Chamber and committees

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.

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Question reference: S6W-32816

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its total Glasgow city centre office leasehold and freehold footprint has been in terms of (a) buildings occupied and (b) total square footage occupied in each of the last 10 years.

Details of Scottish Government's Glasgow city centre office accommodation, including the buildings occupied and the total area in square metres, over the last 10 years are as follows:

Year	Building	NIA (Sq m)
2014-15	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Highlander House	2,911.63
	Europa Building	3,000.54
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		13,260.89

2015-16	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Highlander House	2,911.63
	Europa Building	3,000.54
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		13,260.89

2016-17	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Highlander House	2,911.63
	Europa Building	3,000.54
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		13,260.89

2017-18	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		7,348.72

2018-19	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		7,348.72

2019-20	4 Atlantic Quay	5,580.00
	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		12,928.72

2020-21	4 Atlantic Quay	5,580.00
	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		12,928.72

2021-22	4 Atlantic Quay	5,580.00
	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		12,928.72

2022-23	4 Atlantic Quay	5,580.00
	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
	Fruit Market, Blochairn	125.00
Total		12,928.72

2023-24	4 Atlantic Quay	5,580.00
	5 Atlantic Quay	7,223.72
Total		12,803.72

2024-2025	5 Atlantic Quay	9,014.57
Total		9,014.57

Question reference: S6W-33115

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of cases handled by justices of the peace in each of the last five years resulted in convictions.

Question reference: S6W-33110

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases were handled in each of the last five years by justices of the peace, broken down by case type.

Question reference: S6W-33089

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many cars it currently (a) owns and (b) leases, and what the current annual cost of operating these vehicles is.

Question reference: S6W-33098

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on the purchase or use of personalised number plates for its official vehicles.

Question reference: S6W-33111

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the average caseload is for a justice of the peace.

Question reference: S6W-33093

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many personalised or special vehicle number plates it owns, and what the cost of any such plates has been over the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-33113

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support and training is provided to justices of the peace to ensure consistency in their decision-making.

Question reference: S6W-32804

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increasing demand on the NHS, what is being done to support and retain doctors.

The Scottish Government has so far invested over £190 million in pay uplifts for acute hospital doctors employed by NHS Scotland in 2024-25. This investment will ensure NHS Scotland remains the place of choice to work and train and is in recognition of the incredible contribution that they make within our health service.

We wrote to health boards in June 2024 on the findings and recommendations of the Improving Medical Retention Advisory Group to support the retention of consultants at the latter stage and peri-retirement career phase in particular - Recommendations to improve the retention of consultants at the latter stage and peri-retirement career phase.

There is strong evidence which demonstrates that positive wellbeing enhances staff retention, which in turn raises standards of patient safety and quality of care. In support, from 2024-25, Scottish Government are investing over £2.5 million annually to support health and social care staff wellbeing. This funding provides our workforce with access to psychological interventions and therapies, self-service resources through the National Wellbeing Hub and the National Wellbeing Helpline delivered by NHS 24. Registered staff including doctors also have access to confidential mental health services through the Workforce Specialist Service (WSS). Furthermore, the National Supporting work life balance policies provide staff with a range of flexible working options to help balance lifestyle whilst maintaining and promoting the best possible service.

Question reference: S6T-02279

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what early assessment it has made following the opening of the safer drug consumption facility, The Thistle.