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-30133

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it spent the £97.1 million of Barnett consequential funding that it received from the UK Government to fund cladding remediation work, broken down by allocation.

Under devolution, consequentials of this kind become part of the Scottish Government’s overall budget for that year. As part of the Scottish Budget process, it is for Scottish Ministers to propose funding levels for specific programmes in Scotland, and when the budget is required.

In the case of cladding remediation, we have said that we will spend whatever is necessary to address the problems created by unsafe cladding, that we will make provision for that at the appropriate time, and that we expect the cost of that in Scotland to be at least the quoted amount of consequentials – that is, £97.1 m.

We publish updated information on programme spend on a quarterly basis at https://www.gov.scot/publications/single-building-assessment-spending-information/.

Question reference: S6W-30010

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter from the Scottish Music Industry Association, signed by around 170 music acts and performers, which states that the music industry faces "the worst crisis that Scotland's music and wider arts sector has ever faced" and that a "cultural catastrophe is in process".

I appreciate the concerns that have been raised by the culture sector. Funding for the culture sector has increased this financial year, as the first step to achieving the First Minister’s commitment to invest at least £100 million more annually in culture and the arts by 2028-29.

I understand the Scottish Music Industry Association’s concerns and have restated the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to supporting the arts. I was also pleased that following a period of necessary due diligence the £3m funds for Creative Scotland’s Open Fund have now been released and Creative Scotland are due to reopen this fund on 8 October.

I have also agreed to meet with the Scottish Music Industry Association to further understand the concerns held by the sector and its musicians.

Question reference: S6W-30034

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make menstrual wellbeing education, including awareness of endometriosis, part of the school curriculum.

Menstrual health and wellbeing education is a key part of relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education. RSHP education is an integral part of the health and wellbeing area of the Scottish curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence. Learning about RSHP education begins early on in primary school and continues right up to S4-S6. RSHP education is delivered in an age and stage appropriate manner and is intended to enable children and young people to build positive relationships as they grow older. Schools will equip young people with information on a wide range of issues, including menstrual health and wellbeing, depending on their age and stage of learning. Learning should present facts in an objective, balanced and sensitive manner within a framework of sound values and an awareness of the law.

An online RSHP teaching resource, (www.rshp.scot) was published in 2019 and provides age and stage appropriate learning activities on RSHP education for use in all education settings and is aligned to Curriculum for Excellence. This resource includes learning activities on menstruation from second level (P5 to P7), with endometriosis introduced at third/fourth level (S1 to S3).

The RSH teaching resource was subject to a significant review and refresh in 2023 to ensure it remained up-to-date and fit for purpose. Teachers continue to access the resource regularly.

Question reference: S6W-30021

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of its decision to redistribute funds from ScotWind to other spending areas on Scotland’s climate and net zero targets.

Successive Scottish budgets have demonstrated Scotland’s commitment to addressing the climate change crisis, using all resources at our disposal to accelerate the just transition to a net zero, climate-resilient and biodiverse Scotland. The 2024-25 Budget committed £4.7 billion for activities with a positive impact on our climate change goals.

Use of ScotWind revenue is an action we would rather not take but must carefully consider given the fiscal challenges faced and the limited options available under existing fiscal framework arrangements. We will seek to minimise usage of ScotWind in 2024-25 – just as we did in 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-29714

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the reported £800,000 reduction to VisitScotland's advertising budget will have on tourism numbers.

The decision relates to uncommitted marketing spend, however, Visit Scotland will continue to maximise the impact of its £43.6 million budget through use of its own and partner channels, including relationships with travel intermediaries, to attract domestic and international visitors to Scotland.

The number of people visiting Scotland is subject to different variables, including the state of the global economy. Scottish Government will work closely with VisitScotland to track and report performance.

Question reference: S6W-30135

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many (a) local authority-owned and (b) privately owned properties have been identified by local authorities as containing suspected reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

The Scottish Government encourages all building owners to be open and transparent about the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their properties, including making information available on websites (although there is no duty on the part of local authorities to gather information on RAAC in privately owned buildings). Information on the presence of RAAC in the public sector can be found in a recently published Scottish Government report: https://www.gov.scot/publications/raac-in-the-public-sector/

Question reference: S6W-30134

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many developments have been identified by local authorities as containing suspected reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government encourages all building owners to be open and transparent about the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their properties, including making information available on websites. Information on the presence of RAAC in the public sector can also be found in a recently published Scottish Government report: https://www.gov.scot/publications/raac-in-the-public-sector/

Question reference: S6O-03841

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it has conducted in advance of the planned opening of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership’s safer drug consumption facility on 21 October.

Question reference: S6O-03843

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to support the introduction of a ban on biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill.

Question reference: S6O-03842

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland and Amey regarding the repairs that are required at Union Bridge on the A96 in Keith.