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-41031

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the Tay Cities Region Deal is supporting manufacturing firms.

Question reference: S6W-41013

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 24 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support college staff wellbeing, in light of Audit Scotland’s findings in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that workforce reductions and curriculum changes have increased workloads and stress.

Colleges are responsible for operational matters, such as managing workforce restructuring and curriculum changes. This includes ensuring they meet their obligations as an employer, including providing appropriate support to protect the health, safety and overall wellbeing of staff.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the impact funding constraints, that to a significant extent flow from UK Government decisions, and associated workforce restructuring decisions will have on staff. The Scottish Government has been consistently clear that such decisions must be informed by Fair Work principles, following meaningful engagement with staff and trade unions.

Question reference: S6W-41003

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 24 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which recommends that the funding model for colleges should better reflect equity and demand for courses, whether it will review the funding model.

The Colleges Tripartite Alignment Group, comprised of Colleges Scotland, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has been exploring issues in the sector. Informed by the Group’s discussions, the SFC introduced changes to the college funding model for Academic Year 2025-26 in response to requests from the sector.

The SFC has committed to undertaking a fundamental review of the funding allocation model over the coming year.

Question reference: S6W-40793

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 23 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money has been spent on emergency accommodation as a result of any breaches of homelessness laws in each of the last five financial years.

Local authorities are obliged to offer advice and assistance to people who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness, and provide temporary accommodation if it is needed, including on an emergency basis. The Scottish Government supports local authorities to meet these statutory duties through annual funding delivered through the local government finance settlement but does not hold information on the amount of funding spent by local authorities on emergency temporary accommodation.

Question reference: S6W-40999

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which found that over 8,000 requests by learning providers for apprentice places in 2024-25 were not funded, what analysis it has undertaken of this unmet demand.

As our national skills body, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) have operational responsibility for managing apprenticeship funding and delivery in Scotland. SDS regularly monitor demand throughout the year to maximise apprenticeship opportunities, in line with key policy priorities.

The number and range of apprenticeships available are informed by industry demand and training capacity, within the constraints of available budgets and affordability. This involves close consultation with employers, employer groups and training providers, as well as priorities identified through reformed national and regional skills planning.

We are providing around £185 million for apprenticeships this year and are committed to working with the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland to understand the extent of demand, and in which sectors. Our aim is to ensure that funding is targeted most effectively to support sustainable economic growth and vital public services and provide best value for public investment.

Question reference: S6W-40994

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which highlights that two colleges required liquidity support from the Scottish Funding Council in 2023-24, what criteria were used to approve this support.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) regularly monitors and engages with the colleges and universities it funds as part of its role in ensuring the sustainable and coherent provision of fundable further and higher education.

It is for SFC to consider the criteria used to approve liquidity support. Given that the circumstances of individual colleges will differ, each case will be considered on its own merit.

Question reference: S6W-41000

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that apprenticeship funding reaches colleges more directly, in light of the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, which found that only 40% of Scottish Government funding reaches some colleges that deliver training.

We recognise that managing agents undertake a range of valuable services to support apprentices and employers. This includes pre-assessment, support materials, pastoral care and the delivery of final assessments (where appropriate).

The role, responsibilities and funding arrangements for managing agents are being considered as part of our work on apprenticeship reform. We are committed to working with Colleges Scotland, managing agents and key agencies including SDS and the SFC, to ensure that apprenticeship funding is sustainable for the future and focused on supporting apprentices to train and progress.

It is important that we retain all of the very best elements of the current system while maintaining best value for public funding.

Question reference: S6W-41004

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Audit Scotland’s recommendation in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that the Tripartite Alignment Group should set out income stream diversification plans for colleges within six months.

It is important to expand the sources of income into the college sector, which is why the Colleges Tripartite Alignment Group, comprised of Colleges Scotland, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council, has been exploring the perceived barriers to income diversification and how to overcome them.

Scottish Government officials hosted a workshop with colleges, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council in June 2025 to share best practice, and will build on the outputs from that workshop to deliver Audit Scotland’s recommendation.

Question reference: S6W-41001

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding in the recent report by Audit Scotland, Scotland’s Colleges 2025, that a credit-based funding model is output driven, how it will ensure that such a model does not incentivise colleges to prioritise cheaper-to-deliver courses over those most needed by employers and communities.

Question reference: S6W-41016

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 22 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the impact of college campus closures on students from deprived communities, as noted by Audit Scotland in its recent report, Scotland’s Colleges 2025.

Colleges in Scotland operate as autonomous institutions, with governance frameworks that grant them independence in managing their operations including decisions about campus footprint, staffing, and curriculum.

This autonomy is designed to enable responsiveness to local needs and flexibility in delivering education. However, Ministers are clear that colleges are expected to ensure their strategic decisions reflect the needs of the people, the region, and the communities they serve.

In its development of the 10 year College Infrastructure Investment Plan, in collaboration with the sector and due to publish in autumn 2026, the Scottish Funding Council is looking at the whole college sector to ensure the approach to infrastructure is strategic and supports coherent provision.