- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its latest assessment is of the waiting times for children's neurodevelopmental assessments and any impact these have on children receiving additional support in school.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on neurodevelopmental assessment waiting times.
We are clear that support should be put in place to meet a child’s requirements when they need it, rather than be dependent on formal diagnosis. A diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition is not required before additional support is provided in school.
Education authorities have duties under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. Under the Act an additional support need can arise for any reason and a diagnosis is not required before support is put in place.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in each year since 2021.
Answer
Information on funding provided to the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE) is available, within published annual reports and accounts. These are available at Accounts | Corporate Information | What We Do | Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take in response to reported concerns that low-level fraud has effectively been decriminalised, with there being no one to report it to and the platforms that enable it not taking any action to stop it.
Answer
The Scottish Government is working with law enforcement partners such as Police Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre as well as the financial industry in combatting fraud.
Police Scotland has established a cyber and fraud specialist division to enhance their response in Scotland, working with UK law enforcement and partner agencies. They will develop capability through cyber and online training, ensuring support and guidance for officers and staff. We encourage everyone to report suspicious sites to NCSC using the reporting tool on their website. We also encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of a crime to contact Police Scotland.
Partners will continue to share knowledge and learning around fraud activity. Fraud is committed by a broad range of criminals, from domestic lone actors to complex international organised crime groups.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39056 by Mairi Gougeon on 10 July 2025, whether it will publish its current draft of the Rural Support Plan.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39888 on 9 September 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports in The Herald on 16 August 2025 and analysis carried out by STL Solutions Ltd into the determination of short-term let (STL) planning applications by the City of Edinburgh Council, what its position is on whether (a) the reported refusal by the City of Edinburgh Council of over 97% of traditional STL applications amounts to a de facto blanket ban and was the planned outcome of its legislation, or whether it risks driving activity into non-compliance and a black market; (b) the City of Edinburgh's practice of treating almost all STLs as a material change of use, and then reportedly refusing them in nearly every case, is consistent with its national planning framework policies and demonstrates a case-by-case assessment and (c) it is fair that operators that have reportedly spent thousands of pounds securing an STL licence should then be refused planning permission reportedly creating many appeals at taxpayers’ expense, and whether this dual approach is proportionate.
Answer
All applications for planning permission are decided on their own merits and, by law, must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The development plan consists of both National Planning Framework 4 and the local development plan for the area. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to make comment about decisions made by a planning authority.
Through the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, the Scottish Parliament legislated to allow planning authorities to designate short term let control areas (‘control areas’). Under these provisions, City of Edinburgh Council has designated the entirety of its administrative area as a control area. Within control areas, certain changes of use from a dwellinghouse to short-term letting are automatically deemed to be material changes of use requiring planning permission. It is for the planning authority to consider on a case-by-case basis whether changes of use that occurred before the designation of a control area constitute material changes of use requiring planning permission.
The planning system and the licensing system have different and distinct regulatory purposes. The purpose of planning is to manage the development and use of land in the long term public interest, whereas the purpose of short-term let licensing is to ensure the safety of guests and safeguard Scotland's reputation as a high quality tourist destination. Scottish Government guidance encourages anyone who is considering using a house or flat as a short term let to check with the relevant planning authority whether planning permission is required.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland has issued any penalties to Amey as a result of any delays to the completion of work on the A96 Union Bridge at Keith, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.
Answer
Under the North East Operating Company contract, there are no Payment Adjustment Factors applicable to delays to completion of work for unforeseen events outwith the control of the contractor, such as un-charted services and environmental/ecological issues. As such no contractual penalties have been applied for the completion of the repair and refurbishment work at the A96 Union Bridge in Keith.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the implementation of the new Scottish Aggregates Tax, to what extent it has explored divergence from the UK Aggregates Levy.
Answer
In 2023, the Scottish Government consulted to inform the development of proposals for a Scottish tax to replace the UK Aggregates Levy. The consultation included questions on alignment with the UK Aggregate Levy and the tax rate.
Separately, in 2025, Scottish Government commissioned research on the role of alternatives to primary aggregates in reducing construction sector emissions examined how the tax rate could incentivise the use of such alternatives.
The Scottish Aggregates Tax will initially mirror key aspects of the UK Aggregates Levy, with flexibility to evolve in line with Scottish Government policy objectives.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on social care in each of the last 10 years.
Answer
While the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care support policy in Scotland, it is for local authorities and health boards to work with the Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) to set budgets and ensure that social care support services are in place to provide people with the appropriate support.
Social Care spend therefore occurs at a local government level and details can be found in the Local Finance Returns: https://www.gov.scot/collections/local-government-finance-statistics/#scottishlocalgovernmentfinancialstatistics
However, each year, the Scottish Government does provide additional investment into Social Care.
Details of the Scottish Budget for each year can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/budget/
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with INEOS regarding the future of its Olefins and Polymers (O&P) plant at Grangemouth.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to doing all it can to secure the future of the business’ operations at Grangemouth. As such, Scottish Ministers engage regularly with the management of INEOS O&P. Most recently, the Deputy First Minister met INEOS O&P UK CEO, Stuart Collings, on 22 August to discuss the challenges that the business continues to face and the role that the UK Government must play to support the business.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what outreach work the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh currently carries out in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
Answer
This is an operational matter for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.