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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-24976

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates guidance on the new maths national thematic inspection will be issued to (a) schools, (b) local authorities and (c) HM Chief Inspector of Education.

As announced in the statement to the Scottish Parliament on 12 December 2023, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education has arranged for HM Inspectors to carry out a national thematic inspection of mathematics in 2024. The report from the thematic inspection will be published in autumn 2024.

HM Inspectors have recently written to local authorities to outline the approach that they will take for this national thematic inspection.

The final thematic report will be developed by HM Inspectors and will be published on the Education Scotland website and shared with schools and local authorities. The document will summarise the findings of HM Inspectors and highlight what is working well, and what needs to improve.

Question reference: S6W-24954

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the absence of information on gender-based violence from Education Scotland's guidance on behaviour in schools, whether it plans to develop separate guidance on this topic.

Question reference: S6W-24974

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for the review of the maths curriculum.

Question reference: S6W-24903

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Glasgow Science Centre Limited and (b) Glasgow City Council regarding effecting the repair works required to reopen the Science Centre's Millennium Bridge across the River Clyde to marine traffic.

Question reference: S6W-25297

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what objectives it set for any funding that it has provided to LGBT Youth Scotland since 2019.

To support work on advancing LGBTQI+ Equality, the Scottish Government provides funding to organisations such as LGBT Youth Scotland to promote equality of opportunity and inclusion for LGBTQI+ people.

The following table contains the funding and objectives for this funding provided to LGBT Youth Scotland since 2019.

Fund	Objectives
EQUALITY BUDGET FUNDING: 1 JULY 2019 – 30 JUNE 2020	A reduction in discrimination against people who share protected characteristics Reduced levels of hate crime Increased community participation, engagement and community cohesion Addressing imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life
EQUALITY BUDGET FUNDING – VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS: 1 JULY 2019 – 30 JUNE 2020	Societal understanding of gender based violence is increased and tolerance of it is decreased (leading to a reduction in violence and abuse experienced by women and children, and an increase in positive gender norms and expectations) Service providers have increased understanding of all forms of gender based violence, and work effectively together to address these issues through the provision of appropriate, high quality services The harmful effects of gender based violence experienced by women and children are reduced by early intervention and their safety and wellbeing needs are better met by effective service provision Interventions, service design and service delivery are improved as a result of the participation of women and children affected by gender based violence
COVID-19 SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND: 2020-21	To support vulnerable individuals and those in need, to help communities respond to the needs and challenges they are experiencing, and protect the wellbeing of the people of Scotland.
EQUALITY BUDGET FUNDING, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS: 1 JULY 2020 – 30 SEPTEMBER 2021	Societal understanding of gender based violence is increased and tolerance of it is decreased (leading to a reduction in violence and abuse experienced by women and children, and an increase in positive gender norms and expectations) Service providers have increased understanding of all forms of gender based violence, and work effectively together to address these issues through the provision of appropriate, high quality services The harmful effects of gender based violence experienced by women and children are reduced by early intervention and their safety and wellbeing needs are better met by effective service provision Interventions, service design and service delivery are improved as a result of the participation of women and children affected by gender based violence
EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FUND: 1 OCTOBER 2021-30 SEPTEMBER 2024	People have greater awareness of their human rights and how to access them; People with protected characteristics have increased access to remedy where their rights have not been upheld People with protected characteristics have increased participation in public life; People with protected characteristics have increased influence in decisions that affect them; Actors in civil society increasingly use Scotland’s domestic and international equality and human rights framework to influence and effect change
EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FUND: 1 OCTOBER 2022-31 MARCH 2023 1 APRIL 2023-31 MARCH 2024	People have greater awareness of their human rights and how to access them; People with protected characteristics have increased participation in public life; People with protected characteristics have increased influence in decisions that affect them; The Scottish Government has better access to data and depth of information about the experiences of people with protected characteristics; Public services increasingly embed equality and human rights in their strategic planning and their day-to-day functions The experience of people with protected characteristics is increasingly used to inform the policy and practice of public bodies
DELIVERING EQUALLY SAFE: OCTOBER 2021 – SEPTEMBER 2023 DELIVERING EQUALLY SAFE: 1 OCTOBER 2022 – 31 MARCH 2023 DELIVERING EQUALLY SAFE: 1 APRIL 2023 – 31 MARCH 2024	Women and children affected by violence are identified (early) Women and children’s safety needs are met Women and children’s wider wellbeing needs are met Fewer people adhere to gender stereotypes People have increased understanding of all forms of VAWG (causes, consequences, and appropriate responses) Power, decision-making and material resources are distributed more equally between men and women. Tolerance of VAWG is reduced and people are more likely to recognise and challenge it Perpetrators are identified early Perpetrators are supported to change their behaviour Perpetrators are sanctioned / held to account Violence against women and girls is reduced / eradicated Negative impacts on women and children who have been affected by violence are reduced / eradicated

Question reference: S6W-25259

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on safety improvements on the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen in each of the last three financial years.

The following amounts have been spent on safety improvements on the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen in each of the last full three financial years:

Year	Spent
2020-21	£102,076.99
2021-22	£102,018.66
2022-23	£610,017.72

This spend is delivered through Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works. These figures include costs for investigation and design.

These amounts do not include some elements of wider spend across the North East Operating Company Unit as it is not possible identify those that relate specifically to the A96.

Question reference: S6W-25110

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment it has undertaken regarding the potential removal of charitable status of independent schools in Edinburgh.

No impact assessments have been conducted as the Scottish Government’s position is and remains that the charitable status of any organisation is a matter for OSCR. Whether independent fee-charging schools meet the charity test is a matter for OSCR who operate independently of the Scottish Government.

Any changes to the way OSCR determine charitable status would need to be made by primary legislation, following thorough consultation, impact assessments and analysis.

Question reference: S6W-25181

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to people living in the (a) South Lanarkshire, (b) North Lanarkshire and (c) Falkirk Council area to change to low-carbon heating systems.

The Scottish Government has a broad range of delivery programmes which make advice and funding support on energy efficiency and low carbon heating available to households and businesses across Scotland. The Home Energy Scotland (HES) and Business Energy Scotland (BES) advice services offer free, bespoke, impartial advice, and also act as the gateway to our flagship fuel poverty scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland, and to other Scottish Government funding schemes such as the HES Grant and Loan and the SME Loan and Cashback.

Scotland’s Heat Network Fund (SHNF) supports the construction of new zero direct emission heat networks and communal heating systems, as well as the expansion and decarbonisation of existing heat networks across Scotland.

Registered Social Landlords are encouraged to make use of available funding sources for retrofit, which includes the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund. This fund supports both the deployment of clean heating and ”fabric first” enhancements, helping landlords deliver warmer and more energy efficient homes.

Communities and local council areas are also supported through Area Based Schemes (ABS), delivered by all local authorities in Scotland, which target fuel poor areas to provide energy efficiency measures to a large number of Scottish households and help reduce fuel poverty, and the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) which provides advice and funding to communities across Scotland looking to develop renewable energy, heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects.

Question reference: S6W-25104

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to reduce the average processing times for power of attorney applications.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS). As such, operational decisions regarding power of attorney applications are the responsibility of SCTS under the leadership of its independent board headed by the Lord President.

The Scottish Government has provided SCTS with additional funding since 2021 to support OPG recovery and further additional funding last year to support the replacement of the Office of the Public Guardian IT system.

Work on the new OPG IT system, which is expected to reduce processing times for power of attorney applications, is progressing as planned and it is expected that the first phase of the work will be completed this year.

The Scottish Government typically meets OPG once every 3-6 months to discuss ongoing business matters, including registration of powers of attorney.

Question reference: S6W-25058

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered establishing a "net zero test", similar to the New Zealand Government's climate impact of policy assessment, for all policy and investment decisions, as recommended by the Climate Emergency Response Group.