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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: S6W-24584

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact a freeze on capital budgets will have on the building of a new eye hospital in Edinburgh.

Question reference: S6W-24338

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether social care staff can reach pay equity with those in the public sector by the Fair Work Nation deadline of 2025, in light of it offering £12 per hour to not-for-profit social care and support staff in its Budget.

The Scottish Government has a long-standing commitment to the principles of Fair-Work as we recognise and value the work that the social care sector do.

We are committed to lifting standards for adult social care workers and for those people who are in receipt of care, which is why we have increased spending within the sector.

The £12 minimum pay-rate from April 2024 for Adult Social Care workers represents a 14.3% increase for these workers in the last two years; with pay rising from at least £10.50 per hour in April 2022.

We have continued to progress a number of key projects to take forward and improve Fair Work principles, which will not only improve the current experience of the workforce, but also help to attract and retain new staff into the workforce.

Question reference: S6O-03042

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 1 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the provision available for children, and those who teach or look after them, who were babies or toddlers during the COVID-19 pandemic and missed out on important socialisation opportunities.

Providing high quality early learning and childcare is critical to supporting children to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, including by supporting them to participate in much needed socialisation and play-based activities.

Scotland is the only part of the UK to offer 1,140 hours a year of funded ELC to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds regardless of their parents’ working status - putting children first. We have put quality at the heart of delivery of the expansion of funded early learning and childcare. Latest Care Inspectorate data show that the quality of funded early learning and childcare services remains very high, with over 90% of funded providers found to be good or better in all quality key questions.

We continue to support children’s recovery through our investment in universal national programmes like Bookbug and Play Talk Read which provide books, activity packs for the home and free drop-in sessions across the country to support children’s language, learning and social skills through the provision of play, talking and singing. I also think it is important to highlight that many parents lost out on socialising with their children outwith the home and am proud that through approaches such as Stay and Play, there are opportunities for parents to do so, which will also greatly benefit children. We wish to explore models like this through our childcare expansion, including the Early Adopter Communities and expansion of funded childcare to more two-year-olds.

Question reference: S6O-03084

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support will be put in place to assist local authorities in establishing "areas of linguistic significance", as set out in the Scottish Languages Bill.

The Member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

Gus faighneachd do Riaghaltas na h-Alba de an taic a bhios ann do dh'ughdarrasan ionadail a tha airson àitichean a tha "sònraichte a thaobh chànain" a stèidheachadh, mar a chaidh a chuir an làthair ann am Bile nan Cànan Albannach.

Question reference: S6O-03078

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the most recent Police Scotland Officer and Staff Numbers statistics showing the number of police officers in Police Scotland's Edinburgh division.

Question reference: S6O-03083

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all legal predator control is carried out in a way that is consistent with best practice in animal welfare standards.

Question reference: S6O-03082

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it considers when determining how to allocate funding for humanitarian aid in situations such as those in Gaza.

Question reference: S6O-03079

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the availability of psychological services for all who need them.

Question reference: S6O-03081

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, what its response is to reports that Scottish Government decisions appeared to have been taken for "purely political" reasons, including comments made by the former First Minister's chief of staff regarding seeking a "good old-fashioned rammy" with the UK Government.

Question reference: S6O-03080

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted an analysis of the potential impact that its 2024-25 Budget will have on primary care services.