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-29314

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued on flag policy to (a) local authorities, (b) government agencies and (c) other governmental departments in the last six months.

The Scottish Government publishes detailed flag flying guidance annually on the Scottish Government website Guidance - Flag flying on government buildings: 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and a link to the guidance is also available on the Scottish Government’s intranet pages, available to Directorates and other government departments. In addition, this flag flying guidance is issued to local authorities and government agencies.

The guidance sets out the relevant flag to be flown in recognition of national anniversaries and Royal events. It also provides advice on the half/masting of flags following national/international tragedies and events.

This guidance applies to Scottish Government buildings only and is provided to non-Scottish Government organisations for information purposes. It remains the prerogative of each organisation to set their own flag flying programme.

Separate communication was issued by email to Scottish Government external flag flying contacts in June 2024 in relation to the 80th anniversary of D-Day and for the Coronation of Their Majesties in May 2023.

Question reference: S6W-29827

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of properties still to be connected under the R100 Central contract.

Question reference: S6W-29713

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the proposed £115 million of savings in the Health and Social Care budget outlined in its fiscal statement on 3 September 2024.

On the 3 September 2024, the Scottish Government pre-budget fiscal update outlined savings measures of £115.8m in the Health and Social Care budget, with funding redirected to support emerging pressures within Health and Social Care, not used for wider SG spending.

A breakdown of the savings can be found at: Scottish Government Pre-Budget Fiscal Update: Letter to Finance Committee - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-29724

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next update the Parliament on its just transition plan for Grangemouth.

Question reference: S6W-29719

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to (a) complete and (b) fund its cladding remediation programme, in light of reports that some of the consequential funding that it received for this purpose has been allocated elsewhere.

The Scottish Government expects the cost of cladding remediation work to be met through a combination of responsible developers assessing and remediating their own buildings, consequential funding from the UK Government, and a devolved Building Safety Levy. This effectively matches the funding approach that the UK Government is taking in England.

Scottish Ministers have said they will spend the equivalent value of the £97.1 m received in consequentials on cladding remediation at the time it is appropriate to spend it.

Question reference: S6W-29723

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which company has been contracted to undertake the economic impact assessment for the Grangemouth Refinery.

Question reference: S6W-29718

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the £97 million in consequential funding that it received in relation to fixing unsafe cladding has reportedly not all been spent on cladding remediation.

Question reference: S6O-03766

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Just Transition Commission's recent report on the future of Grangemouth.

Question reference: S6W-29382

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when passenger ferries will run from Rosyth to mainland Europe.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to the development of our ports, and the potential for new direct freight and passenger ferry services linking Scotland to Europe.

I have personally engaged with parties interested in introducing new ferry services, and Transport Scotland officials communicate regularly with potential operators and Scotland’s main ports. We have been clear throughout those discussions that UK Subsidy Control rules mean that any new service will be required to be delivered on a commercial basis.

We will continue to engage with port operators and others to explore opportunities for new commercial services, so that Scottish exporters and passengers have more direct routes to Europe. However, this is ultimately a decision for commercial operators.

Question reference: S6W-29730

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies there currently are for midwives, broken down by NHS board.