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-28183

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered an "earn-as-you-learn" route to midwifery as a means to widen access and help address any recruitment challenges in remote and island NHS boards.

We recognise that alternative career pathways such as earn-as-you-learn can widen access to midwifery careers by providing an alternative route into the profession for those who may not want or be able to choose the undergraduate route, including those who are settled and rooted in our rural and island communities.

That is why, as part of its remit, the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce will propose recommended actions to develop alternative career pathways - recognising a growing interest in flexible learning models which allow students to earn and learn at the same time.

We are also developing a Rural and Islands Workforce Recruitment Strategy which will provide employers with tools and methodologies to strengthen recruitment practice both in and to rural and island communities.

Question reference: S6W-28201

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it expects the reported reduction in the intake of students to Bachelor of Dental Surgery courses in 2021 and 2022 will have on the future dental workforce.

Following recommendation from the Deans of the Scottish Dental Schools, with respect to competence and confidence of pandemic-affected students, undergraduates and vocational trainees in the system during the pandemic were required to repeat the 2020-21 academic year. The Scottish Government has been clear that it could take up to five years for repercussions to fully resolve, however vocational training has now resumed in full and dental school outputs are back to pre-pandemic levels.

Despite this interruption, the Scottish Government has maintained a strong track record in growing the NHS dental workforce in Scotland, with 57 dentists per 100,000 of the population, compared to 42 in England and 46 in Wales.

NHS Education for Scotland statistics published on 4 June 2024 also show an improving picture in workforce numbers, with the number of ‘high street’ NHS dentists from the period March 2023 to March 2024 increasing by almost 5%.

The longer term trend is also positive - these figures show the number of ‘high street’ NHS dentists has increased by 28% from the period March 2007 to March 2024.

The Scottish Government is continuing to work on a range of initiatives to bolster the NHS dental workforce through consideration of both domestic and international pipelines, as well as of the shape and structure of the workforce required into the future. This work includes collaboration with its counterparts across the UK and devolved governments to improve workforce pathways for international dentists, in addition to harnessing skill mix to improve capacity within dental teams.

Question reference: S6W-28150

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of (a) processing and (b) any projected lost revenue resulting from each of the exemptions granted to producers from the proposed Deposit Return Scheme.

The Deposit Return Scheme requires all drinks producers to register with SEPA before their products may be sold in Scotland. There are no exemptions for producers under the scheme. Data on producer registration is held by SEPA.

As an industry-led scheme, the Scottish Government receives no revenue from producers as a result of DRS.

Producers may choose to register product lines with less than 5000 units placed on the market each year as a ‘Low Volume Product’. Producers of Low Volume Products must still register and report the number of products placed on the market, but products will be exempt from the requirement to apply deposits.

Question reference: S6W-28191

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its next Carbon Neutral Islands Project Progress Report.

Question reference: S6W-28203

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the total registration rate for NHS dentistry amongst children has been in each of the last five years.

This information is not held centrally. Since 2024, the statistics for registration and participation are released by Public Health Scotland (PHS) on a quarterly basis. Reports can be accessed at NHS dental data monitoring report - Quarter Ending March 2024 - NHS dental data monitoring report - Publications - Public Health Scotland .

Prior to this, NHS dental registration and participation data was published by PHS annually and can be accessed at Show all releases - Publications - Public Health Scotland.

Question reference: S6T-02058

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported public safety and environmental concerns arising from the fire at Linwood industrial estate on 23 June.

Question reference: S6T-02059

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa, in light of reports that a senior programme director has been removed from the project.

Question reference: S6F-03277

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2024

To ask the First Minister, regarding the impact on child poverty levels in Scotland, what assessment the Scottish Government has made of recent research from the IFS on the impact of the two-child benefit cap.

Question reference: S6F-03266

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2024

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-03280

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2024

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government’s work to roll out the Carer Support Payment.