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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: S6F-03262

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03280

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2024

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government’s work to roll out the Carer Support Payment.

Question reference: S6F-03261

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03264

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2024

To ask the First Minister, in light of the reported number of serious and fatal accidents on the A9 trunk road in recent weeks, what progress is being made on the dualling project.

Question reference: S6W-28101

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how frequently its ministers receive reports from its Marine Directorate on contaminants in marine animals.

The findings from contaminant testing undertaken in the Scottish marine environment, are reported to the Scottish Ministers in the form of Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020 and the OSPAR Quality Status assessments, the most recent of which was published in 2023: Quality Status Report 2023 | OSPAR Commission . Monitoring data collected in 2021 will be used in the UK Marine Strategy 2024 assessment. These reports are compiled over a number of years and are not annual.

Question reference: S6W-27883

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-36131 by Maree Todd on 23 March 2021, what percentage of the 435 equity and excellence leads are in post; how many of the posts are vacant, and on what date all posts were filled, including to where the post-holder has since moved on.

Snapshot figures of graduate level posts in early learning and childcare (ELC) are published annually in Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland 2023. Data in the tables is gathered from centres (either local authority or partner provider centres) with children registered for the funded entitlement at the time of the Census. In 2023, this was collected from 11 – 15 September. As of September 2023 there were 364 (322 FTE) equity and excellence leads in post, which equates to 71% of those that are funded .

The majority of the Scottish Government’s funding to Local Government is provided through the General Revenue Grant. As of 2024-25, and in line with the Verity House Agreement, this covers all funding for statutory ELC provision, including for equity and excellence leads.

It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on ELC, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

Question reference: S6W-27944

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its proposals on restricting promotions of foods high in fat, salt or sugar, what assessment it has made of any unintended consequences of potentially introducing different restrictions to those that are already in place in England, including regarding any increase in bureaucracy and cost, in light of the acknowledgement in the Partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment of the "inter-connected food environment in the UK".

The public consultation on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt closed on 21 May 2024. A partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) was published alongside the consultation, setting out the rationale for Government intervention and welcoming feedback on the expected impact on businesses of proposals. Consultation responses including feedback on the BRIA are now being analysed.

The consultation was run in parallel with an extensive and inclusive programme of stakeholder engagement. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to finalise the BRIA and further develop a full suite of impact assessments that will be used in the decision making process to help inform the final policy.

Question reference: S6W-28042

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to make provision for housing associations, and other organisations, to be legally compelled to attend meetings or committees that have been called by (a) it and (b) local authorities regarding the current or historic use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), and whether any such plans would only apply to specific obligations for which an organisation is deemed to be legally liable.

The Scottish Government has fully engaged with housing associations and organisations from all other sectors addressing issues relating to RAAC through a number of networks including the Scottish Government led RAAC Cross Sector Working Group. The Scottish Government has no plans to legally compel housing associations - or other organisations - to attend meetings or committees that have been called regarding the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Question reference: S6W-28102

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will allocate funding to organisations from the Strengthening Communities Programme for 2024-25.

Every action is being taken to facilitate a decision on funding for the Strengthening Communities Programme (SCP), subject to UK Government election period guidance, following which officials will be in contact with stakeholders.

Given the ongoing nature of the review process, interim funding will be released to support delivery costs up to the end of Quarter 2 and on a month by month basis starting from October pending the final decision being made.

Question reference: S6W-28098

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what training packages are in place for Police Scotland in relation to environmental (a) legislation and (b) crime.

Scotland’s natural resources are vital to its economic success and the health and wellbeing of its citizens. The Scottish Government is committed to working with partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to reduce the significant harms caused by environmental crime.

I understand that Police Scotland works closely with partner agencies such as Zero Waste Scotland, NatureScot and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for guidance and expert witness testimony in matters of environmental legislation and crime.

The training of officers and staff is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government supports the Chief Constable in having the flexibility to develop her workforce in a way that responds to the challenges she faces and this includes access to appropriate training.