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: S6O-02081

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider procuring a lower specification of standardised ferries.

Question reference: S6O-02071

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure value for money in government projects.

Question reference: S6W-14801

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a list of any disused train (a) stations and (b) lines that it is currently considering reopening.

Transport Scotland has a highly successful record of reintroducing stations and routes to the network, reconnecting and bringing new opportunities to Scotland’s communities. These include the Airdrie to Bathgate line and the Borders Railway, and most recently, the reopening of Reston Station. A new station at East Linton is expected to open before the end of this control period. Work is well underway on the Levenmouth Railway, which will enter service in 2024, reversing historical closure and returning stations and new journeys and economic opportunities to the communities surrounding Leven and Cameron Bridge.

Question reference: S6W-14796

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of (a) Scottish and (b) non-Scottish firms that Cemre Marin Endustri has signed an agreement with to provide products and/or services, as part of the contract for the two vessels for Islay, awarded by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL).

As part of the contract for two vessels for Islay, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) could not have stipulated that only Scottish or UK suppliers could be used as the Regulations require them to treat economic operators equally & without discrimination and restrict them from artificially narrowing competition by unduly favouring or disadvantaging any particular economic operator.

Kongsberg have an agreement in place with Cemre Marin Endustri for Fin Stabilisers, with the production facility based in Dunfermline. Fifty-eight companies (overseas or based in England) are also set to provide products and/or services for the new build vessels. Forty of these companies have signed agreements, with the remaining 18 companies obtaining signed agreements as the shipyard build programme progresses.

Question reference: S6W-16115

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the 2023-24 Public Sector Pay Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-15949

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding each local authority received for the provision of free music tuition in schools in the 2022-23 academic year, and how much each local authority will receive for the 2023-24 academic year.

With respect to the following tables please note:

The final term of the 2023-24 academic year allocation will fall in 2024-25 financial year.
This commitment began between academic years and funding has so far been agreed on this basis. From 2024-25 the Scottish Government has agreed with COSLA that funding will be provided onto a financial year basis model which is consistent with other funds being provided to local authorities.

Academic Year 2022/23 Funding Breakdown

Local Authority	Total Funding Academic Year 2022-23
Aberdeen City	£556,000
Aberdeenshire	£686,000
Angus	£227,000
Argyll & Bute	£132,000
City of Edinburgh	£598,000
Clackmannanshire	£146,000
Dumfries & Galloway	£213,000
Dundee City	£209,000
East Ayrshire	£183,000
East Dunbartonshire	£289,000
East Lothian	£305,000
East Renfrewshire	£415,000
Falkirk	£246,000
Fife	£767,000
Glasgow City	£804,000
Highland	£1,229,000
Inverclyde	£111,000
Midlothian	£226,000
Moray	£162,000
Na h-Eileanan Siar	£37,000
North Ayrshire	£220,000
North Lanarkshire	£555,000
Orkney Islands	£32,000
Perth & Kinross	£410,000
Renfrewshire	£272,000
Scottish Borders	£176,000
Shetland Islands	£91,000
South Ayrshire	£162,000
South Lanarkshire	£516,000
Stirling	£216,000
West Dunbartonshire	£141,000
West Lothian	£576,000

Financial Year 2022/23 & 2023-24 Funding Breakdown

Local Authority	Total Funding Financial Year 2022-23	Total Funding Financial Year 2023-24
Aberdeen City	£520,000	£482,000
Aberdeenshire	£633,000	£663,000
Angus	£206,000	£253,000
Argyll & Bute	£118,000	£162,000
City of Edinburgh	£522,000	£831,000
Clackmannanshire	£136,000	£128,000
Dumfries & Galloway	£186,000	£290,000
Dundee City	£183,000	£288,000
East Ayrshire	£161,000	£251,000
East Dunbartonshire	£264,000	£301,000
East Lothian	£283,000	£280,000
East Renfrewshire	£390,000	£347,000
Falkirk	£216,000	£338,000
Fife	£696,000	£842,000
Glasgow City	£703,000	£1,109,000
Highland	£1,185,000	£771,000
Inverclyde	£97,000	£151,000
Midlothian	£206,000	£240,000
Moray	£145,000	£198,000
Na h-Eileanan Siar	£33,000	£51,000
North Ayrshire	£195,000	£283,000
North Lanarkshire	£487,000	£760,000
Orkney Islands	£28,000	£44,000
Perth & Kinross	£384,000	£350,000
Renfrewshire	£238,000	£375,000
Scottish Borders	£156,000	£228,000
Shetland Islands	£86,000	£70,000
South Ayrshire	£142,000	£222,000
South Lanarkshire	£451,000	£713,000
Stirling	£198,000	£223,000
West Dunbartonshire	£124,000	£191,000
West Lothian	£537,000	£519,000

Question reference: S6W-15973

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an 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.

My officials in Scottish Enterprise remain in regular contact with the Joint Administrators (Interpath Advisory) and continue to work with them to consider all viable options for the Stoneywood site in Aberdeen.

The administration process continues to progress and, prior to formal marketing of the site, Interpath Advisory had re-engaged with potential interested parties in February 2023. Discussions between the Joint Administrator and interested parties continue.

Question reference: S6W-15808

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Additional Support for Learning (ASL) review action plan, whether it is on track to develop a mapping exercise to capture the breadth of policy development aligned to ASL by June 2023.

The Scottish Government is working with local government partners on the Additional Support for Learning Project Board to deliver the recommendations of the 2020 additional support for learning review by March 2026. As outlined in our updated action plan published in November 2022, we have committed to undertaking a policy mapping exercise to inform the development of a shared positive communications plan. The plan aims to ensure visibility and awareness of additional support for learning and children and young people’s successes and achievements. This work is currently on track.

Progress can be followed through the published minutes of the Project Board . A further progress update is due to be published in May 2024.

Question reference: S6W-15766

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next review its list of tenancy deposit scheme providers, and what criteria it will use to assess whether those organisations are providing a (a) suitable and (b) fair standard of service to (i) tenants and (ii) landlords.

Part 4, section 122 (4) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, gives Scottish Ministers a power to approve a tenancy deposit scheme and obliges Ministers to review each scheme from time to time and gives them power, once they have done so, to ensure that any scheme is revised.

A review of the tenancy deposit schemes was undertaken at the end of 2018. The review examined whether the introduction of the tenancy deposit scheme (TDS) resolved the issues it was intended to and considered whether the TDS worked well for both tenants and landlords. It also assessed whether the current regulations were fair and fit for purpose. It was clear from the findings that the current regulations continued to provide a robust regulatory and operational framework.

Following the review a number of revisions to the operating procedures were made under The Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019 and the scheme submitted revised procedures in October 2019 which were reapproved in November 2019.

The Scottish Government regularly monitors the operation of the schemes, but there are no current plans to undertake a full review of approved schemes at present.

Regular monitoring of the schemes highlighted the previously unforeseen issue of unclaimed deposits. As part of A New Deal for Tenants - draft strategy: consultation Ministers sought views on reinvesting unclaimed deposits in the private rented sector after a period of 5 years has elapsed and where all other reasonable efforts to reunite the tenant with their deposit has been exhausted.

We published the independent analysis of the consultation responses on 23 August and we are currently considering those views as we take forward this important work.

Question reference: S6W-15828

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15406 by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023, what considerations have been given, specifically, to the export of waste in its work with local authorities to develop solutions to manage their residual waste ahead of the landfill ban in 2025.

We are continuing to support local authorities to secure landfill ban compliant residual waste treatment options. We are doing this by facilitating collaborative procurement through Zero Waste Scotland, and funding provision of additional technical, procurement and legal support.

Local authorities are responsible for, and best placed to make decisions on, the provision of local waste services, including on options for residual waste treatment. The collaborative procurement support is supporting local authorities to consider all available options, in accordance with their procurement rules and policies. This includes support to consider transport distances and methods, within a carbon impact assessment, to inform decisions on the available options.