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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: S6F-03671

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-32292

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how and (b) where it allocates revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy.

My answer here is the same as that set out in S5W-23733 on 21 June 2019.

The rules for how the Scottish Government is funded are set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. Changes in Scottish Government funding are determined by applying the Barnett formula to changes in UK government departmental spending, rather than allocating a proportion of revenues raised through the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy. There is therefore no direct link between the revenue raised by the UK Government through the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and any element of the funding allocated to Scotland. The Scottish Government spends its money in accordance with the published budget as agreed by the Scottish Parliament.

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

Question reference: S6W-32278

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a young person’s behaviour code for bus travel, similar to that operated by Transport for London.

Applicants for the scheme already have to agree to specific terms and conditions when signing up for the scheme, however we are working to strengthen these through changes to application forms to specify expected standards of behaviour when travelling and development of a behaviour code linked to operator’s conditions of carriage and existing legal protections.

We are exploring the legal means to suspend access to concessionary travel for perpetrators of persistent antisocial behaviour of any age. While this is being progressed as a priority, the National Concessionary Travel Schemes in Scotland are provided on a universal statutory basis therefore detailed and thorough consideration of any process and penalty must be undertaken to ensure consistency and fairness.

Question reference: S6W-32270

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport during the members' business debate on motion S6M-14427 (Reversal of £10 Million Funding for Changing Places Toilets) on 11 December 2024, how much funding has been allocated from within its draft mental health budget for 2025-26 for the planned Changing Places Toilet Fund.

Question reference: S6W-32069

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered any psychological impact of requiring women and girls to travel long distances for (a) maternity and (b) gynaecological care.

NHS Boards across Scotland are expected to provide maternity services that are delivered as close to home as practicable; however, this must be balanced with ensuring the safety of all mothers and babies. All decisions about care throughout pregnancy, including around place of birth, should be made by women in discussion with their midwife and obstetrician. These decisions will take account of their individual needs and circumstances.

In support of this, and recognising the importance of the relationship between women and their midwives during the pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey, we continue to implement continuity of carer within maternity services, a key recommendation of The Best Start. The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2024-25 reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that more women receive care and support from the same midwife from pregnancy through birth, prioritising those most likely to benefit, including women with additional social needs.

More broadly, our ambition is for a Scotland where health outcomes are equitable across the population so that all women enjoy the best possible health – throughout their lives. This remains the ambition of the Scottish Government, and will continue to be our guiding principle as we consider the next phase of the Women’s Health Plan.

Question reference: S6W-32141

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2025 annual report, Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

We welcome the important work of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease in raising awareness of COPD and welcome the findings in their annual report. We are committed to ensuring that people living with COPD receive the best possible care and treatment to enable them to live longer, healthier, and more independent lives.

Our Respiratory Care Action Plan and new Prescribing Guide set out our ambitions for better access to COPD care in Scotland. The Centre for Sustainable Delivery are also developing a national clinical pathway for COPD through their Respiratory Specialist Delivery Group.

We recognise there is more work to be done on respiratory care in Scotland and are continuing to focus on preventative approaches such as warm homes, clean air and our commitment to be a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034.

Question reference: S6W-32233

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether students under the age of 22 from outside of Scotland who are studying at Scottish universities and colleges qualify for the discretionary free bus travel card, and, if so, what the annual cost of this is to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-32271

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport during the members' business debate on motion S6M-14427 (Reversal of £10 Million Funding for Changing Places Toilets) on 11 December 2024, whether it plans to publish the draft criteria for the planned Changing Places Toilet Fund, and, if so, when.

Question reference: S6W-32257

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for which conditions policy will be developed as a result of the additional funding for long-term conditions outlined in its draft Budget 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-32267

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the £25 million allocated in its draft Budget 2025-26 to increase jobs in the green energy supply chain.

In line with our Green Industrial Strategy, we are continuing to support Scotland’s energy transition. The draft 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes an allocation of £25m to support the development of hydrogen and carbon capture technologies, as well as initiatives to support Scotland’s businesses and industries to decarbonise and innovative projects such as the Energy Transition Zone in Aberdeen.