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-31246

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 21 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to work with the UK Government's Circular Economy Task Force as it develops Scotland's circular economy strategy.

Question reference: S6W-31219

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the reported issue that e-cigarette or vaping device use was most prevalent among those aged 16 to 24 (22%), an increase of seven percentage points since 2022.

Within our 2024-25 Programme for Government we committed to working across the four nations on banning the sale of single use vapes (SUV) as well as the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill. SUV’s have been linked to a rapid increase in the number of young people vaping, particularly due to their low price. The SUV ban will be implemented from 1 June 2025 in line with the rest of the UK. If passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, will restrict the promotion, advertisement and brandsharing of vapes.

Our ‘Take Hold’ marketing campaign educates parents, carers and children about the dangers of vaping and increased the awareness of the harms and risks of nicotine addiction.

We continue to work with Young Scot to support young people to understand the risks of using tobacco and nicotine products, and raise awareness of available cessation services and avenues to support young people to stop smoking/vaping.

Our Tobacco and Vaping Framework recognises that price can be a critical factor in people’s decisions on starting to smoke and vape. The Scottish Government welcomes the UK Government’s commitment in the Autumn budget to introduce a duty on vapes from 2026 while ensuring the price differential between tobacco and vapes will be maintained.

Question reference: S6W-31243

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Reach Advocacy, in Coatbridge, in light of its reported request for support to become a nationally commissioned service.

On 14 May 2024 Reach Advocacy wrote to the Scottish Government requesting to become a ‘Nationally Commissioned Advocacy Training Body’. The Scottish Government replied to Reach Advocacy on 28 May 2024 seeking to fully understand the basis on which Reach Advocacy were requesting this.

On 15 October 2024 Reach Advocacy submitted a business proposal to ask for funding from Scottish Government to deliver Reach Advocacy’s ‘Advocacy Practice Award’ and human rights-based training.

This proposal was submitted for consideration to relevant directorates under the responsibility of the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, and the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport.

Scottish Government Officials from each directorate assessed that the request for funding was not the most appropriate means by which the Scottish Government’s current priorities and objectives would be achieved.

On 6 November 2024 a response was issued to Reach Advocacy to inform them of the decision and rationale.

Question reference: S6W-31208

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government of how many deaths was pulmonary fibrosis cited as the cause, in each year since 2016, also broken down by NHS board area.

Table 1: Deaths registered in Scotland in which the underlying cause of death was 'other interstitial pulmonary diseases with fibrosis’ by NHS Board area, 2016-2023

NHS Board area	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Ayrshire and Arran	27	36	35	34	44	35	29	36
Borders	8	4	13	9	8	11	14	20
Dumfries and Galloway	9	13	9	9	9	16	8	8
Fife	28	41	29	34	32	31	27	37
Forth Valley	25	29	24	24	26	23	32	26
Grampian	36	28	47	36	30	38	47	28
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	93	105	103	93	85	75	91	78
Highland	20	27	27	24	17	22	27	37
Lanarkshire	64	70	64	71	51	51	40	52
Lothian	67	62	63	66	50	53	61	50
Orkney	2	3	2	3	5	0	2	3
Shetland	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	4
Tayside	39	46	49	35	36	29	40	41
Western Isles	4	1	2	1	3	3	2	2

Source: National Records of Scotland

Question reference: S6O-04033

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its policies and collaboration with local authorities to ensure that support is provided to pupils who cannot attend school for medical reasons.

Question reference: S6O-04030

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that students with additional support needs receive adequate resources and tailored educational support.

Question reference: S6O-04031

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to address the reported shortage of forensic pathologists across Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04034

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Cross Border Connection proposals for the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6O-04029

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with the UK Government regarding its proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04036

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on Scotland's finances, how much it estimates will be raised in increased taxes in Scotland in 2025-26 as a result of the UK Autumn Budget.