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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-18838

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what investigations Historic Environment Scotland has undertaken to determine whether any of the buildings that it manages were fitted with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, and what the cost was of conducting any necessary repairs, broken down by building.

Question reference: S6W-18455

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to recruit social workers in the Highlands and Islands, in light of reports that the region could face a “critical to catastrophic” risk to duty of care due to the number of vacancies.

We are aware that there are ongoing challenges around staff recruitment and retention in the social work sector as a whole and more acutely in areas such as the Highlands and Islands.

We have introduced measures to address these challenges under the Improvement Plan that we have developed in collaboration with CoSLA and other key stakeholders.

The Improvement Plan addresses immediate and longer-term recruitment and retention challenges. It includes initiatives such as maintaining a Reserve List of social workers, reviewing pay disparities aligned with a framework that renumerates qualifications and experience, International recruitment and improving access to SW education.

Although, the Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities for social work through the general local government financial settlement. It is up to local authorities to decide how much resource is given to supporting the delivery of social work and social care services, as well as plan their workforce and ensure appropriate levels of staff are in place to provide social services for their residents.

Current proposals for the NCS will include the establishment of a National Social Work Agency (NSWA), which will enable a proactive approach to workforce planning at a national level. A national approach to workforce planning will facilitate to accurately model future demand for services, as well as the resources needed to meet that demand, for example by ensuring an adequate number of social work student placements are maintained.

The creation of the NSWA shows the Scottish Government is determined to address the significant pressures the social work sector faces from increasing workloads, staff shortages and the more complex needs of those they support.

Question reference: S6W-18453

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to increase the vehicle and freight capacity of the Islay and Jura ferry routes by 40%, whether it plans to increase the capacity of the rest of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service routes to the same extent or more.

Capacity is one of a number of factors taken into account when considering ferry services. As part of the Islands Connectivity Plan, the Long-term Plan for Vessels and Ports will set out the Scottish Government’s investment plans for both the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles Ferry Services. Engagement during development of the draft Long-term Plan indicated that reliability and resilience were the key priorities for vessel and port investment.

Question reference: S6W-18446

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans it has in place to replace ScotRail's High Speed Trains (HSTs) in the event that drivers choose not to drive them out of concern that they do not meet the expected safety standards.

Question reference: S6W-18447

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken in relation to hydrogen-powered trains.

Question reference: S6W-18443

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the creditworthiness of the High Speed Trains (HSTs) that are currently part of the ScotRail fleet.

Question reference: S6W-18840

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what investigations National Galleries Scotland has undertaken to determine whether any of the buildings that it manages were fitted with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, and what the cost was of conducting any necessary repairs, broken down by building.

Question reference: S6W-18645

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the maintenance of Scotland's UNESCO World Heritage Sites in each year since 2007, broken down by site.

Scotland’s six UNESCO World Heritage Sites are highly varied in their composition and management. As Historic Environment Scotland is a partner for all six sites, I have asked it to write to the member with the information on Historic Scotland funding from 2007-15, and Historic Environment Scotland funding since 2015 when it was formed.

Exceptionally, there has been some direct funding from the Scottish Government, for example in the light of lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic. The amounts provided from 2015 onwards can be found in the following table.

World Heritage Site	Year	Maintenance Funding
New Lanark	2020-21	£2,439,000
2021-22	£327,000
2022-23	£435,000

Question reference: S6W-18655

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to tackle the issue of council tax debt in its proposed new deal for local government.

The New Deal for Local Government reflects a desire of both partners to re-set the relationship between local and national government. The New Deal will provide greater flexibility over local funding, with clear accountability for delivery on shared priorities and outcomes. This will include considering further reforms for council tax in partnership with local government through the Joint Working Group on sources of local government funding.

Question reference: S6W-18660

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much has been received in planning gain contributions by each local authority, in each year since 1999.