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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-16692

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in developing plans to deliver free breakfasts for all (a) primary and (b) special school children.

The Scottish Government is committed to funding the expansion of free school meals to all pupils in primary and special schools, as well as introducing free year round breakfast and lunch provision to support eligible children and young people outside of the school term.

Currently, all primary school pupils in primaries one to five, all children in special schools, and eligible pupils in Primary 6 through to S6 can benefit from free school lunches in Scotland – the most generous provision anywhere in the UK, saving parents £400 per eligible child per year.

We have also provided £21.75m of funding for free school meal alternatives to eligible families during the school holidays. This is administered by local authorities as a cash payment directly to families.

There is a currently a mixed delivery of breakfast provision across Scotland with a range of service providers including public, private and third sector. We have begun work with local authorities and key stakeholders to better understand and map that provision. That process is ongoing and will feed into future plans as they develop.

In addition, we have committed to building a system of school age childcare, providing care before and after school and in the holidays, which will be funded for those on lowest incomes. As we design a system of school age childcare, we will integrate food and childcare provision wherever possible recognising the benefit to children and families of coordinating food, childcare and activities.

Question reference: S6W-17234

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Additional Support for Learning Review Action Plan – Update November 2022, whether the development and trialling of the Association for Real Change (ARC) Principles into Practice programme will be completed by April 2023.

The Association for Real Change (ARC) Scotland’s Principles into Practice trial programme, which was conducted in ten participating Local Authority areas, concluded on 31 March 2023. The revised Principles into Practice Framework will shortly be made available on ARC’s dedicated website, along with Compass - an online tool developed in partnership with young people and parents and carers during the trial programme, to help them, and the professionals who support them, to navigate the transition to young adult life.

Over the next two years ARC Scotland will continue the work of the Scottish Transitions Forum, including supporting the wider implementation of Principles into Practice across Scotland, through funding from the Scottish Government’s Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund.

Question reference: S6W-17248

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how the £50 million investment in play parks and facilities will be distributed across all 32 local authorities.

The following table shows the remaining £50 million play park allocation for each local authority. This information can also be found on the Scottish Government website Renewing Scotland’s play parks - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Local Authority	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26
Aberdeen City Council	£373,000	£559,000	£932,000
Aberdeenshire Council	£616,000	£924,000	£1,539,000
Angus Council	£220,000	£330,000	£550,000
Argyll and Bute	£157,000	£235,000	£391,000
City of Edinburgh Council	£811,000	£1,216,000	£2,027,000
Clackmannanshire Council	£93,000	£139,000	£231,000
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council	£62,000	£93,000	£156,000
Dumfries and Galloway Council	£291,000	£437,000	£728,000
Dundee City Council	£243,000	£365,000	£609,000
East Ayrshire Council	£224,000	£336,000	£561,000
East Dunbartonshire Council	£202,000	£303,000	£505,000
East Lothian Council	£218,000	£327,000	£545,000
East Renfrewshire Council	£204,000	£306,000	£509,000
Falkirk Council	£289,000	£434,000	£723,000
Fife Council	£681,000	£1,022,000	£1,703,000
Glasgow City Council	£1,028,000	£1,542,000	£2,570,000
Highland Council	£488,000	£732,000	£1,219,000
Inverclyde Council	£126,000	£189,000	£314,000
Midlothian Council	£197,000	£295,000	£492,000
Moray Council	£188,000	£282,000	£469,000
North Ayrshire Council	£231,000	£347,000	£578,000
North Lanarkshire Council	£635,000	£952,000	£1,586,000
Orkney Islands Council	£51,000	£77,000	£128,000
Perth and Kinross Council	£291,000	£437,000	£728,000
Renfrewshire Council	£307,000	£461,000	£768,000
Scottish Borders Council	£234,000	£352,000	£586,000
Shetland Islands Council	£61,000	£91,000	£151,000
South Ayrshire Council	£189,000	£283,000	£472,000
South Lanarkshire Council	£597,000	£896,000	£1,493,000
Stirling Council	£168,000	£253,000	£421,000
West Dunbartonshire Council	£157,000	£235,000	£392,000
West Lothian Council	£369,000	£553,000	£922,000
Total	£10,000,000	£15,000,000	£25,000,000

Question reference: S6W-17159

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to reduce the number of disposable nappies that are sent to landfill.

To encourage families to consider the use of reusable alternatives to disposable nappies, a Nappy Voucher is included within the Baby Box which can be used to redeem 1 waterproof nappy wrap, with 5 stay dry nappy pads.

The Nappy Voucher also signposts families to our ParentClub website which highlights the benefits of using reusable nappies as well as signposting families on where to seek advice and support with using them. Ready Steady Baby , which is given out at antenatal appointments, also highlights the benefits of reusable nappies.

The total amount of waste going to landfill in Scotland has dropped by nearly a third over the past decade. We are working to accelerate progress which includes introducing a ban on landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste. Additionally, we are supporting local authorities in improving recycling infrastructure through our Recycling Improvement Fund. This fund provides scope for local authorities to improve collection of problematic materials.

Question reference: S6W-16833

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group: final report and its recommendations.

The Scottish Government welcomes the work undertaken by the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group, which will inform the Scottish Government's next steps. We are currently considering the report and will work with COSLA and Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group members to respond to the recommendations, prioritising actions that will have the greatest impact on reducing the numbers in temporary accommodation.

Question reference: S6O-02188

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is improving data gathering in relation to health outcomes.

Question reference: S6O-02190

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a Scottish Child Payment top-up for parents under the age of 25 who are in receipt of Universal Credit, as called for by the End Young Parent Poverty campaign, in light of it reportedly being supported by more than 30 charities and civil society groups.

Question reference: S6O-02194

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase funding for hospices to ensure that they can manage any rising costs, in light of the reported increase in the number of people in need of palliative care.

Question reference: S6O-02193

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which victims groups it has consulted with on its proposed Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S6O-02189

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the plans for a pilot scheme to provide free school meals in secondary schools.