Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 44254 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-37791

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many apprenticeships were started by young people aged 16-24 in each of the last five years.

Skills Development Scotland publish the number of Modern Apprenticeships starts aged 16-24 in their statistics release available here – https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/publications-statistics/statistics/modern-apprenticeships.

SDS also publish Foundation and Graduate Apprenticeships. These will also contain some 16-24 year olds in their starts figures. The latest releases are available here – https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/publications-statistics/statistics/foundation-apprenticeships– and here – https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/publications-statistics/statistics/graduate-apprenticeships.

Question reference: S6W-37802

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S6W-37468 by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025, whether any work has taken place internally on potentially extending restrictions to smoke-free places, and, if so, what restrictions are currently being considered.

As noted in my answer to S6W-37468 the Scottish Government are taking forward work as part of our Tobacco and Vapes Framework to review the impact and potential implementation of further place based restrictions alongside a review of the implementation of restrictions on hospital grounds.

ASH Scotland are carrying out that review, with engagement having been undertaken with a broad range of stakeholders across Scotland including academics, trading standards, environmental health and NHS facilities managers.

The report will be published later this year and I look forward to receiving it. I will consider the recommendations on next steps, alongside other evidence as part of identifying options for consultation.

Question reference: S6W-37790

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what the main causes of anti-social behaviour are.

The Scottish Government recognise that antisocial behaviour is complex and no single factor can explain why some people or groups are at higher risk of committing acts of antisocial behaviour. Our Vision for Justice in Scotland commits to tackling underlying causes through a public health approach, supported by the ecological framework. This considers how individual, relationship, community, and societal factors interact to influence behaviour. Evidence also shows that reducing crime, including antisocial behaviour, requires a combination of strategies: addressing root causes, deterring offending by increasing perceived risks of offending, and reducing opportunities to offend.

Question reference: S6W-37851

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of local authorities have completed a cyber risk audit within the past 12 months.

The Scottish Government does not collect this information. The local councils are independent corporate bodies, separate from the Scottish Government, and it is up to each council how it manages its risks. Under the Strategic Framework for a Cyber Resilient Scotland (2021), the Scottish Government strongly encourages all public bodies to seek appropriate and regular independent assurance of their critical technical controls.

Question reference: S6W-37894

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what role precision agriculture has in reducing nitrous oxide emissions from fertiliser use.

Question reference: S6W-37927

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide copies of all technical reports and test results in full from the investigation into the presence of radon at Inverness Justice Centre.

Question reference: S6W-37905

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to monitor the uptake of low-carbon farming technologies and practices across different regions.

The Agricultural and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 requires Scottish Ministers to publish reports on the implementation of the Rural Support Plan and the schemes delivered under it. These schemes constitute the Scottish Government’s primary mechanism for promoting the adoption of low-carbon technologies and sustainable practices in agriculture. A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework to support this work is currently under development.

The framework will adopt a hierarchical structure, with programme-level monitoring and evaluation informed by tier- and intervention/scheme-level assessments. At the programme level, indicators are being developed to track progress against the strategic outcomes framework, with a baseline set for 2025 and reporting scheduled every five years. Strategic Outcome 3—Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation—aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in line with the Climate Change Plan (CCP) envelope and to enhance the sector’s capacity to adapt to climate change. This outcome is supported by sub-outcomes related to carbon storage, livestock and soil emissions, machinery and slurry emissions, and adaptation measures.

Analysts are currently identifying and quality-assuring indicators to measure progress in these areas, including uptake of sustainable and regenerative farming technologies and practices. Additional monitoring will be conducted at the tier and scheme levels, with appropriate baselines and reporting schedules established for each. As part of the M&E framework, analysts will consider how the uptake of schemes or measures may differ across different regions, communities or business types.

Question reference: S6W-37918

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will recommence the GP sustainability loan scheme.

Question reference: S6T-02556

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scottish Enterprise has reportedly refused funding to Rolls-Royce Submarines, resulting in the potential loss of jobs.

Question reference: S6F-04155

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that Police Scotland’s national child abuse investigation unit now carries out 700 child sexual abuse investigations a year, representing an increase of 30% since 2015.