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-32408

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when its population health framework will be published; whether this will include regulations to restrict the promotion of food and drink products that it considers are high in (a) fat, (b) sugar and (c) salt content and, if so, by what dates it expects these restrictions to come into force.

The Scottish Government and COSLA are co-producing the Population Health Framework which will be published in Spring 2025. Extensive engagement has been undertaken throughout 2024 with public, third and private sector partners to support development of priorities and areas of action.

The public consultation on detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) closed on 21 May 2024. The Scottish Government will publish an independent analysis report of these consultation responses in early 2025, alongside next steps and timelines for future regulation.

Question reference: S6W-32275

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had (a) internally, (b) with public bodies and (c) with stakeholders regarding supporting fruit and nut orchard development, and what its position is on (i) establishing a bespoke orchard grant to support the setting up of new fruit and nut orchards and (ii) reforming existing grant schemes to allow growers to focus solely on fruit and nut trees.

Through the Agriculture Reform Programme, and in collaboration with Scottish Forestry and NatureScot, we are considering opportunities to improve how we support farmers to integrate trees. The integration of trees on farms can take a variety of forms, with the criteria for the Agroforestry Grant Scheme having been amended in 2023 to include support for fruit and nut trees. We have engaged with stakeholders on the progress of that work through Scottish Forestry’s Customer Representatives Group sub-group on Trees on Farms and will continue to seek opportunities for stakeholder engagement as that work develops.

In addition, we are currently undertaking a review of the funding awarded by our Food and Drink Division to support community Grow Your Own initiatives. This funding for new and innovative food growing projects could include community orchards.

The Scottish Government also continues to provide horticulture support through the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme. Orchard fruit and nuts are products covered by the scheme, which enables funding to groups of growers recognised as Producer Organisations.

Question reference: S6W-32104

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31765 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 December 2024, how many indefinite awards of Adult Disability Payments have been introduced for people, in respect of mental health-related claims, in the last five years.

Social Security Scotland routinely publishes information on Adult Disability Payment applications and caseload, broken down by disability condition. No information on the number of indefinite awards made as a result of Adult Disability Payment applications is currently published.

From 21 March 2022 to 31 October 2024, there were 282,930 part 1 Adult Disability Payment applications received from new applicants, of which 86,275 had the primary disability condition “Mental and Behavioural Disorders”.

The latest Adult Disability Payment official statistics publication can be found at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications/statistics. The next release of Adult Disability Payment statistics which will cover the period to the end of January 2024, is due to be published on 18 March 2024.

Question reference: S6W-32097

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide deer managers with clarity about the circumstances under which NatureScot might intervene on deer management issues under any new interventionist powers predicated on nature recovery.

As set out in the Programme for Government 2024-25: Serving Scotland the Natural Environment Bill will include provisions to modernise the way in which deer are managed in Scotland.

In January 2024 the Scottish Government consulted on a range of potential reforms to deer management Managing deer for climate and nature: Consultation, including the introduction of new powers designed to secure effective deer management that supports Scottish Government nature and climate objectives. In addition to the formal consultation, Ministers and officials have met with deer managers and their representatives to discuss issues arising from the consultation.

The circumstances in which any new intervention powers could be used will be set out on the face of the Bill and in the accompanying documents.

Question reference: S6W-32115

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing further financial support to grassroots music venues beyond the planned 40% rates relief in its draft Budget 2025-26.

The Scottish Government fully values the importance of the music industry to Scotland’s culture, and the role grassroots music venues play in the talent pipeline.

The Scottish Government has demonstrated our commitment to the culture sector with an increase of over £34m in 2025-26. This is takes us to over £50m more in culture funding than in 2023-2024. Through this increased investment we want to support the entire culture ecosystem by driving up opportunities for participation in creative pursuits, supporting the production of new works, and ensuring that Scotland’s cultural output has platforms at home and abroad. The additional funding will support the continuation of flagship music programmes across Scotland, including Youth Music Initiative and Sistema. As part of our regular engagement with the industry, and our review of how we support the sector, we welcome insights from stakeholders into how future budgets could further support the sector.

Further details of the increases for 2026-2027 and beyond will be set out when the budgets for that year are published.

Question reference: S6W-31733

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a general development programme to promote the improvement of shipbuilding and dock facilities in Scotland, including through patient loans, grants for capital investments and refund guarantees for shipbuilding projects, in compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

The Scottish Government provides a range of support to shipbuilding, marine engineering, harbours and ports across Scotland but has no plans to introduce a new general development programme to promote and improve shipbuilding and dock facilities.

The Scottish Government, the Enterprise Agencies and the Scottish National Investment Bank have, for example, supported major recent investments at Stornoway Harbour, Aberdeen Harbour and Ardersier Port. In addition, the Green Freeports programme, in partnership with the UK Government, is also helping to drive investment and high-quality job creation at multiple port locations situated within Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport respectively.

This Government took a proactive approach to preserve commercial shipbuilding on the Clyde at Ferguson Marine and remains committed to invest in the skills and capabilities needed to secure a sustainable future for the shipyard.

Question reference: S6T-02268

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in tackling child sexual abuse, in light of reported calls for a full UK national inquiry into child sexual abuse by grooming gangs.

Question reference: S6T-02270

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is responding to reported increases in instances of youth crime and antisocial behaviour.

Question reference: S6F-03687

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

To ask the First Minister, in light of recent freezing temperatures, whether he will provide an update on what steps the Scottish Government is taking to support low-income households with their energy bills.

Question reference: S6F-03677

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is regarding the latest reported concerns on the use of Hikvision CCTV devices by local authorities in Scotland.