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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 393 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-27938

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24385 by Shona Robison on 22 January 2024, whether it will provide an updated list of any current (a) ministerial taskforces, (b) Cabinet committees, (c) Cabinet sub-committees, (d) ministerial working groups and (e) other ministerial committees.

Kate Forbes: Information on Cabinet and Cabinet Sub-Committees is available on the Scottish Government website here; any change to these structures would be updated on these pages:

Cabinet and Ministers - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot )

Cabinet sub-committees: factsheet - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

There is also a range of other Ministerial groups and taskforces that are co-ordinated by individual portfolios. These are developed as required and change over time, therefore a comprehensive list of such groups is not available.

Question reference: S6W-27929

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met with representatives of (a) the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, (b) the Law Society of Scotland, (c) the Faculty of Advocates, (d) legal firms and (e) judicial officeholders since the stage 1 debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 23 April 2024, and what was discussed.

Angela Constance: The Scottish Government meets regularly with representatives of the bodies mentioned to discuss a range of issues.

On the specific topic of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill the Scottish Government continues to engage with all interested stakeholders, including those from the legal sector.

Since the Stage 1 debate on 23 April 2024 officials have met with the Law Society Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates to discuss the policies contained in the Bill.

The Bill has been shaped by cross-sector consideration and collaboration, and Scottish Ministers remain committed to this approach as it progresses through Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-28018

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27514 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, whether it will outline the savings made from the 10% reduction made to chief executive pay, and which posts these savings were achieved from.

Over the last 5 years (from 2019 to date) there have been 26 new Chief Executive appointments in public bodies directly covered by the public sector pay policy. To date, 20 posts have been filled and 6 are currently pending. The policy expectation to apply a 10% reduction on outgoing Chief Executive remuneration packages has delivered an estimated saving of over £325,000 to the public purse at the time of appointment.

The cumulative saving over the last 5 years is higher than £325,000 as the saving for each post is recurring year on year, although the amount will diminish each year as the new incumbents progress up their pay ranges.

This policy expectation is predicated on the ability to fill the post with a suitable candidate having regard to external market levels, value for money and recruitment and retention issues.When considering the level of reduction, the whole remuneration package (salary, pay range, non-consolidated performance payment, notice period and any other non-salary rewards) is taken into account. All remuneration packages are assessed to ensure they are an appropriate use of public resources to deliver the public services needed.

Over the last 5 years, savings have been made in connection with the following Chief Executive posts.

Bord Gaidhlig na h-Alba

Care Inspectorate

Children's Hearings Scotland

Crown Estate Scotland

Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

National Museums of Scotland

Police Investigations and Review Commissioner

Risk Management Authority

Scottish Canals

Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission

Scottish Enterprise

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Scottish Funding Councils*

Scottish Rail Holdings Ltd*

Scottish Social Services Council*

sportscotland

Visit Scotland*

Water Industry Commission for Scotland*

* recruitment currently ongoing

Question reference: S6W-28017

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27514 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, when it plans to update the Parliament on the Public Service Reform programme, including whether the current landscape remains (a) appropriate, (b) value for money and (c) effective.

The objective of the Public Service Reform programme is to ensure our public services remain sustainable that the future system must ensure the public service landscape is the right size and composition. Our commitment to reform balances responding to short-term budget pressures whilst building a platform for longer-term reform. There are over 30 actions under the PSR programme, including work to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

We are committed to providing regular updates to the Parliament on the PSR programme and, as such, a detailed report was made to Parliament via the Finance and Public Administration Committee (FPAC) on 19 December 2023, noting a commitment to six monthly updates.

However, in line with the pre-election guidance, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Shona Robison MSP wrote to the Convener of FPAC on 4 June highlighting the need to delay the publication of the next update. A revised publication date will be confirmed in due course which will set out our progress on the PSR programme.

During this election period I remain committed to pressing forward on delivering on the immediate actions. Therefore, have written directly to public bodies reiterating my focus on improved effectiveness and setting out my intent to meet with public bodies.

Question reference: S6W-27994

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, whether its (a) ministers and (b) officials have had any recent discussions with (i) Homes England, (ii) the UK Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, (iii) industry and (iv) developers regarding the establishment of a dedicated non-departmental public body for housebuilding in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-27998

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27602 by Jenny Gilruth on 28 May 2024, what discussions (a) the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, (b) ministers and (c) officials have had with (i) COSLA, (ii) local authorities, (iii) parents and carers and (iv) young people regarding the roll-out of universal free school meals, and whether it has sought to roll this out before 2026.

Since the Scottish Government first introduced universal free school meals for Primaries 1-3 in 2015, Scottish Ministers and officials have regularly engaged with a wide range of stakeholders as their views and experiences have been essential in developing the programme.

COSLA and local authorities are represented on groups involved in the roll out of universal free school meals. Officials and Ministers have engaged with young people regarding free school meals through their attendance at stakeholder events. Parents and carers views have been captured in reports including the Poverty and Inequality Commission’s Child Poverty Delivery plan progress report and NHS Scotland’s Evaluation of the Implementation of Universal Free School Meals in Primaries 1-3.

Question reference: S6W-27996

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, how the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) is supporting housebuilding, and whether it considers this to have removed any bureaucratic delays from (a) developers and (b) housing organisations and associations.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) supports the delivery of more high quality homes in the right locations to provide choice and meet diverse needs. As a recently adopted part of the development plan, it provides an up-to-date context for decision making that has a democratic mandate to guide us to the place we want Scotland to be in 2045. There is no need for local development plans to replicate policies in NPF, enabling planning authorities to focus on allocating land for new homes, and supporting their delivery in collaboration with developers, communities and infrastructure providers.

We recognise there is scope to improve on current planning timescales. There can be many reasons for delays in determining applications, including incomplete applications leading to requests for additional information, delays with responses from consultees and the time take to reach legal agreements. However, timescales for decisions are only one measure, and constructive and collaborative working between applicants and authorities means that consistently over 93% of applications are approved annually.

We recently consulted on resourcing the planning system, including options to improve capacity and the number of planners. The consultation closed on 31 May and we are carefully considering the responses received.

Question reference: S6W-27995

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, whether it has actively considered the establishment of a non-departmental public body, similar to Homes England, to help alleviate the housing emergency, increase the building of affordable and social housing and remove any bureaucratic delays from developers.

Question reference: S6W-27997

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, what the costs associated with establishing a new non-departmental public body, similar to Homes England, to do this work would be.

Question reference: S6W-27936

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update the Parliament on its work to bring forward and implement a minimum income guarantee, and what it currently estimates the financial cost of such a policy to be.

The work to define a Minimum Income Guarantee for Scotland continues to be led by an independent Expert Group who are due to publish a full report, which will include consideration of costs, later this year. The Scottish Government will respond to the recommendations made in due course. The report is expected to focus on what is deliverable and fiscally responsible now, alongside a longer-term vision for what a Minimum Income Guarantee with full powers might look like. The Expert Group’s work has been overseen by a cross-party Strategy Group who will continue to be updated as the work progresses.