- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what central support mechanisms it has in place to assist local authorities in the effective deployment of youth work programmes, and how any such mechanisms are monitored.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 on 7 November 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its estimate is of the average waiting time between a parent applying for a nursery place and them receiving confirmation of availability.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
Local authorities are responsible for setting their own admission policies to ensure they meet their statutory duty to secure the statutory entitlement to funded early learning and childcare for children within their area.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons the retired MV Hebridean Isles vessel is being dismantled at a facility in Denmark and not in Scotland.
Answer
CMAL, as vessel owner, sought competitive quotes on the open market for the recycling of the MV Hebridean Isles. Quotes were received from UK based suppliers which would have seen CMAL pay significant costs for the vessel to be recycled domestically.
Two notes of interest and one firm offer were received from EU bidders. CMAL confirmed the specialist knowledge, sustainable approach to recycling and track record of Smedegaarden A/S which is a dedicated recycling yard in Denmark. CMAL signed the contract with Smedegaarden A/S who have bought the vessel from CMAL ahead of recycling activity, providing guaranteed decommissioning work to the highest standards and better value to the public purse.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will name all the third sector organisations it has awarded a contract to in the last year.
Answer
Scottish Government funding and grant making is allocated across portfolios to various parts of the third sector to improve a wide range of outcomes. Some Scottish Government funding will be issued through third sector intermediary organisations.
Funding allocated to the third sector is not always specifically classified as such. Consequently, the information requested is not available.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will name all the third sector organisations it has awarded grants to in the last year.
Answer
Scottish Government funding and grant making is allocated across portfolios to various parts of the third sector to improve a wide range of outcomes. Some Scottish Government funding will be issued through third sector intermediary organisations.
Funding allocated to the third sector is not always specifically classified as such. Consequently, the information requested is not available.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic impact of youth work across Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41190 on 7 November 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many social worker vacancies currently exist within children and families services across Scotland.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government have asked the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to run twice-yearly surveys to collect data on practising social workers and vacancy rates in local authorities. The most recent report may be found here: Social worker filled posts and vacancies six-monthly survey at December 2024 | Scottish Social Services Workforce Data.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering any direct interventions or policy initiatives to supplement council-led youth work, particularly in any areas where local authorities are under-resourced.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 on 7 November 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what Disclosure Scotland's total spend on external consultants and contractors has been in the last three years.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:
| | Spend on IT contractors £'000 |
2024-25 | 9,303 |
2023-24 | 8,396 |
2022-23 | 8,295 |
Disclosure Scotland had no consulting fees in the last three years.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints Disclosure Scotland has received regarding delays in issuing Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) certificates in the last year.
Answer
I have asked Gerard Hart, Chief Executive of Disclosure Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:
From October 2024 to October 2025, Disclosure Scotland received 74 complaints regarding applications delays.