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-02085

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the potential impact of the proposed timetable reductions by ScotRail on efforts to ensure a modal shift from car to train.

Question reference: S6W-17558

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), as a percentage of frontline spend, this parliamentary session, broken down by financial year.

Net mental health expenditure is published on the Public Health Scotland website Scottish health service costs under data files mental health expenditure Excel workbook . This information is available for financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 for each NHS Board in Scotland, split by various types of expenditure including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), adult mental health services, and older adult mental health services. Please note that expenditure data is collected by broad specialties and therefore categories may include multiple ‘services’.

Question reference: S6W-17462

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many school places have been utilised by child (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers since 2022.

The pupil census, which records a snapshot of data at a particular point in time, showed that on the date of collection in September 2022 there were 2,062 pupils reported as asylum seekers and 5,746 reported as refugees.

Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 local authorities have a duty to provide adequate and efficient provision of school education for all children residing in their local area.

This duty does not distinguish between children and young people on the basis of their country of origin, race, belief or religion or refugee status.

Question reference: S6W-17027

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on (a) which local authorities currently have hardship funds and (b) how much funding has been dispersed from any such funds in each local authority area in the last 12 months.

Question reference: S6W-17369

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review how new local taxes could be used to (a) redistribute wealth and (b) meet the aims of the so-called polluter pays principle.

As part of our New Deal for Local Government, we are working with COSLA to agree a Fiscal Framework for Local Government, with the aim of delivering greater flexibility over financial arrangements, improving accountability for the delivery of national priorities, including net zero objectives, whilst ensuring maximum value for money. We anticipate the new Fiscal Framework will facilitate opportunities for greater local fiscal empowerment in the future, and aim to give councils more flexibility with greater scope for discretionary local revenue-raising. This will include exploring new ways to raise revenue and reviewing existing local taxes and powers, to make best use of all available and potential sources of local funding.

Question reference: S6W-17383

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to mitigate the economic impact on (a) South Uist and (b) other island communities of any extended periods when there is no ferry service.

I recognise that every cancelled sailing can have a significant impact and realise that this is not just about ferry service performance, it’s about delivering the confidence needed to sustain island communities, businesses, and populations.

In addition to investment in new vessels, Scottish Minsters have provided funding for the charter of MV Alfred to improve resilience over a nine month period. I can assure you that I, along with my officials at Transport Scotland, will continue to work closely with and support CalMac to resolve issues as best we can and minimise periods where services are restricted.

Question reference: S6W-17399

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister received legal advice prior to his announcement of the delay to the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-17438

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk of infection in Scotland of the tick-borne encephalitis virus, which has been detected in the UK and reportedly can be fatal, in light of the UK Health Security Agency recommendation to implement changes to testing in hospital so that new cases can be detected promptly.

The Scottish Government is committed to monitoring the risk and prevention of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus.

The identification of one probable case of TBE in Scotland is insufficient evidence to conclude that there has been a significant change to the risk to human health in Scotland from TBE. On 5 April, the HAIRS group published an updated TBE Risk Assessment which states that the risk of infection to the general population in the UK remains very low, and low for high risk groups (such as those living, working or visiting affected areas, as determined by duration of time spent outside).

However, the potential seriousness of TBE infection and this finding has prompted increased clinical surveillance. Furthermore, Public Health Scotland have requested the UK Health Security Agency undertake tick capture and testing in Lochearnhead this spring to assess whether TBE infection can be identified in ticks in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-17460

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether all of the responses to its consultation on the mobility component of the Adult Disability Payment will be presented to those undertaking the independent review of the Adult Disability Payment later in 2023.

All respondents to the consultation were asked if they consent to their response being published, either anonymously or with their name attached.

Where a respondent has given consent, their response will be published and shared with the independent review.

Where a respondent has not given consent, their response will not be published and their response will not be shared with the independent review.

An independent analysis of the consultation will take full account of all responses. The analysis will be published on gov.scot and passed to the independent review of Adult Disability Payment when it commences.

Question reference: S6W-17093

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the average amount of student loan debt was for a Scotland-domiciled undergraduate student upon completing their course at a Scottish university, in each year since 2007.