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 48973 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-18390

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the view of the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, Sir Robert Chote, in his letter of 7 December 2022 to Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, that the claim that Scotland has 25% of Europe's potential offshore wind resource was "poorly constructed" in the Scottish Government's 2010 publication that made the claim.

Question reference: S6W-18465

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15973 by Ivan McKee on 22 March 2023, whether it will provide a further update on efforts to recommence operations at Stoneywood paper mill, in Aberdeen, in light of reports from 12 February 2023 that there was about to be a "credible bid" made.

Question reference: S6W-18505

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of any additional financial pressures on local authority budgets being caused by inflation.

Although it is the responsibility of local authorities to assess the impact of inflationary pressures on their budgets, Scottish Government Ministers and officials meet regularly with COSLA and individual local authorities to discuss all their respective financial pressures. This engagement has increased in recent weeks following the First Minister’s re-commitment to working with COSLA and SOLACE to agree a New Deal for Local Government in Scotland with the aim of providing greater flexibility over local funding, with clear accountability for delivery on shared priorities and outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-18653

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met with (a) COSLA and (b) individual local authorities to discuss council tax debt.

Council Tax debt was discussed at the last meeting of the Joint Working Group on Sources of Local Government Funding and Council Tax Reform on 22 March 2023. Additionally, I met Fife Council earlier this year to see first-hand their collaborative approach to Council Tax collection highlighted in the Collaborative Council Tax Collection Guide, published jointly by Stepchange and The Improvement Service. I am scheduled to meet with Falkirk Council later in the summer.

Question reference: S6W-19016

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 750 additional nurses, midwives and allied health professionals from overseas, as announced in October 2022, with associated funding of £8 million, have been recruited by NHS boards across Scotland.

As a result of intensive work by Health Boards the target has been exceeded and an additional 800 staff from overseas have been recruited of which 293 are already in posts across the country to date, and a further 507 in train due to arrive, with the majority taking up posts in the first quarter of this financial year. This builds on the previous year where 200 staff were recruited from overseas, meaning an additional 1,000 staff have been recruited in the last 18 months, bolstering our existing workforce.

Question reference: S6O-02347

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to mitigate any damage caused by fires and floods in higher and further education campuses.

This is a matter for universities and colleges.

Higher Education institutions are autonomous bodies; and Further Education institutions each have a Board of Management and are responsible for their own financial and strategic management.

It is their responsibility to carry out a Fire Safety Risk Assessment and keep that assessment up to date. Based on the findings of the assessment institutions need to ensure appropriate fire prevention and safety measures are in place.

In terms of flood prevention, institutions should ensure that campus buildings are well maintained, wind and watertight. They should have in place maintenance programmes to reduce the risk of water damage.

Question reference: S6O-02383

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many paramedic students have accessed the Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary since its introduction in July 2021.

Question reference: S6O-02385

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to ensure a fair application of funds from EventScotland and Creative Scotland to every part of Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02384

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide continuity in education for children leaving the MS Victoria in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6O-02382

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement the rural affairs secretary has had with the fishing industry in communities that may be impacted by its proposals for Highly Protected Marine Areas.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Filter your results Hide all filters

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer