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-17241

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Additional Support for Learning Review Action Plan – Update November 2022, what progress has been made towards refreshing the getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach, and what new guidance it anticipates will come out of this.

The Scottish Government is working with local government partners on the Additional Support for Learning Project Board to deliver the recommendations of the 2020 additional support for learning review by March 2026. As outlined in our updated action plan , published in November 2022, we committed to revise GIRFEC policy and practice guidance, and to consider a single planning process for children and young people.

The Scottish Government published a series of refreshed GIRFEC policy and practice guidance to provide practitioners and professionals working with children, young people and their families with confidence, clarity and practical support to continue to embed the GIRFEC approach.

We are now considering a single planning process for children and young people. A collaborative and pragmatic approach will be taken in the development of any new planning guidance and subsequent impact on statutory and non-statutory plans.

This work is currently on track and the progress is set out in our second progress report , published in November 2022.

A further progress update is due to be published in May 2024.

Question reference: S6W-17253

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for people experiencing severe pain linked to burning mouth syndrome while waiting on NHS waiting lists for tests and treatment.

The Scottish Government recognise that uncertainty while waiting can have an impact on health and wellbeing. That is why we are undertaking a new programme of work, ‘Waiting Well’, which aims to support an active waiting well period by providing access to good information, signposting to local services and community assets, and to professional support and services as required.

We also recognise the impact that long waiting times can have on a patient’s mental health. The Healthy living | NHS inform page provides advice and tools which includes information on mental wellbeing.

Question reference: S6W-17284

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of how many social care staff are required to meet demand.

There are more than 1,200 social care providers across Scotland, with local authorities responsible for providing or commissioning services. Local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships will wish to ensure that, in providing a range of services, their workforce planning arrangements take full account of the need to have safe and sustainable numbers of staff.

The latest figures published by Public Health Scotland show that, on 17 April, the total number of hours of social care support yet to be provided was 38,324.

Question reference: S6W-17167

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it permitted the Lord Advocate to travel to (a) Belgium, (b) the Netherlands and (c) Austria, in 2022, at a reported total cost of £1,430.

To help bring benefits to the people of Scotland.

The Lord Advocate attended the 13th Conference of the Network of Public Prosecutors or equivalent institutions at the Supreme Judicial Courts of the Member States of the European Union (Nadal Network) Conference in Vienna, Austria in May 2022 in her capacity as the head of the system for criminal prosecution in Scotland.

The Lord Advocate also visited Belgium and the Netherlands in November 2022 to build and maintain relations with key Belgian, Dutch and UK Government officials involved in international law enforcement matters.

Question reference: S6W-17181

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Peterborough's model for becoming a circular city by 2050 and its potential application to local authority areas in Scotland.

While we have not made any direct assessment of the Peterborough model, Zero Waste Scotland has engaged with Peterborough City Council in the past and has since explored a number of regional strategies and approaches to help inform their work to support cities and regions to adopt circular economy principles.

Zero Waste Scotland recently developed a framework for local authorities. The framework has been produced to help local authorities embed circular economy into their own operations, their wider cities, districts and regions and to deliver circular opportunities and benefits. It draws together experience, knowledge and learning from Scotland as well as other organisations and locations.

Question reference: S6W-17183

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will put in place to encourage consumers to dispose of nitrous oxide canisters responsibly.

A range of information and advice is available from Zero Waste Scotland and local authorities to help consumers recycle and dispose of waste responsibly, including gas canisters. Householders can seek specific advice from their local authority on recycling and disposal options in their local area.

Nitrous oxide canisters should not be disposed of in residual waste (‘black bag’) bins as they may explode if they are crushed, increasing the risk of injury or fire. Consumers of nitrous oxide canisters should follow advice provided by suppliers or contact their local authority to check that these items are accepted at their nearest Household Recycling Centre, where gas canisters can be safely stored and disposed of by a specialist waste contractor that has the facility to recycle them safely.

We will continue to work closely with the waste sector to consider any further advice required to support safe disposal of nitrous oxide canisters.

Question reference: S6W-16790

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how its domestic abuse policies are informed by research from the Scottish Sentencing Council.

Several recently published research reports support our understanding of the experiences of those affected by domestic abuse, including 'The sentencing of offences involving domestic abuse’, a literature review published by the Scottish Sentencing Council in June 2022, which can be found at https://www.scottishsentencingcouncil.org.uk/media/2231/20220624-domestic-abuse-final-report-as-published.pdf .

These will play a key role as we further develop and assess our policy approach to tackling domestic abuse. Both the research into the implementation of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 which can be viewed at https://www.gov.scot/publications/domestic-abuse-scotland-act-2018-interim-reporting-requirement/ and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of ‘Constabulary for Scotland’s Thematic Review of Domestic Abuse which can be viewed at https://www.hmics.scot/publications/hmics-thematic-inspection-domestic-abuse-phase-1 found that challenges exist in preventing domestic abuse and protecting those who are vulnerable from its harmful effects.

We will continue to take relevant research and information into account as we work with partners to prevent and address domestic abuse.

Question reference: S6W-16789

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects purposeful activity levels in Scottish prisons to be restored to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS is using learning from the pandemic to reshape its delivery model for purposeful activity as part of our 5-year Corporate Plan which is due to be published in Summer 2023.

Although purposeful activity hours have increased since the pandemic, focus will now shift to qualitative improvements rather than quantitative improvements. SPS recognise the importance of an individual's rehabilitation and reintegration and will structure pathways to support progress towards release.

Question reference: S6W-16127

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13796 by Kevin Stewart on 19 January 2023, whether it will provide an update on when further details will be available.

Question reference: S6W-17073

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last with (a) COSLA and (b) local authorities to discuss the roll-out of universal free school meal pilot schemes in secondary schools.