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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 443 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-16087

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what routes it has made available for local residents to appeal planning application decisions made by its reporters, in cases where they cannot afford the legal fees and are not entitled to legal aid.

Once planning permission has been granted for a development, whether by the relevant planning authority or, as the case may be, on appeal to the Scottish Ministers, there is no further opportunity for third parties to challenge the decision under planning legislation.

The Scottish planning system is plan-led, with a focus on involving all interests as early and effectively as possible. There are multiple opportunities for local communities to get involved during both the plan-making and planning application stages of the planning and development process.

Furthermore, our ongoing planning reform programme has sought to further strengthen engagement and participation, including the introduction of Local Place Plans and improvements to statutory Pre-Application Consultation (PAC). These reforms have been geared towards front-loading community participation in planning rather than providing opportunity for conflict towards the end.

It is open to any person to seek judicial review of any decision through the Scottish Courts. It is also open to that person, if they are not entitled to legal aid, to seek a protected expenses order from the Courts. The purpose of such an order is to redress the potential imbalance of financial resources between parties in relation to funding litigation by limiting the liability to the applicant in paying costs if their case is unsuccessful.

Question reference: S6T-01294

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to recent reported analysis by Health Equals, which shows that poverty-driven health inequalities are reducing life expectancy among people who live in the most deprived areas.

Question reference: S6O-02086

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it next plans to meet with all parties involved in the proposed Winchburgh train station development.

Question reference: S6W-15765

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it decides to allocate funds for research into specific cancers.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office operates open competitive funding schemes for applied health research projects and fellowships across the wide range of NHS and health challenges in Scotland. These schemes are open to consideration of applications addressing research directed into Cancer. Applications to these schemes are assessed through independent expert peer-review with funding recommendations made by independent expert committees.

Question reference: S6W-15762

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it will implement a phased approach to launching the Deposit Return Scheme.

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.