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-27327

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in the Highlands and Islands region are currently rated (a) excellent, (b) very good, (c) good, (d) satisfactory, (e) weak and (f) unsatisfactory by Education Scotland, broken down by local authority area.

HM Inspectors evaluate the quality of education in Scottish schools using quality indicators. 'How good is our school? (4th edition)’ has been in use since September 2016.

HM Inspectors use a six-point scale to grade individual quality indicators. There are two models of inspection, one in which two quality indicators are graded, and one where four quality indicators are graded. The information provided includes grades assigned for both models of inspection.

The information provided relates to grades assigned during inspections carried out using the current framework, 'How good is our school? (4th edition). The information does not include details of inspections carried out in academic year 2023-24 where fieldwork has been carried out, but the reports not yet published.

Question reference: S6W-27330

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it allocated to the Arctic Connections Fund for (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.

(a) In 2023-24 the Arctic Connections fund was allocated £83,276. The projects funded can be found at Arctic Connections Fund: successful projects 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

(b) Establishing the Arctic Connections Fund was a commitment in the 2019 Arctic Connections policy framework. In 2024-25, following three successful years helping Scottish organisations collaborate with partners in the Arctic, and in line with commitments in Scotland’s International Strategy, we will begin an evaluation of the policy framework. This will consider how Scotland’s Arctic engagement has developed since 2019 and how it can be shaped for the future.

Question reference: S6W-27317

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to its Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI) for 2024-25.

Question reference: S6W-27313

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many communities are unable to access (a) 4G and (b) 5G mobile signals in the Highlands and Islands region, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not collect or hold data on current 4G and 5G mobile coverage. Ofcom’s mobile and broadband checker provides predictions of mobile coverage at postcode level and is available on its website at: https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/en-gb/mobile-coverage .

Ofcom also produces an annual Connected Nations Report ( www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/infrastructure-research ) report including coverage and performance of mobile networks at local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-27306

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it (a) has allocated for 2023-24 and (b) plans to allocate for 2024-25 to the Young Islanders Network.

Question reference: S6W-27309

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions it has carried out an Island Communities Impact Assessment since the introduction of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

Question reference: S6W-27315

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many private (a) 4G and (b) 5G networks have been built in the Highlands and Islands region, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-27316

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any financial support that it offers towards the construction of private mobile phone networks.

Question reference: S6W-27308

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions (a) local authorities and (b) NHS boards have carried out an Island Communities Impact Assessment since the introduction of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

Question reference: S6W-27314

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many so-called mobile phone "notspots" there are in the Highlands and Islands region, broken down by local authority area.