- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations made applications to the Place Based Investment Programme in 2024-25, broken down by eligible town.
Answer
Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) funding is allocated directly to Scotland’s 32 local authorities, who are responsible for targeting investment locally in line with the agreed objectives of the fund. As such, the Scottish Government does not receive applications from local organisations for this funding.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many ScotRail evening rail services currently operate on each route, and how this compares with the number of evening rail services on each route in 2019.
Answer
This is an operational matter for ScotRail Trains Ltd. The Member may wish to contact ScotRail Trains Ltd directly to obtain this information.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what statutory power it used to give instructions to a reporter on 24 June 2025 in relation to the proposed Loch Lomond development by Flamingo Land (PPA-002-2021), having previously recalled the appeal for its own determination.
Answer
The appeal has been recalled for determination by Scottish Ministers under Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, and the document referred to forms part of the internal administrative arrangements to support that process.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the completion of the work by the Scottish Law Commission regarding tenement law reform; in the event that it is not achieved before May 2026, how early in the next parliamentary session it expects to be in a position to introduce legislation resulting from this, and whether the reforms will include consideration of mandatory block insurance.
Answer
The Scottish Law Commission (SLC) agreed to carry out a law reform project to examine whether compulsory owners’ associations for tenement properties could be established and if so what changes in the law may be required.
The SLC is expected to provide the Scottish Government with a Report and draft Bill for consideration in Spring 2026.
Following receipt of SLC Report and draft Bill, the Scottish Government will take the time required to fully consider an appropriate way forward.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports charities like Nurture the Borders, based in Selkirk, which provides a variety of services for pregnant women who would not be able to access them otherwise.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring equitable coordinated access to mental health provision for women, infants and their families throughout pregnancy and during the postnatal period. Between October 2024 and March 2025 the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) fund has provided peer support, counselling and befriending services to over 5200 parents, expected parents and infants. Nurture The Borders has received £79,253 as part of the latest round of the PIMH fund.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing for women to access antenatal classes in remote areas like the Scottish Borders.
Answer
We expect all NHS Boards to provide high quality prenatal and antenatal education for all pregnant women and their families and to continue to promote and improve early access to antenatal education, tailored to their local populations. Recommendation 9 of The Best Start provided that antenatal education must be available to all and that NHS Boards should promote and improve early access. The focus on quality antenatal education is now embedded in ‘business as usual’ delivery for all NHS Boards in Scotland, as described in the Scottish Government’s Best Start 2017-2024 Report, published in May 2025.
At a national level, the Scottish Government commissions access to the Solihull Approach online antenatal education. This has been available under license through NHS Education for Scotland since May 2020 and the current license period runs to 31 May 2028. The programme is made freely available to all maternity service users across Scotland through their routine midwifery care.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government in relation to any funding grant, whether it will require the applicant body to sign and confirm that it will abide by and observe the principle that in its operations it will observe as an absolute right, freedom of expression within the law, and that any breach or failure to observe this requirement will result in the immediate withdrawal of funding and an obligation to repay any sum awarded.
Answer
In accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, Scottish Government Grants are made subject to legally binding agreements. A model offer template sets out standard terms and conditions, which include standard clauses covering default and recovery of a grant. There is no specific reference to freedom of expression but there is a standard clause requiring grant recipients to ensure that “in relation to the project/programme, they and anyone acting on their behalf shall comply with the relevant law, for the time being in force in Scotland”
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Scottish Police Federation regarding the issue of post-traumatic support for officers.
Answer
The welfare of officers within Police Scotland are a matter for the Chief Constable.
Post-traumatic support is offered to all officers and staff who are directly involved in potentially traumatic incidents. I am aware that on 29 May Police Scotland indicated to the SPA People Committee that it will undertake an in-depth review of its support provisions in relation to trauma.
I discussed the issue of post-traumatic support with the Scottish Police Federation on 11 June. On 25 June I passed on the concerns raised to Police Scotland who advised that they would be engaging further with SPF on this issue.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Scottish Police Federation to discuss the reported impact of police officers’ rest days being cancelled, and what was discussed.
Answer
While deployment of resources and any subsequent impact are operational matters for Police Scotland, I regularly meet with the Scottish Police Federation and previously met them on 11 June 2025, where we discussed the health and wellbeing of the workforce and related operational impacts.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Police Scotland to discuss the reported issue of minimum police staffing levels not being met, and what was discussed.
Answer
The deployment of officers and staff are a matter for the Chief Constable.
I have regular meetings with the Chief Constable where we discuss relevant issues. Minutes of these meetings can be found at: Police Scotland and Scottish Government meeting: June 2025 - gov.scot