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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 40655 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-25758

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken towards an equitable approach to diagnosis across all NHS boards for severe asthma.

Question reference: S6W-25749

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Chronic Pain Task Force (a) has taken to date and (b) plans to take in the future regarding services for people affected by fibromyalgia, and whether the Task Force has any professional members with particular expertise in treating or aiding fibromyalgia patients.

(a) The Pain management - service delivery framework: implementation plan sets out the actions we will take to reduce the impact of chronic pain on quality of life and wellbeing and improve information, care and services for people in Scotland, which includes people living with chronic pain as a result of fibromyalgia. A report on the progress on the 18 initial actions was published on the 15 November 2023 Pain management service delivery implementation plan: progress report .

Additionally in November 2024, we published an updated Implementation Plan with updated actions following a period of stakeholder engagement. Progress on actions is discussed bi-monthly at the Pain Management Task Force , the minutes of which are available on the Scottish Government website.

We will continue to consult with people with lived experience of chronic pain, including those with fibromyalgia, throughout the development and delivery of actions outlined in the plan.

(b)The Short Life Working Groups (SLWGs) and Pain Management Networks established to support implementation of the Framework continue to evolve and develop the current actions. All the professional network leads (allied health professionals, pain psychologists, medics, pharmacist and nurses) are specialist pain management clinicians who have expert skills in supporting people with fibromyalgia.

Details on the role and membership of the Pain Management Task Force can be found at Pain Management Task Force .

Question reference: S6W-25752

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether health professionals are offered training and educational resources in relation to chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia.

Current guidelines for healthcare professionals regarding fibromyalgia are available from authoritative professional sources such as the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) - https://www.sign.ac.uk/our-guidelines/management-of-chronic-pain/ and the Royal College of Physicians https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/guidelines-policy/diagnosis-fibromyalgia-syndrome

The National Pain Education Group is developing a Chronic Pain Toolkit for all health and social care staff across Scotland - it will be Scotland's first national chronic pain training resource. It will be hosted on TURAS on a dedicated page called The Chronic Pain Knowledge Hub. This has been developed with lived experience input and NHS Education for Scotland colleagues.

Question reference: S6W-25750

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to mark International Fibromyalgia Day 2024.

International Fibromyalgia Day on 12 May 2024 is an important opportunity to raise awareness of this distressing and debilitating condition. We want to ensure that all people living with fibromyalgia in Scotland are able to access the best possible care and support. To mark its importance, on the 12 May 2024 the Scottish Government’s main building, St Andrew’s House, will be lit up in purple.

We are working hard to deliver the actions in our Pain management service delivery framework: implementation plan update to ensure everyone living with chronic pain, including fibromyalgia, can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms.

Question reference: S6W-25674

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07275 by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2022, whether it will provide an updated table regarding the number of children who have undertaken cycling proficiency training, based on the latest information available.

Further to question S6W-07275, the latest Bikeability Scotland participation statistics are as follows:

LOCAL AUTHORITY	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Aberdeen City	21%	25%	31%	57%	68%	62%	68%	42%	47%	9%	27%	67%	100%
Aberdeenshire	93%	93%	76%	91%	91%	63%	80%	79%	85%	27%	51%	65%	65%
Angus	74%	72%	74%	57%	43%	45%	50%	67%	78%	41%	71%	88%	94%
Argyll & Bute	45%	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	Pilot	Pilot	22%
Clackmannanshire	11%	11%	37%	37%	39%	44%	17%	33%	100%	33%	100%	100%	100%
Dumfries & Galloway	70%	73%	47%	30%	29%	41%	43%	38%	36%	4%	5%	29%	69%
Dundee	0%	0%	3%	23%	29%	17%	11%	53%	91%	67%	82%	97%	100%
East Ayrshire	7%	9%	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	Pilot	Pilot	10%
East Dunbartonshire	5%	3%	5%	24%	14%	8%	22%	15%	67%	76%	94%	100%	100%
East Lothian	0%	0%	11%	26%	29%	23%	29%	41%	49%	24%	47%	94%	100%
East Renfrewshire	33%	40%	70%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	0%	100%	67%	83%
Edinburgh	29%	40%	52%	72%	70%	48%	68%	60%	53%	7%	26%	40%	41%
Falkirk	4%	6%	10%	8%	22%	12%	4%	6%	8%	19%	6%	2%	21%
Fife	31%	21%	16%	16%	18%	21%	36%	22%	29%	23%	24%	33%	35%
Glasgow	4%	4%	15%	28%	25%	34%	29%	35%	34%	22%	33%	31%	22%
Highland	34%	28%	16%	29%	28%	29%	36%	21%	30%	12%	15%	22%	32%
Inverclyde	4%	21%	35%	10%	30%	30%	20%	15%	26%	0%	5%	5%	10%
Midlothian	10%	40%	63%	87%	63%	63%	81%	75%	69%	22%	41%	65%	67%
Moray	96%	65%	58%	47%	62%	49%	37%	40%	56%	27%	62%	76%	93%
Na h-Eileanan Siar	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	5%	96%	100%	0%	100%	100%	100%
North Ayrshire	0%	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return	No return
North Lanarkshire	0%	7%	5%	0%	4%	No return	9%	10%	11%	15%	29%	50%	82%
Orkney	40%	40%	65%	95%	90%	65%	68%	63%	58%	37%	90%	65%	100%
Perth & Kinross	91%	61%	40%	37%	34%	62%	52%	51%	61%	26%	67%	87%	90%
Renfrewshire	6%	8%	22%	29%	20%	22%	20%	22%	29%	10%	59%	72%	84%
Scottish Borders	54%	54%	43%	8%	27%	29%	31%	31%	8%	2%	25%	41%	100%
Shetland	100%	53%	45%	90%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	25%	100%	100%	100%
South Ayrshire	79%	55%	73%	76%	83%	76%	81%	83%	88%	44%	34%	41%	59%
South Lanarkshire	0%	10%	17%	28%	39%	34%	39%	39%	43%	15%	10%	40%	40%
Stirling	17%	18%	5%	43%	65%	68%	50%	72%	66%	26%	58%	74%	87%
West Dunbartonshire	9%	12%	9%	21%	44%	41%	49%	56%	59%	13%	38%	28%	31%
West Lothian	21%	0%	15%	15%	15%	15%	17%	11%	26%	9%	9%	22%	30%
TOTALS	32%	32%	35%	37%	40%	38%	42%	42%	47%	20%	37%	50%	60%

	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Number of pupils trained across all levels of Bikeability Scotland	25,974	30,800	32,105	33,082	36,711	36,314	43,700	16,327	41,046	52,604	60,228

Question reference: S6W-25679

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how its International Education Strategy will facilitate the recognition of Scottish qualifications and degrees internationally.

Question reference: S6W-25681

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timeline for the implementation of the key actions in its International Education Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-25640

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many home-school link workers there have been in each of the last 10 years.

Data on the full time equivalent home-school link workers from 2017 onwards can be found in the School Support Staff Statistics, here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-support-staff-statistics/

Prior to 2017, this data can be found in the Teacher Census Supplementary Statistics tables 'Teacher Census 2016' and earlier editions, here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/

School support staff statistics from the 2023 school staff and pupils census are due to be published on 19 February 2024.

Question reference: S6O-03207

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with North Lanarkshire Council to improve the school estate.

Question reference: S6O-03210

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Scotland’s further education sector is aligned with the needs of businesses within the renewables sector and other industries associated with the green economy.