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-26197

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 March 2024

To as the Scottish Government, further to the financial incentives for dentists to open new practices in remote and rural areas, what support is available for dentists who are already operating in remote and rural areas.

Question reference: S6W-26111

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to address sexual misconduct in sport, what action it has taken to encourage professional sports clubs to implement their own publicly available sexual misconduct policy.

Gender equality is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s vision for a fairer Scotland, one where women and girls have and are empowered to exercise equal rights and opportunities, have equitable access to economic resources and decision making, and live their lives free from all forms of violence, abuse and harassment.

We are absolutely clear that harassment or abuse of any form, whether in professional sport, the workplace, schools, in the home or in society is completely reprehensible and must stop.

Sport, of course, has a very special place in our society, which is why it is important that professional sports clubs take any appropriate steps to ensure they and their players are positive role models for both children and adults across the country.

I met with the End Sexual Misconduct in Sport Campaign, and we strongly encourage all professional clubs to engage with the campaign to ensure they have appropriate policies, training, standards and reporting procedures in place to educate and root out sexual misconduct and discrimination.

Question reference: S6W-26108

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the review of the Clean Air Act 1993, as set out in the Clean Air for Scotland strategy published in 2021, and whether it has considered introducing any changes for controlling domestic combustion emissions such as incentivising the use of electrostatic particulate filters for wood burners.

As part of the delivery of our Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 strategy, we are taking forward a review of the Clean Air Act 1993 working closely with SEPA and Local Authorities to focus the review and develop initial findings. From January 2022 Ecodesign standards now apply for all new wood burning appliances. We are currently developing our public engagement framework for air quality, and as part of that we will consider the best approach for engaging with the public on domestic burning issues.

Question reference: S6W-26112

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve road safety on (a) the A84 and (b) other roads around Stirling, in light of reports of three deaths in a week due to road traffic accidents in the area.

Firstly the Scottish Government’s sympathies are with the family and friends of those affected by these tragic accidents. The Scottish Government is clear that one life lost on our roads is one too many. However, as police investigations into these accidents are on-going it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.

The A84, the route on which one of these tragic accidents occurred, is part of the Scottish Trunk Road Network between Kildean Roundabout at Stirling and the A85 junction at Lochearnhead. Other public roads in the Stirling area are the responsibility of the local authority. Therefore it is for the relevant roads authority responsible for the route to consider appropriate measures which will safeguard road users and residents, and to determine the priority that should be given to any road safety measures.

The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing casualties on Scotland’s roads, this is why in 2023-24 £9.5m was dedicated to a Road Safety Improvement Fund which has supported local authorities to reduce casualties and risks on their roads through the implementation of Safe System measures. Stirling Council was allocated a total of £245,689.

Each year Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, undertakes a review of collisions on the trunk road network to identify cluster sites, or routes with recorded collisions that may be worthwhile of further investigation. The screening process, together with a detailed understanding of collision trends around the network, results in a prioritised programme of sites that will be investigated further. This evidence led approach ensures that resources can be targeted at locations where the greatest potential for casualty reduction is available. This approach has been successful in reducing casualties across Scotland’s trunk road network.

In regards to the A84 trunk road, Transport Scotland is implementing a 40mph speed limit reduction from Kildean to north of the Auction Mart roundabout and investigating active travel improvements in this area. In addition, an investigation into potential road safety and active travel improvements around Kincardine-in-Menteith Primary School is also underway. This is complemented by signing improvements at Kilmahog and consideration of both a new 20mph speed limit at Strathyre and an extension to the 20mph speed limit at Callander.

Transport Scotland will continue to monitor road safety on the A84 and progress investigations and improvements as appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-26105

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the response by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy to the question on a competitive shipbuilding financing guarantee programme during the ministerial statement on Ferguson Marine on 5 March 2024, whether it will provide a substantive response regarding whether it will introduce a competitive shipbuilding financing guarantee programme in Scotland, similar to that of the Turkish national investment bank, Türk Eximbank.

The UK Government introduced the Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme in July 2023.

The scheme provides a partial guarantee to a lender making a loan to a ship-buyer or operator, so that new vessels, or refits, retrofits or repairs of existing vessels can be procured from UK shipyards.

It can provide partial guarantees covering up to 80% of the risk to lenders for a maximum repayment period of up to 12 years.

The scheme is in its infancy, and it would be prudent to evaluate its impact in time before considering any potential alternative schemes in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-26094

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the number of employers offering apprenticeships.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council to maximise apprenticeship opportunities and ensure that employers wishing to take on an apprentice are supported and able to do so.

Scottish Apprenticeship Week (SAW) is an annual campaign coordinated by Skills Development Scotland, which took place 4-8 March 2024, providing the opportunity to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships to individuals, employers and learning providers. For employers who have not engaged with apprenticeships, SAW is a chance to discover how work-based learning can develop their workforce, improve performance and productivity and contribute to business growth.

The Developing the Young Workforce Employer-led Groups also facilitate engagement between employers and schools to highlight the importance of vocational pathways, including the range of apprenticeship opportunities available, and support young people to transition into work.

Question reference: S6T-01903

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report on how women born in the 1950s were affected by increases to the state pension age, and given that women are more likely to live in poverty than men, what assessment it has made of the potential impact that changes to the state pension age have had on the poverty rate among women in Scotland.

Question reference: S6T-01893

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Scotland has become the "worst country in Europe" for unqualified beauticians injecting customers with cosmetic treatments.

Question reference: S6T-01899

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to tackle child poverty.

Question reference: S6F-02974

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2024

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on what action the Scottish Government is taking to deliver the New Deal for Tenants.