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: S6O-01910

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the number of applicants applying to study nursing in Scotland does not drop further in the future, in light of UCAS data reportedly showing that the number of applicants has fallen by 24% compared to the same point last year.

Question reference: S6W-14583

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Tom Arthur on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to hold a consultation on community wealth building legislation.

The 2021-22 Programme for Government confirmed our plans to introduce legislation on Community Wealth Building during this Parliamentary session.

I am pleased to announce that I have published a consultation paper on how to achieve this today. The consultation will run until 25 April 2023 and can be accessed at: https://consult.gov.scot/economic-development/community-wealth-building-consultation

This consultation is the opportunity for all interested stakeholders to participate in shaping the content of the legislation and I would welcome a wide range of views on the changes that are required to grow local wealth and give communities a greater stake in the economy.

Responses to the consultation will be considered and used to inform the development of the legislation.

Question reference: S6O-01736

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with the UK Government regarding reports of delays of payment of Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers.

Question reference: S6O-01707

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the next steps are in implementing buffer zones outside abortion clinics in Scotland, in light of the UK Supreme Court judgement on this issue handed down on 7 December 2022.

Question reference: S6O-01604

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress of the work of the National Audiology Review Group on examining hearing services in NHS boards across Scotland and providing recommendations for a national plan for improvement.

The National Audiology Review Group continues its independent review of services having most recently convened on 25 October. The Cabinet Secretary will shortly be meeting with the Review’s Chair for an update on their progress and their developing recommendations.

The review is pursuing four workstreams encompassing the lived experience, governance, quality assurance and education and will fully report in the new year.

Question reference: S6O-01545

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any communication it has had with the UK Government regarding the potential impact on Scotland of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.

Question reference: S6O-01474

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications will be for its budget of recent changes in the UK Government's fiscal policy.

Question reference: S6O-01432

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the needs of mobile home residents will be incorporated in the final version of the strategy, A New Deal for Tenants.

Question reference: S6W-10796

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the value of each local authority's reserves in real terms in 2022-23, and how this compares with the equivalent value in 2006-07.

The information regarding the value of each local authority's reserves in real terms in 2022-23, and how this compares with the equivalent value in 2006-07 is set out in the following table.

LOCAL AUTHORITY RESERVES

	2006-07 Real Terms	2022-23 Real Terms	2006-23 Change Real Terms	2006-23 Change Real Terms
Local Authority	£m	£m	£m	%
Aberdeen City	19.9	66.8	46.8	235.1
Aberdeenshire	23.7	76.7	52.9	223.0
Angus	22.2	41.2	19.0	85.9
Argyll & Bute	33.9	73.0	39.1	115.3
Clackmannanshire	4.3	12.9	8.5	196.9
Dumfries & Galloway	39.5	79.8	40.3	101.9
Dundee City	11.4	39.3	28.0	246.6
East Ayrshire	27.7	49.9	22.1	79.8
East Dunbartonshire	9.2	22.7	13.4	145.1
East Lothian	7.7	18.4	10.7	138.4
East Renfrewshire	9.5	45.3	35.9	379.1
Edinburgh, City of	25.9	173.1	147.1	567.0
Eilean Siar	13.8	19.4	5.6	40.4
Falkirk	24.5	37.8	13.3	54.2
Fife	12.9	141.6	128.7	999.8
Glasgow City	16.0	114.7	98.7	616.2
Highland	40.6	57.5	17.0	41.8
Inverclyde	23.5	29.4	5.9	25.1
Midlothian	13.2	11.5	-1.7	-12.7
Moray	16.2	32.1	15.9	98.6
North Ayrshire	14.3	65.4	51.1	356.8
North Lanarkshire	21.9	123.5	101.6	463.7
Orkney	22.4	28.2	5.8	26.1
Perth & Kinross	38.8	46.1	7.3	18.9
Renfrewshire	28.1	78.4	50.3	179.4
Scottish Borders	19.5	41.0	21.5	110.5
Shetland	0.0	189.5	189.5	N/A
South Ayrshire	-0.7	18.3	19.0	N/A
South Lanarkshire	5.2	71.1	65.9	1271.4
Stirling	9.0	45.6	36.6	407.9
West Dunbartonshire	4.2	12.6	8.4	202.3
West Lothian	5.8	20.5	14.7	255.0
Scotland	564.1	1883.2	1319.1	233.9

NOTES:
1. Local Authority General Fund Reserves for 2006-07 and 2022-23
2. Source: LFR 00 for final, audited 2006-07 figures;
POBE 2022 2022-23 budget estimate figures
3. The Real Terms figures were calculated using the HM Treasury GDP Deflators
dated 23 March 2022.

Question reference: S6O-01359

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is regarding the impact in Scotland to reports that the UK Government is considering a post-Brexit removal of workers’ rights.