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: S6F-02067

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to a recent report suggesting that current forestry grant funding rules are supporting projects that are harmful to peatlands, and which, as a result, generate more CO2 than they sequester.

Question reference: S6F-02064

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the anti-poverty summit that took place on Wednesday 3 May.

Question reference: S6F-02057

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02056

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-16811

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to money advice agencies to test improvements to ways of working with people with mental health issues.

In financial year 2021-2022 the Scottish Government provided £5,116 for the development of a Mental Health and Money Toolkit.

The toolkit, which was developed in partnership with the Money and Pensions Service and Change Mental Health is designed to help people understand, manage, and improve their financial health and wellbeing.

We continue to work with a range of partners, including mental health and money advice services, to ensure that people can access the right practical advice and support to help them cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

Question reference: S6W-16842

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many veterans have used and been encouraged to take up educational opportunities through the ADVANCE Network, previously known as the HE:FE Veterans Champions' Network.

Veterans are assets to our society and my ambition remains to make Scotland the destination of choice for Service leavers and their families, offering high living standards, great educational opportunities and a society that respects and values their contribution.

The work of Armed Forces and Veterans Champions throughout Scotland is crucial to ensuring veterans can access the right support, guidance and services. The Scottish Government supports fully the work of the Champions in public sector organisations including Police Scotland, Local Authorities, the NHS, Department for Work and Pensions and Higher and Further Education institutions.

The ADVANCE Network was established by the Veterans Group to provide a single point of contact in each of Scotland's colleges and universities for veterans, ex-armed forces and their families. While the Network is not specifically designed to provide educational opportunities to the armed forces community, it does have a role in promoting Higher Education and Further Education to those from within the armed forces community, and many institutions have educational options available for the armed forces community. The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of veterans who use the Network to access educational opportunities.

Question reference: S6W-16766

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial viability of community boxing clubs in Scotland, and what steps it will take to prevent clubs from closing due to increased running and utilities costs in the next financial year.

While the Scottish Government has not undertaken any assessment of the financial viability of community boxing clubs, we recognise their importance to the overall physical, mental and social health of communities across Scotland.

sport scotland investment into Boxing Scotland supports a wide range of boxing activity that encourages and supports people to participate in boxing, including both club and coach development.

We understand the challenging financial circumstances facing many sports facilities and are fully aware that rising energy costs are a significant issue. Given that most of the levers to respond to these challenges are reserved, we strongly urge the UK Government to use all the powers at its disposal to tackle this cost of living crisis.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with sport scotland to explore how facility operators and the wider sporting sector can best be supported.

Question reference: S6W-16684

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been provided with any evaluation reports of the specialist domestic abuse courts in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and, if so, whether it will publish these.

An independent Evaluation of the Pilot Domestic Abuse Court in Glasgow was undertaken by Reid Howie Associates and published on the Scottish Government’s website at the time. It is available; at; https://web.archive.org/web/20130205035916/http:/www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/173485/0048418.pdf

The report is also referred to in a letter from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service which was published on the Criminal Justice Committee’s page on Scottish Parliament’s Website at Criminal Justice Committee Evidence Session 8 December 2021 Further Evidence | Scottish Parliament Website

There is no evaluation report for Edinburgh.

Question reference: S6W-16637

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it plans to introduce a domestic abuse register.

Question reference: S6W-16507

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to expand the learning of (a) BSL and (b) other modern languages in schools.

Since 2013 the teaching of modern languages in schools has expanded considerably. Language learning is now normal in schools beginning at P1 and continuing throughout the Broad General Education (BGE). Prior to the introduction of the 1+2 approach, learning modern languages did not normally commence until later into primary schooling.

We have supported this expansion by providing funding of over £50million to partners and local authorities since 2013. This funding has been used to help upskill the workforce by providing teachers with training in language learning and teaching. It has also been used to promote language learning to learners, families and communities.

Under the 1+2 approach at least two languages should be taught during the BGE. The first additional language must be one that can be taught to the level of a National Qualification; however, the second additional language can be any language, including BSL. The second additional language does not need to be taught continuously, which gives pupils the opportunity to learn about a variety of languages and cultures. In keeping with the flexibility of Curriculum for Excellence, it is up to schools and local authorities to determine which languages they wish to offer.

We are working with a range of organisations to make sure that BSL is promoted to schools and local authorities, and that resources are developed to support schools that wish to offer BSL as one of the languages they teach. Uptake of BSL has steadily increased in the primary sector in recent years, with 113 schools across 24 local authorities reported to be teaching it as of 2021.