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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-17580

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding how it can assist in the response to the humanitarian emergency in Sudan.

The Scottish Government stands with the international community in deep concern over the spiralling violence in Sudan.

We welcome the initial £5 million in life-saving aid announced by the UK Government but more must be done.

The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs has written to the Foreign Secretary to raise a number of issues in relation to the situation in Sudan. This included a call for everything possible to be done to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in need. The content of this letter is available here: Protecting those fleeing violence in Sudan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-18178

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments from NASUWT that the Scottish Government has failed to tackle serious violence and abuse from pupils in schools.

As I highlighted in a recent parliamentary debate and at the NASUWT conference last month, I am determined that teachers and school staff are supported to deal with challenging behaviours in our schools.

Any incidents of violence or abuse towards anyone are completely unacceptable and the safety of our children, young people and staff at school is of paramount importance.

We have produced guidance for local authorities and schools to promote positive relationships and manage behaviour, including de-escalation of violent behaviour. We are also investing £2 million of funding to support violence prevention activities within schools and communities.

We are currently gathering evidence that will help us better understand the extent of behavioural issues at a national level through our Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research, which started in February.

We will use this research and engagement with stakeholders, including the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools, to inform the development of further future policy, guidance and support for schools and school staff.

And as I recently announced, I will also convene a summit bringing together partners and stakeholders to discuss relationships and behaviour in schools and focussing on practical support at classroom, school and local level.

Question reference: S6W-18184

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported findings that the attainment gap among primary school children in South Lanarkshire has increased by a third during 2020-21.

Question reference: S6W-18179

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has issued sanctions to any local authorities that have not achieved the pupil teacher ratio since it was established.

Question reference: S6W-18266

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the domestic electric vehicle chargers funded through the Energy Saving Trust's domestic chargepoint funding scheme have been installed (a) on islands and (b) in (i) rural and (ii) remote areas, in each year for which data is available.

The Scottish Government provide annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST) who are an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency. EST then deliver the EV infrastructure fund on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

EST publish stats on their website which cover the number of chargepoints installed in Local Authority areas across Scotland and the total amount of funding paid per financial year, the link can be found here - Domestic chargepoint funding - Energy Saving Trust .

The specific information you have requested can be found in the following tables:

Domestic Chargepoints funded in Island locations based on postcode data:

Financial Year	Number
2013-2014	5
2014-2015	11
2015-2016	20
2016-2017	3
2017-2018	10
2018-2019	27
2019-2020	23
2020-2021	30
2021-2022	129
2022-2023	70
2023-2024 (as off 20 May 2023)	2

Domestic Chargepoints funded in rural-remote locations based on categories 5,6,7 and 8 of the Urban Rural Classification.

Financial Year	Classification 5	Classification 6	Classification 7	Classification 8	Total
2013-2014	0	24	4	5	33
2014-2015	1	28	10	10	49
2015-2016	8	83	19	26	136
2016-2017	3	117	12	10	142
2017-2018	6	249	42	22	319
2018-2019	8	300	52	38	398
2019-2020	11	433	85	45	574
2020-2021	11	708	131	70	920
2021-2022	49	1621	274	193	2137
2022-2023	17	465	114	93	689
2023-2024 (as of 30 May 2023)	0	17	2	2	21

Question reference: S6W-18230

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that global temperatures are likely to break the key 1.5C warming limit within the next four years.

The stark warning from the World Meteorological Organisation that global temperatures will temporarily breach 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming during the next five years means that we will experience increased intensity and frequency of heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, supply chain disruption and storm events here in Scotland. This underlines why it is more important than ever that we take lasting action to secure a net zero and climate resilient future in a way that is fair and just for everyone.

We are making progress on reducing our domestic emissions through delivery of our updated Climate Change Plan. The latest data show our emissions are down by over 50% since the 1990 baseline, over halfway to net zero. The hardest part of the journey is ahead of us, as we need to halve our emissions again by 2030, and we can only achieve this through collaboration. The Scottish Government is currently in the process of developing our next draft Climate Change Plan on emissions reduction, alongside three sectoral Just Transition Plans, on Transport, Buildings and Construction, and Land Use and Agriculture. We will also be taking account of consultation responses to revise the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan to deliver a just transition to net zero in the energy sector.

Alongside this, we are continuing to deliver over 170 policies and proposals in the current Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme, the Scottish Government is also now developing the next programme. Public consultation is anticipated for the start of 2024 with the aim of publishing a final statutory programme in Autumn 2024. While progress is being made, we acknowledge that more needs to be done.

Scotland cannot act with credibility here at home if we are blind to the fact that the impacts of climate change and a transition to net zero are not felt equally – that those who have done the least to contribute to the climate crisis are impacted first and worse by it. Developed countries like Scotland have a moral responsibility to support developing countries to help secure a global transition in a way that is fair and just. Through the Climate Justice Fund, Scottish Government will meet this responsibility through continuing to lead international advocacy for climate justice and action on loss and damage.

Question reference: S6W-18285

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm how many sewage discharge points there are along the River (a) Don and (b) Dee; when these monitors were last monitored, and what assessment was made of them.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their answer is:

The number of sewage discharge points for each river, including its tributaries, is:

River Don - 42 Wastewater Treatment Works and 99 discharge points
River Dee - 26 Wastewater Treatment Works and 69 discharge points

SEPA's licencing conditions do not currently require Scottish Water to report discharge data at these locations.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) publishes river water quality data on their website at: www.sepa.org.uk/data-visualisation/water-classification-hub. SEPA currently classifies waterbodies in the River Dee catchment as 92% at good or better water quality and the River Don catchment as 84% at good or better water quality.

Question reference: S6W-18180

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards its commitment to increase teacher numbers by 3,500 by the end of the current parliamentary session.

We committed to support the recruitment of at least 3,500 teachers, in addition to the 1,400 recruited during the pandemic, over the course of this Parliament. The 2022 teacher census total was 54,193 teachers, which indicates an increase of 1,946 from the baseline, as measured by the 2019 census.

We are also providing £145.5m to local authorities in the 2023/24 budget to protect increased teacher numbers.

Question reference: S6O-02389

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the newest developments are in the creation of Scottish Parliament apps to allow the public easier access to parliamentary business papers and other resources.

Question reference: S6O-02391

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it takes to ensure that children and young people from across Scotland can visit their Scottish Parliament.