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: S5O-00322

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage school pupils to study medicine at university.

Question reference: S5O-00248

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to tackle claimants' abuse of the welfare powers that are being devolved.

Question reference: S5W-01826

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 August 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been provided to local authorities to ensure consistent reporting of the number of pupils with additional support needs.

The ScotXed Unit within the Scottish Government provide guidance notes to schools in Scotland responsible for reporting on the school/pupil census. This includes the reporting of pupils with additional support needs.The Scottish Government is committed, through the Advisory Group for Additional Support for Learning, to improve guidance to authorities on the reporting of pupils with additional support needs. Work to agree this is ongoing.The current guidance notes can be accessed at the following link:http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/ScotXed/SchoolEducation/SchoolPupilCensus/SurveyDocumentation

Question reference: S5W-01828

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 August 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the amount owed in unpaid council tax and rent by local authority employees, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S5W-01542

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 July 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 26 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government which of its departments will be responsible for the operation of the Baby Box scheme; what items will be included in the boxes; who will be responsible for their distribution, and how much the scheme will cost each year to run.

<>The Directorate of Children and Families, Creating Positive Futures Division will be responsible for the operation of the Baby Box Scheme in close partnership with other policy areas across the organisation. The Scottish Government are working with a variety of stakeholders and with parents to agree which items will be included in the boxes. Options for distribution are being considered and will form part of the procurement exercise in the coming weeks. The proposal is for a Scottish baby box of the same standard as the Finnish model costing in the region of £6 million (or approximately £100 per box) per annum. Further information on the Finnish model can be found at: http://www.kela.fi/web/en/maternitypackage.

Question reference: S5O-00047

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 15 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its education directorate’s role is in addressing the number of 16 to 19-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training.

The Scottish Government is determined to do everything it can, working with our national and local partners, to ensure that all young people get the best possible educational opportunities.

Our education directorates are focused on delivering key education policies, including curriculum for excellence; Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy: Developing the Young Workforce; the National Improvement Framework; Opportunities for All; and Raising Attainment - all focused on improving outcomes for our young people.

Question reference: S5O-00026

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Agency regarding the implementation of the curriculum for excellence.