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-22029

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated timetable for the implementation of the measures in the Children (Scotland) Act 2020.

The Scottish Government provided an update on implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act) during March of this year in a response to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee on Public Petition PE1968: https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/citizen-participation-and-public-petitions-committee/correspondence/2022/pe1968/pe1968_c.pdf

The Scottish Government is working with the Care Inspectorate with a view to the Care Inspectorate becoming the regulator of child contact services.

We are also considering what other provisions of the 2020 Act we can commence in the next year, but will need to take full account of current budgetary constraints.

Question reference: S6W-21930

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) timescales and (b) processes it has in place to legislate to end so-called conversion practices in Scotland; what it anticipates such a ban will entail or encompass, and whether it considers there will be adequate time for consultation to allow for all views to be heard on the matter while still being able to legislate within the current parliamentary session, in light of other current legislative pressures.

The Scottish Government is committed to introducing a Bill on ending conversion practices in Scotland. A public consultation containing detailed proposals for legislative change will be published by the end of this calendar year. The consultation will allow us to provide clear and detailed information on our proposed approach in order to obtain views from stakeholders and the broader public.

In developing our proposals we are carefully considering a wide range of evidence and expert advice. This includes the report of the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee and the report and recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group set up by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-21877

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place in the event that a local authority is declared bankrupt.

Any indications of concern would be raised with the local authority. The Scottish Ministers would consider how best to support the local authority including and may seek assurance that action would be taken to address concerns.

In a case of serious financial failure, such as bankruptcy, the Scottish Ministers may make use of legislative powers to ensure appropriate steps are taken to remedy the situation.

Question reference: S6W-21868

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has concluded whether any further staff pay increases in the education sector (a) will be funded via additional money delivered to local authorities by the Scottish Government, (b) will be taken from existing wider local authority budgets or (c) can be paid for using Scottish Government education funds that have ring-fenced and specified targeted uses, and what discussions the Scottish Ministers have had with COSLA on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-21846

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it maintains a central list of any businesses and other organisations that are prohibited from engaging with Scottish public bodies due to human rights concerns, such as the use of forced labour.

Question reference: S6W-21978

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21585 by Richard Lochhead on 3 October 2023, whether (a) it has changed its relationship and (b) public bodies have changed their relationships with any companies listed by the UN Human Rights Office as involved in activities related to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, following the exchanges of correspondence published in response to FOI/202200334471.

I refer the member to my answer to S6W-21585 on 3 October 2023, outlining Scottish Government action.

The Scottish Government asked public bodies to consider the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) list as part of their due diligence processes. Relationship management is an operational matter for each public body.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-21886

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether falling pupil rolls will be taken into account if local authorities do not increase teacher numbers to the levels that it requires, and what impact that will have on any consequences arising.

Question reference: S6W-21887

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether school performance will be taken into account if local authorities do not increase teacher numbers to the levels that it requires, and, if so, how such performance is measured.

Question reference: S6W-21963

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to train operating companies that are proposing to close ticket offices regarding the reported concerns of train passengers, including those travelling to and from Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21989

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates any workforce pressures in relation to skilled stonemasons in the next 10 years.

The Scottish Government has been exploring the workforce demand for skilled stonemasons through engagement with the stonemasonry short life working group led by Historic Environment Scotland. The working group was set up to look at stonemasonry and traditional skills provision in Scotland with a view to identifying sustainable models of stonemasonry training for future delivery.

Additionally, Historic Environment Scotland ran a stonemasonry consultation in early 2023 to inform understanding of the size, shape and resilience of the stonemasonry sector in Scotland.

The stonemasonry working group have since provided their report of findings and recommendations to Ministers for their consideration.

The Minister for Higher and Further Education and Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development met recently to discuss the report and will also meet with HES and key stakeholders in due course to discuss the report’s findings and proposals for sustainable provision of a Stonemasonry apprenticeships and traditional skills in Scotland.

The Purpose and Principles for Post-School Education, Research and Skills, and the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape publications both make clear that the system needs to be reformed to deliver both for the learner and the needs of employers. This includes a commitment to national, regional and local skills planning to ensure that the education and skills system continues to be responsive to learner and employer needs.