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-14853

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available for any organisations that are struggling as a result of the delay in awarding grants from the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund.

To support organisations currently funded through the Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention & Adult Learning & Empowering Communities (CYPFEI & ALEC) third sector fund, the Scottish Government is maintaining funding to the total value of £3.6m, bridging the period of the three month extension and consideration of CYPFAL applications.

Additionally, the CYPFEI & ALEC fund administrator, The Corra Foundation, are available to organisations who applied to the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning third sector fund to offer non-financial support by providing links to third sector interfaces to help identify any alternative funding streams.

Question reference: S6W-14850

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund has delayed awarding funds to applicants.

The Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learners (CYPFAL) third sector fund received a significant number of applications from a wide range of organisations totalling £121.8 million of requested funding over the two years, far exceeding the amount of funding available. While we had planned to inform applicants of funding decisions by 31 December 2022, unfortunately this was not possible as more time was required to fully consider all information related to the CYPFAL assessment process.

Question reference: S6W-14851

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 8 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund will allocate funds.

Question reference: S6W-15441

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to the local authority’s decision not to approve plans for a housing development on Sibbald’s Brae in Bathgate on three occasions, prior to it granting planning permission.

Independent reporters have decided three planning appeals relating to housing development on Sibbald’s Brae in Bathgate. In 2014 a reporter refused planning permission; in 2020 a reporter granted planning permission; and in 2022 a reporter amended the planning conditions attached to the 2020 permission. All three decisions were made on the planning merits of the cases and in overall accordance with the development plan. The reporters took full account of all submissions made by parties on the appeals, including those from West Lothian Council and also from members of the local community.

Question reference: S6F-01864

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking, in light of reports that individuals are unable to be discharged from hospital due to a lack of available spaces in care homes.

Question reference: S6W-14558

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure adequate availability of rented accommodation for students, in light of reports that a lack of available and affordable housing is having an adverse impact on students' mental health and wellbeing.

Scotland has led the way in the delivery of affordable housing across the UK with 115,558 affordable homes having been delivered since 2007, over 81,000 of which were for social rent, including 20,250 council homes. The Scottish Government's per capita spending on affordable housing is more than three times higher than the UK Government's.

In addition, our Review of Purpose Built Student Accommodation, which is looking at a number of accommodation issues including supply and affordability, will soon be concluded. I look forward to receiving the recommendations of the expert group who have overseen the review in due course.

Question reference: S6O-01926

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding it will provide to local authorities in response to reported concerns about swimming pool closures.

Question reference: S6W-13836

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS 24 calls have been abandoned before the caller was able to speak to an operator in the period between 1 October 2022 and 10 January 2023.

Question reference: S6O-01858

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to increase the recruitment of pupil support assistants, including ensuring they receive fair pay.

Question reference: S6W-13174

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any proposals for a compensation, settlement and pension scheme for key workers seriously impacted by long COVID as a result of their work.

Adult Disability Payment provides financial assistance for the additional costs experienced by disabled people and people with long term health conditions. Individuals with ongoing daily living or mobility difficulties due to having had Covid-19 can apply for Scottish disability assistance.

More widely the Scottish Government has set out in its Covid Recovery Strategy over 70 actions that will support people by: increasing financial security for low-income households; enhancing the wellbeing of children and young people; and creating good, green jobs and fair work. In support of the Scottish Government’s overarching aims, this will focus on reducing systemic inequalities, tackling poverty, and supporting people most affected during the pandemic.

The administration of pensions is reserved to the UK Government.