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-29853

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of all uniforms supplied to NHS Scotland have been manufactured by supported businesses in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S6W-29852

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what mandated minimum percentage of uniforms must be produced by supported businesses in the provisions of the NHS Scotland uniform contract.

Question reference: S6W-31074

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Alasdair Allan on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on the progress of the Grangemouth Just Transition Plan.

The Draft Grangemouth Just Transition Plan has been published today for consultation. The plan sets out the strategic approach to securing a long term and sustainable future for the Grangemouth cluster. I am grateful to all those who have shaped this work to date and welcome their further constructive input over the course of the consultation period. The Scottish Government intend to publish the final plan in Spring 2025.

The publication can be found here.

Question reference: S6W-30148

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what further engagement it will have with the UK Government regarding bringing the oil port terminal at Grangemouth into public ownership to support energy security.

Following the announcement by Petroineos to continue supplying fuel via an import terminal at Grangemouth and reflecting the reserved nature of the security of fuel supplies, the Scottish Government has been engaging collaboratively with the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to assess the efficacy of the business’ import terminal plans.

We will continue to seek assurance from both the UK Government and Petroineos that appropriate controls and actions are in place to ensure adequate fuel flows to continue from Grangemouth long into the future.

Question reference: S6W-30149

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to bring forward Falkirk Growth Deal projects, in light of reports of the Grangemouth refinery closure.

Project development and delivery are led by Falkirk Council and other local partners. Officials are in regular communication with both the UK Government and Falkirk Council regarding the signing of the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal. Partners are currently preparing business cases for all projects and officials are working to support this process to enable project delivery to commence. This crucial project development work has been ongoing ahead of the formal signing. Partners have identified the Deal projects which are sufficiently developed to commence and have prioritised those accordingly within the 10 year delivery programme of the Growth Deal.

Question reference: S6W-30150

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) Falkirk Council regarding the final sign-off of the Falkirk Growth Deal.

Officials are in regular contact with both the UK Government and Falkirk Council regarding the signing of the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal. Discussion continues at pace to align Ministers and Falkirk Council to secure a date for the signing to bring the Deal into delivery. Signing was previously scheduled before the General Election but had to be postponed during that process. Project development is led by Falkirk Council and other local partners and this has continued ahead of the formal signing, ensuring this delay does not adversely impact Deal progress.

Question reference: S6O-03821

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in reforming the female custodial estate.

Question reference: S6W-29844

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in addition to the £144.5 million that has already been announced, what further financial support it will provide to local authorities to maintain teacher numbers.

The Scottish Government has provided record funding of over £14 billion to local councils this year – a real-terms increase of 2.5% compared with the previous year. This includes £145.5 million to maintain teacher numbers and £242 million to support previous teacher pay deals.

We have also made available £29 million to support the 2024-25 teachers’ pay deal.

We value the teaching profession which is why Scotland has the most teachers per pupil and the highest paid classroom teachers in the UK.

Question reference: S6W-29849

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, whether it is considering providing (a) further financial support and (b) other resources for research into (i) neuroblastoma and (ii) other cancers that affect children.

The Scottish Government’s ten year Cancer Strategy published in 2023 sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to improving patient pathways from cancer prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care, and this includes our ambitions for flourishing research and innovation. The Scottish Government is also the only UK-nation to have a dedicated strategy to support children and young people with cancer, delivered through the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer. This network will continue to contribute to national and international research projects which aim to maximise cure for those with the highest risk disease and minimise treatment burden for those who are already curable.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) supports cancer research in Scotland including on cancers affecting children through investments in NHS Research Scotland infrastructure including Cancer and Paediatric Research Networks and in Paediatric and Adult Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres that support the delivery of clinical studies and trials. In addition, CSO supports funding opportunities for cancer research through access to National Institute for Health & Care Research programmes. CSO also recently established a collaboration with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission to co-fund a neuro-oncology fellowship in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-29847

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding its announcement of £22 billion of potential budget reductions and any impact that this will have on Barnett consequential funding.

The First Minister and I met the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 28 August, following the Chancellor’s statement on 29 July that outlined a £22 billion shortfall in the UK public finances.

I will be having further discussions with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, along with the devolved finance ministers from Wales and Northern Ireland, at a meeting of the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC) on 3 October.

Under the Barnett formula, increases or decreases in funding for UK Departments drive the funding available to the Scottish Budget. We expect that consequentials for this financial year will be not be formally confirmed until the completion of the supplementary estimates process in early 2025, with an update expected as part of the UK Budget on 30 October.