child Payment by 150% in less than 8 months over 2022. Since its extension to under 16s in November 2022, 385,000 children are now eligible for the benefit.

As part of 'Best Start, Bright Futures', the Scottish Government published a Cumulative Impact Assessment in March 2022, estimating the impact in 2023-24 of a range of policies designed to reduce child poverty. This included lifting an estimated 50,000 children out of poverty in Scotland in 2023-24 through the Scottish Child Payment at £25 per week per child, a five percentage point reduction in relative child poverty.

The context for those policies has changed since this analysis was published, with a constantly moving, uncertain economic outlook, and a series of policy announcements, retractions, and further announcements by the UK Government.

The Scottish Government will publish the annual progress report on child poverty, covering the period 2022-23, by the end of June. This will set out progress in implementing 'Best Start, Bright Futures', the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan: 2022-26, and against the ambitious targets set through the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017.

Question reference: S6W-17172

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund, how many applications it has received to date, and, of those applications, how many have been (a) awarded and (b) rejected.

The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund has received various applications from local authorities and registered social landlords (RSLs) since its inception in 2020.

To date the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund has received 65 applications since 2020 for capital funding, of which 55 applications have been awarded funding. 10 applications have been rejected, invited to resubmit following feedback or have been referred to alternative funding sources.

The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund also funds a stream of pre-capital projects for development funding and has received 20 applications for development funding, with 12 applications being funded, and 8 being rejected, invited to resubmit or referred to alternative funding sources.

Question reference: S6O-02256

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to abolish NHS dental charges by the end of the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6O-02258

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to announce the delivery plan for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Question reference: S6O-02259

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assist any businesses that are struggling to recruit skilled workers.

Question reference: S6O-02253

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the volunteering action plan.

Question reference: S6O-02254

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Head of Housing Services at Fife Council and what was discussed.

Question reference: S6O-02257

Asked by: Marie McNair, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to maximise the uptake of Scottish social security benefits.

Question reference: S6O-02255

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to lay regulations to restrict the marketing and advertising of vaping products, following the publication of the responses to its consultation, Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products, on 27 September 2022.