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 42337 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-19275

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the commitment in its 2021-22 Programme for Government to support 2,000 women who have had a career break to return to the workplace; how much has been invested in the scheme in total to date, and how many women in total have been supported.

Question reference: S6W-19842

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of a lack of accredited carbon audit advisers based in Shetland.

During the development of the Carbon Audit guidance, under Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF), early engagement with Agents and Lantra was conducted to ensure that the industry could start upskilling its network to meet the expected demand. As a result, the number of FBAASS accredited agents/ associates has increased to 151 (11-07-23). The spread might not cover every island, but it does create a growing network that is improving the access to farmers and crofters who request their services. We will monitor this position closely.

Question reference: S6W-19841

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to recruit and train carbon audit advisers in all local authorities to ensure that farmers and crofters receive advice from someone who has local knowledge and understanding.

Question reference: S6W-19843

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support farmers and crofters in Shetland to undertake carbon audits, in light of reports that there are currently no accredited advisers based in Shetland.

Question reference: S6W-19737

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

The Scottish Government has held the following meetings with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland since May 2021. No agreed outcomes were recorded for these meetings:

1 June 2021: Introductory meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Jeffrey Sharkey (Principal of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
22 and 28th February 2022: Annual forum between Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and Scottish college and university officials (including Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) – To provide SAAS operational and policy updates to help support students in higher education.
24 March 2022: Meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Committee of Scottish Chairs (including Nick Kuenssberg, Chair of Board, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
12 May 2022: Meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Jeffrey Sharkey (Principal of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
23 and 28 February 2023: Annual forum between Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and Scottish college and university officials (including Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) – To provide SAAS operational and policy updates to help support students in higher education.

Question reference: S6W-19619

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given any consideration to expanding the number of public projects covered by Project Bank Accounts (PBAs).

The effectiveness of Project Bank Accounts is monitored and reviewed on a regular basis. Applicability was expanded in 2019 and the current considered position is that further expansion is not justified at this time. Scottish Government actively facilitates PBA use beyond mandated applicability in two main ways (1) flexibility to use a PBA on projects which are marginally below threshold (2) organisational freedom to use a PBA on lower value projects where they consider it appropriate.

Expanding PBA coverage would increase the number of applicable projects but risks upsetting the current fine balance of commercial viability, corporate capacity, skilled capability and budget affordability. Keeping those factors in a reasonable state of equilibrium is fundamental to ensuring PBAs remain a viable means of delivering prompt and insolvency-protected payment to supply chain firms.

Question reference: S6W-19240

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its reasons were for reshuffling some of the portfolio responsibilities that were previously the responsibility of the now Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition and her junior ministers.

Question reference: S6W-19547

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what structures or schemes it currently has in place to provide support to EU students seeking financial support to study in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-19544

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the financial limit is beyond which it considers that the cost for answering a written parliamentary question would be disproportionate.

Question reference: S6W-19556

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to switch to electronic cattle tagging ahead of the scheduled date of 1 January 2024, and whether it can provide clarification on the status of paper passports past this date.

The introduction of mandatory Bovine EID is a substantial project and all applicable legislation is being reviewed. The Scottish Government have undertaken scoping work to determine the main changes to legislation that will be necessary. Once the necessary work is complete a response will be issued to the Bovine EID stakeholder group with an indicative timetable.

Any changes to future Regulations concerning cattle identification, will be subject to a full public consultation. This will also include the future use of paper passports.