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-21563

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many peer support groups have been established to support adult adoptees affected by forced adoption.

In response to feedback from those with lived experience, we have funded the charity, Health in Mind, to establish specialist peer support groups for those affected by historic forced adoption.

The service launched for enquiries in August 2023 and is ready to offer support to mothers, adult adoptees and anyone else impacted by these historic practices. It is person centred, trauma informed and led by those with lived experience. At present, there have not been enough enquiries to create peer support groups. However, peer support is also being offered on an individual basis. Health in Mind, with the guidance of their lived experience advisory group, continue to promote the service and are focusing on the roll out of service information across Scotland.

We encourage people to consider whether this support might be of benefit to them. Further details of the service, volunteer opportunities and the meet the team events are available online: https://health-in-mind.org.uk/how-we-can-help/national-services/historic-adoption-trauma-support-service/

Question reference: S6W-21578

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported figures showing that the number of all-sector new housebuilding starts has reached its lowest level since 2016.

There were 17,425 all-sector new housebuilding starts during the 12 months to June 2023. We are aware of the global issues affecting construction which are impacting the pace of housing delivery and are working closely with the construction industry and housing partners to mitigate this where possible.

We are pleased that all-sector new housebuilding completions of 23,346 are at their highest annual, year to end June rate, since 2008. This is an increase of 7% (1,481 homes) on last year, as reported on in the latest set of Scottish Government Quarterly Housing Statistics published on 12 September 2023.

Question reference: S6W-21570

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what improvements it plans to make to the A720.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout as part of its £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Following publication of the draft Orders and Environmental Statement, Transport Scotland received a significant number of objections to the proposed scheme. Although Transport Scotland engaged widely with objectors, it was unable to resolve all objections. In view of this, a Public Local Inquiry was held from 31 January to 8 February 2023. As with all trunk road projects this is the appropriate statutory forum for considering objections received and not withdrawn. The independent Reporter is now giving detailed consideration to all evidence before making recommendations to the Scottish Ministers for a decision.

Construction of the proposed scheme can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory authorisation process and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set.

Additionally, the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) will inform the Scottish Government’s transport investment programme in Scotland over the next 20 years and was published in December 2022. It recommends that the priorities for future investment on the A720 are focused on improving safety, reliability and resilience. The transport appraisal that supported the review did not recommend any further large scale intervention beyond that proposed at Sheriffhall.

Question reference: S6W-21565

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update to the Parliament on forced adoption, further to the First Minister's statement to the Parliament on historic forced adoption on 22 March 2023.

Question reference: S6W-21572

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many construction courses have been oversubscribed in each year since 1999, broken down by college.

Question reference: S6W-21567

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken to develop a graduate apprenticeship scheme for social care.

Question reference: S6W-21566

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many adverse incident reviews have been undertaken in (a) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and (b) Adult Mental Health services in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-21340

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in improving information gathering for psychological therapies waiting times, as set out on page 2 of its report, Psychological Therapies Waiting Times in NHS Scotland, which was published on 6 June 2023.

The Scottish Government published a new national Specification for Psychological Therapies (PT) and Interventions on 29 September 2023. This follows a two-year period of development working closely with partners, including the workforce, and other key stakeholders.

We have worked in collaboration with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to revise the waiting reporting guidance for PT and PHS have re-issued the Waiting Times data definitions guidance document which will help to improve accuracy of reporting against the PT waiting times standard. This applies to the delivery of PT as set out in the new Specification. The updated guidance document will be fully operational by 1 April 2024.

Scottish Government officials and Professional Advisors will continue to support NHS Boards to improve reporting of PT waiting times through the established engagement processes. We will work with data analysts and PHS to ensure improved information reporting is carried out consistently across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21573

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 28 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much has been paid in developer contributions to each local authority in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6O-02606

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what additional resources are being allocated to help support Edinburgh City Council to address housing shortages, including the number of families in temporary accommodation, in light of figures showing that over a quarter of all children in temporary accommodation are in Edinburgh.