Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-35813

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the concerns raised in the May 2020 Royal Society of Edinburgh paper, Developing Scotland’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy, how it will ensure that AI businesses are not subject to excessive regulatory complexity.

Since the publication of the 2020 report by the RSE Scotland's artificial intelligence strategy - Royal Society of Edinburgh : Royal Society of Edinburgh I have commissioned an independent review into the opportunities for AI which was published last year AI+Independent+Review+-+Call+for+Views+-+Initial+Report+-+Advancing+AI+for+Scotland+-+Reformatted+-+January+2024.pdf.

We have been continuously engaging with the UK Government to advocate that their approach to the regulation of AI considers the interests of the citizens and businesses of Scotland. We continue to provide AI support to business through our enterprise agencies and the AI Alliance, our delivery body for Scotland’s AI Strategy. They have recently relaunched the AI Playbook Guidance on AI Adoption Including Information on AI Policies — Scottish AI Playbook which is a one-stop shop for supporting businesses with AI adoption. The playbook also includes information on legal and regulatory provisions relating to the development and use of AI systems.

Question reference: S6F-03977

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2025

To ask the First Minister what engagement the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding what assessment has been made of the potential impact of an extension of US tariffs on Scottish businesses that export to the US market.

Question reference: S6W-35981

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost to date has been for the development of the NHS Scotland app, including the cost of any contracts awarded, and whether there has been any budgetary overspend compared with initial projections.

Delivery of the health and social care app for Scotland is being taken forward by NHS Education Scotland (NES) as part of the wider Digital Front Door programme. The majority of costs to date have been on mobilising the team required and developing the Outline Business Case. NHS NES staff have participated in the Civtech Challenge, which has allowed NES to understand what is required to develop the app in a way that integrates into Scottish Government plans to digitise postal communications. More information about this can be found at: https://www.civtech.scot/civtech-9-challenge-8-secure-individualised-and-effective-communications-channel.

The bulk of development costs on the app specifically will be incurred from 2025-26 onwards, as part of the indicative programme budget for 2025-26 set at £12 million.

The Scottish Government has provided NES with the following funding for the Digital Front Door Programme:

Financial Year	DFD spend £m
2021-22	0.75
2022-23	2.0
2023-24	1.5
2024-25	1.4
Total	5.650

Scottish Government has also awarded no contracts associated with this work, although NES, as the delivery partner, did spend £210,000 from their allocated budget on a contract to develop the Outline Business Case and further contracts will be awarded by NES as they move into this delivery phase. There has been no budgetary overspend compared with projections to date.

Question reference: S6W-35797

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to prevent future financial distress at universities, and whether it is considering a review of the higher education funding model.

We have a world-leading higher education sector to be proud of, and I value greatly the contribution that universities make to our economy and society. Ministers have been clear that the Scottish Government’s position on tuition fees will not change. The policy ensures that access to higher education is based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay.

The Scottish Government do not accept that the current model is broken, but we accept that it is under severe pressure, largely because of circumstances that are outwith our control. Universities across the UK are facing financial challenges due to a range of factors, including the hostile immigration policies enacted by the UK Government in recent years hampering the ability of universities to welcome the brightest and best talent from across the world; inflationary pressures and the current UK Government’s increase to employer national insurance contributions, which has resulted in a £48m million pressure across the sector.

Despite the challenging financial circumstances, our commitment to Scotland's universities is demonstrated through our investing over £1 billion every year in the sector since 2012/13. This is continued in the 2025-26 budget which provides over £1.1bn of investment in teaching and research in Scotland’s universities. In addition, since February we have also announced a further £25 million to support universities facing financial challenges. The university funding allocations for 2025-26, which institutions will receive sight of in the next few weeks, will also show an uplift in the teaching price.

We are committed to engaging constructively with the sector to future proof the funding approach. The Cabinet Secretary and I have had a preliminary conversation with Universities Scotland on this and have agreed to return to the subject before the summer. While the sector is keen to lead on the development of potential solutions, Ministers wish to encourage others who want to engage constructively on the issue and bring forward ideas, albeit starting from the position that we will not reintroduce tuition fees. In addition, the Scottish Government fulfilled a Programme for Government commitment by publishing its first International Education Strategy (IES) on 7 February 2024, setting out how we will work with partners to promote Scotland’s education offer globally, including how we will maintain our links with the EU.

While universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own strategic and operational decision making, the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council will continue to work closely with the sector and offer appropriate support as institutions develop plans to mitigate their financial challenges.

Question reference: S6W-35799

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to claims that the current restrictions on alcohol sales at football matches, while allowing sales at rugby matches, concerts and other major sporting events, unfairly targets football supporters.

The Scottish Government is aware of a range of views from football supporters when it comes to the availability of alcohol in football stadiums, and recognises there is an argument for football supporters to be afforded the same opportunities as fans at other sporting and cultural events. However, we currently have no plans to amend the legislation but remain open to discussions on this issue and will consider any proposals put forward.

Question reference: S6W-35798

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Scottish Funding Council is sufficiently funded to maintain financial stability across the country's universities.

Ministers listened closely to the sector in the development of this year’s budget, and we are investing over £1.1 billion in university teaching and research. In addition, the Scottish Government has made a further £25m of funding available to the Scottish Funding Council to support the sector in mitigating financial challenges.

The Scottish Funding Council monitors financial sustainability across the sector and Ministers have confidence in their ability and expertise. There are many factors impacting universities at the present time, including UK migration policies and the UK Government’s increase to employer national insurance contributions. The latter is estimated to cost Scottish universities over £48 million.

Question reference: S6W-35796

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to support universities facing financial distress, and whether it will introduce additional emergency funding to protect staff and students at the University of Dundee.

The Scottish Government has made £25m of funding available to the Scottish Funding Council to support the sector. The Scottish Funding Council has allocated £22m of this to the University of Dundee to support the university in addressing its immediate financial challenges.

The Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council will continue to explore all means possible and consider any reasonable asks to further support the University of Dundee as it develops a plan to secure a sustainable future. The Scottish Government will carefully consider any approaches for further emergency funding in relation to the financial challenges faced by the university.

Question reference: S6W-35800

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to a pilot scheme allowing controlled alcohol sales at selected football grounds to assess its feasibility and potential impact, and what its response is to similar trials in other countries.

Question reference: S6W-35811

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns regarding AI skills shortages across the UK and EU, what steps it is taking to ensure that Scotland has a strong AI talent pipeline.

Scotland's current and future technology-enabled businesses depend on a strong and growing supply of people equipped with the appropriate skills for careers in AI.

AI skills needs are diverse and, beyond the more obvious Science and Engineering specialisms, include non tech skills from the humanities and also more foundational tech skills (which apply to careers outside AI).

Among the more foundational tech skills, highlighted as a key theme in the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review (STER), we are addressing provision of tech skills through the teacher-led body – Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science. STACS runs extra-curricular activities, promotes computing science as a valued career option and provides a resource centre allowing teachers to enhance their learning support for young people.

Widening access to careers in AI through upskilling is also key for building an inclusive and future-ready workforce. Skills programmes which support widening access are being delivered by the AI Alliance through our free national AI literacy programme and our AI Playbook which provides AI upskilling for SMEs and businesses.

Scottish ministers have been consistently clear about the devastating consequences that the UK Government’s approach to migration has had on Scotland’s education sector and our economy to date. International students, academics and research staff in our world-class universities make a vital contribution to Scotland's prosperity.

We need meaningful engagement with the UK Government on migration and we welcome further clarity on the UK Government’s approach, aligning migration policy with skills policy and look forward to more detail on the anticipated role of the Devolved Governments in this approach.

Question reference: S6W-35993

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all communications, meeting notes and correspondence between ministers and (a) SSE and (b) Equinor regarding the Peterhead gas-fired power station project.

To avoid accusations of bias or undue influence in planning and consenting decisions, Minsters cannot undertake any discussions with developers or objectors about the merits or otherwise of forthcoming, or live applications.

Ministers may of course undertake meetings with companies, as part of everyday Scottish Government business. However, these meetings do not contain conversations about specific planning applications and are properly recorded to ensure full transparency.

Chamber and committees