Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-14229

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of its analysis of the impact of the Network Support Grant scheme on the bus network across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-14228

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the Network Support Grant scheme for the bus network beyond March 2023 in (a) general and (b) order to ensure there is sufficient support for the number 52 bus route in Barrhead.

Question reference: S6W-14227

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent communication it has had with McGill's Buses regarding the number 52 bus route in Barrhead.

Question reference: S6W-14226

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) regarding the proposal to withdraw the Network Support Grant scheme at the end of March 2023.

Question reference: S6O-01826

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with East Renfrewshire Council.

Question reference: S6O-01744

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting children and young people's theatre.

Question reference: S6W-12321

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what funding support it plans to make available to Renfrewshire Council to ensure that Dargavel Primary School, in Bishopton, can accommodate the reported larger than estimated school roll.

We are taking the capacity issues at Dargavel Primary School very seriously.

We are aware that Renfrewshire Council is currently working on a long-term solution for the school, and has committed to engaging with parents and carers on proposals. My officials will continue to engage with the Council throughout that process. To date, the Council has not requested any assistance from the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-12325

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether low-income families that are comprised of children in (a) kinship care and (b) foster care are eligible for the new Scottish Child Payment.

Scottish Child Payment offers financial support to families with children, and is paid as a top-up of certain qualifying reserved benefits, such as Universal Credit. Applicants must also demonstrate child responsibility to meet the qualifying criteria in full.

The regulations for Scottish Child Payment specifically define kinship care as a way of meeting child responsibility and so low-income families that are also kinship carers may be eligible for Scottish Child Payment if they meet all the eligibility criteria. We recently amended the definition of kinship care to ensure more low income kinship carers are eligible now we have rolled out Scottish Child Payment to children under 16. These regulations can be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2022/336/contents/made ..

Low income families that are also foster carers are not eligible for Scottish Child Payment. This is because children in foster care are considered looked after by the local authority and, as such, foster carers do not satisfy the legal responsibilities or rights that entitle them to child responsibility benefits. Foster carers receive allowances from local authorities to cover the needs of children living with them.

Question reference: S6W-12398

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be represented by any (a) Scottish Ministers, (b) elected politicians and (c) officials at the World Cup in Qatar.

Question reference: S6W-12507

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make additional resources available to support the NHS Gluten-free Food Service.

Chamber and committees