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-04389

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government increasing employer national insurance contributions, how it is supporting local authority finances.

Question reference: S6O-04407

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the proportion of ScotRail trains that were cancelled in 2023-24 compares with other rail operators across the UK.

Question reference: S6O-04409

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to reduce car use by 20% by 2030.

Question reference: S6O-04383

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Edinburgh’s economy.

Question reference: S6O-04402

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-34031

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33090 by Ivan McKee on 16 January 2025, what procurement process was followed to buy each bicycle, and whether it will confirm each bicycle's (a) make, (b) model, (c) cost and (d) country of origin.

The bicycles were not purchased by the Scottish Government, but by the Energy Saving Trust. Details of the two bicycles are:

Bicycle 1: a) Make: Urban Arrow b) Model: Flatbed XL Cargo Line 500Wh with Flight Case c) Cost: No cost to Scottish Government, as it was gifted. d) Country of origin: the Netherlands.

Bicycle 2: a) Make: Butcher and Bicycles b) Model: Mk1 Vario c) Cost: No cost to Scottish Government, as it was gifted d) Country of origin: Denmark.

Question reference: S6W-34350

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported comment of its former Permanent Secretary, Leslie Evans, at a recent Institute for Government conference, that, in the civil service, the "middle management is often quite weak".

Question reference: S6W-34536

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure the sustainability of cultural facilities in the Central Scotland region, in light of Creative Scotland's decision not to award multi-year funding to Cumbernauld Theatre, which has been reported as being "heartbreaking".

The Scottish Government has demonstrated its commitment to the culture sector across Scotland with an increase of £34m in 2025-26 to the culture budget. The largest part of this is an additional £20m for Creative Scotland to provide core funding through its Multi Year Funding programme. This is a foundational moment for culture and the arts in Scotland which means that more organisations than ever, in more parts of the country, will benefit from the stability of core funding. 251 organisations have been successful in securing support, up from 119 currently, and a further 13 organisations will join a development stream and have the possibility of joining the portfolio of funded organisations from 2026-27.

I recognise of course that those organisations that have not been successful in the Multi Year Funding process, such as Cumbernauld Theatre, and their communities will be deeply disappointed. While these funding decisions have been for Creative Scotland to take, I am reassured that the small number of unsuccessful applicants will all be offered bespoke support from Creative Scotland.

I would encourage the Cumbernauld Theatre to continue to engage with Creative Scotland to understand the basis of this decision and take up opportunities offered through the transition support that they will be eligible for.

Question reference: S6W-34274

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what training materials Food Standards Scotland provides to food industry professionals to improve compliance with food safety standards.

The regulatory requirement relating to training is contained in Chapter XII of Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs and is a general requirement that food handlers be supervised, instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity. Those responsible for establishing a food safety management system within a food business based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles or for the operation of relevant guides must have received adequate training in the application of those principles. Beyond this there must be compliance with any specific requirements stated in law.

Whilst much of what Food Standards Scotland (FSS) provides falls into the categories of guidance or advice, FSS does provide online training materials in relation to allergens:

FSS also offers tools for fresh produce and safe smoked fish to assist relevant food businesses produce safe food:

Many food businesses make use of our CookSafe Manual, guidance and templates when planning their HACCP based management systems. Cooksafe is particularly aimed at caterers and provides instructions to develop procedures to fit the business needs.

If asked for direction to training, FSS advice is to contact the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS). A section of their website dedicated to training, which can be found here Community Training - REHIS.

Question reference: S6W-34210

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland monitors and enforces food safety standards in rural and remote areas.

As part of its competent authority role Food Standards Scotland (FSS) monitors and enforces regulations in marine waters, slaughterhouses, standalone cutting plants, game handling establishments, feed, and wine business, throughout the length and breadth of Scotland including on the Islands and all remote areas where a business is located.

As part of its assurance role, FSS is required independently to audit delivery of official controls carried out by FSS and take appropriate measures in the light of the results of those audits. The audits shall be subject to independent scrutiny and conducted in a transparent manner.

FSS have a primary responsibility to monitor the performance of, and promote best practice by, enforcement authorities enforcing food legislation in Scotland.

The overarching aim is to provide assurance that the delivery of official controls for food and feed is compliant with Scottish and UK legal requirements and official guidance.

The audit programme is risk-based, and all reports are published.

https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/safety-and-regulation/audit-and-monitoring