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-32295

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour with regard to its work to assess removing access to concessionary bus passes from individuals who carry out antisocial behaviour.

The Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour is reporting to Ministers, COSLA and Police Scotland by the end of 2024. Its remit was to: Consider the effectiveness of current approaches to understanding, preventing and tackling antisocial behaviour and if, and how, these could be improved to develop a holistic long term strategic approach which will help to improve the lives of communities across Scotland. This should include consideration of whether a preventative approach would be appropriate and how victims of antisocial behaviour are supported and whether this could be improved.

As part of its engagement work it met with a number of representatives from the transport sector who had also been invited to respond to a national data survey commissioned by the Working Group. This report will be published in the first quarter of 2025 and will be considered by Scottish Ministers, Police Scotland and Cosla prior to a formal response.

Transport Scotland is exploring legal means to suspend access to concessionary travel for perpetrators of persistent antisocial behaviour of anyone of any age. Whilst this is being progressed as a priority, the National Concessionary Travel Schemes in Scotland are provided on a universal statutory basis. Therefore, detailed and thorough consideration of any process and penalty must be undertaken to ensure consistency and fairness.

Question reference: S6O-04172

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve discipline in schools.

Question reference: S6W-31989

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many people died from hospital acquired infections in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6O-04092

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will boost productivity in the Scottish economy.

Question reference: S6W-31839

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the SPCB) on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its position is on whether MSP staff should be entitled to reimbursement for pedal cycle miles in relation to official business-related travel.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body supports the reimbursement of pedal cycle mileage expenses for MSP staff in relation to business travel as part of its commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly travel options.

Members may also claim for reimbursement of pedal cycle mileage expenses that occur because of their parliamentary work. The reimbursement rate for bicycle travel is set at 20p per mile which is in line with current HMRC approved mileage rates. This policy aligns with broader efforts by the SPCB to promote green initiatives and supports MSP staff in making environmentally friendly travel choices.

Question reference: S6F-03592

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the UK Government’s reported allocation of between £295 million and £330 million to cover the increase in employer national insurance contributions for the public sector in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04021

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on population trends, what its response is to National Records of Scotland data showing that 2023 had the lowest number of recorded births since records began in 1855.

Question reference: S6O-03958

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact free university tuition has had on young people deciding to stay in Scotland to study for a degree.

Question reference: S6W-30612

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were living with secondary breast cancer on the last date for which figures are available.

Question reference: S6W-30613

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve secondary breast cancer data collection as part of its Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023-2026.

The Scottish Government is working with Public Health Scotland to review options in relation to collecting data on secondary breast cancer in Scotland. This includes consideration of the NHS England audit, data available in Scotland, clinical time required, other cancer data priorities and how it can be used to improve services. We are aiming to agree the best method of data collection by the end of the current Cancer Action Plan in March 2026.