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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: S6F-01477

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government will be building on the legacy from the Glasgow Climate Pact by attending COP27 in Egypt.

Question reference: S6F-01463

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-01464

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-11290

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what upgrades to the A77, excluding maintenance works, are planned for 2023.

Since 2007, the Scottish Government has invested approximately £64 million on five separate road schemes on the A77 including the recent completion of the £29m Maybole bypass which opened in January 2022.

The Scottish Government continues to invest in the A77 and its safe and efficient operation with the following minor improvement schemes planned for construction in 2023:

Layby improvements;
Glengall (slope stability works);
A77 Whitletts (studs, lighting and signals);
A77 Dutch House Roundabout and general road Improvements; and
A77 Cairnryan drainage improvements.

Question reference: S6W-11293

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 31 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the private nursery sector to (a) deliver 1140 hours and (b) pay staff a rate comparable to those working in local authority early years settings.

Private, third sector and childminding providers are a valued part of the successful delivery of our transformational expansion of funded early learning and childcare.

The Scottish Government recognises that the payment of sustainable rates by local authorities to services in the private, third and childminding sectors is vital to supporting financial sustainability and to enabling the delivery of high quality ELC. Our funding agreement with CoSLA enables local authorities to pay sustainable rates to ELC providers. We have worked with local government and providers to strengthen rate-setting in 2022-23, and we recently committed to a thorough review of the overall process ahead of 2023-24.

The Scottish Government has made more than £35 million of dedicated support available to day care of children services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have also committed to continuing the Nursery Rates Relief Scheme beyond the current end date of 30 June 2023.

With regard to pay, we have seen real progress since the ELC expansion began, with our 2021 Health Check indicating that 88% of private providers intended to pay the Real Living Wage to all their staff from August 2021, compared to a position in 2016 when around 80% practitioners were paid less than the Real Living Wage at the time. We want the ELC sector to be a Fair Work sector and we are working with partners to encourage further improvements in terms and conditions, including through the development of a new Childcare Workforce Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-11299

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 31 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when distribution of funding for the Youth Music Initiative will be resumed following the “brief pause” reportedly advised in September 2022 by the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.

Question reference: S6W-11292

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on what support is in place for people with long COVID and whether there are specific provisions for young people affected by the condition.

All NHS Scotland Boards are providing support for people with long COVID, delivered across the full range of services provided by our NHS. This includes assessment from local primary care teams, support from community based rehabilitation services and referrals for secondary care investigation where needed.

For children and young people with symptoms consistent with long COVID, assessment and initial investigation is being provided by local primary care teams, who can give advice and guidance about the management of symptoms and any potential treatment options for these in the first instance.

Primary care clinicians can refer to occupational therapy and/or physiotherapy for further support where appropriate. In cases where referral to secondary care is required, children and young people may be referred to general paediatric services for investigation and management. Where required, local authorities have duties to provide additional support for learning tailored to the individual needs of the child or young person.

We have allocated an initial £3 million for the financial year 2022-23 to support NHS boards and key partners to improve the care available for people, including children and young people, with long COVID across Scotland. This includes funding board recruitment of additional paediatric occupational therapist support for children, young people and their families.

Question reference: S6W-11298

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 31 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a list of any initiatives for which funding distribution has been paused while the Emergency Budget Review is completed, in light of reports in The Scotsman on 16 September 2022 that Creative Scotland was told by ministers that, in relation to the Youth Music Initiative for 2022-23, “all government portfolios have been asked to identify remaining non-contracted spend in 2022/23” and “to defer issuing contracts indefinitely”.

An update was provided to Parliament and the Finance and the Public Administration Committee on 7 September in relation to the Emergency Budget Review. This set out over £500 million of savings in order mitigate the impact of the cost crisis, to meet increased costs arising from public sector pay and unprecedented levels of inflation, and to support our Ukraine response.

As the majority of our spend cannot be changed at this stage of the financial year due to contractual and legal commitments, there are limited options to make savings. With a largely fixed budget, intervention to support those who need most help and manage the nation’s budget will be difficult without impacting further on planned spend and on programmes.

The Scottish Government had previously informed Parliament that a statement setting out an Emergency Budget Review, in relation to the 2022-23 Scottish Budget, was planned for the week commencing 24 October. However, following the unprecedented uncertainty and instability brought about by the UK Government in recent weeks, on 25 October I announced that the outcome of the Emergency Budget Review would be deferred until after the UK Government fiscal statement which was, at that time, scheduled for 31 October. On 26 October, the UK Government delayed its fiscal statement and independent forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility until 17 November. As such, it is prudent to review the timing for the Emergency Budget Review. The Scottish Parliament will be kept informed regarding the timing of the statement.

Question reference: S6W-11300

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 31 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is marking the 20th anniversary of the Youth Music Initiative.

There is a range of activity being delivered by Creative Scotland to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Youth Music Initiative, which is delivered by Creative Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. This includes activity to spotlight the successes of the YMI to date and projects to further strengthen the programme as part of this year's celebrations.

The projects include a targeted fund supporting five projects to encourage children and young people to engage with a wide range experimental music practice. Additionally there has been a Strengthening Community Music project which focuses strengthening the connections between the youth music sector across Scotland as they rebuild after the pandemic. There is also the Formal Sector Development Fund which supports the development of Music Service Managers and the formal music workforce by providing opportunities for reflection, collaboration, peer-to-peer networking, and project activity which supports a period of renewal and recovery.

More activity is expected and I will write to the member with an update in due course.

Question reference: S6W-11845

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Patrick Harvie on 31 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress in relation to its Heat in Buildings Strategy.

We laid a brief update before parliament last week on progress against our Heat in Buildings Strategy since its publication in 2021: https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-in-buildings-strategy-2022-update/ .

Delivering the Strategy will be an essential part of meeting our net zero ambitions. The update confirms our intention to consult next year on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, and publish our Public Engagement Strategy.