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-18319

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants are currently working on the National Care Service, given as a (a) headcount and (b) FTE staff figure.

Question reference: S6W-18116

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered reviewing existing structures surrounding the regulation of private first aid companies, to ensure that there is sufficient oversight of all first aid providers in Scotland.

We agree that this is important and we want to make sure that the sector is as safe as possible and those providing first aid in Scotland are valued and appropriately trained. Officials will take this under active consideration as they undertake further work and engagement with stakeholders and continue to scope the extent of issues raised by unregulated private first aid companies and consider the most appropriate and proportionate next steps.

Question reference: S6W-18119

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16710 by Jamie Hepburn on 16 May 2023, what mechanism or measure it would potentially plan to use to determine whether “the people of Scotland wish that to be the case”.

Question reference: S6W-18094

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate air monitors are installed at schools in each local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or fine particulate air monitors are installed at schools in each local authority area.

The Scottish Government has allocated significant funding of £13.8 million to local authorities in relation to improving ventilation in schools.

In January, it was confirmed by local authorities that all circa 50,000 learning, teaching and play spaces across Scotland have been equipped with a CO2 monitor.

Question reference: S6W-18151

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Waste Route Map to 2025 will be published, in light of its consultation stating that the full route map would be published in early 2023.

The Circular Economy & Waste Route Map sets out how we intend to deliver our system-wide, comprehensive vision for Scotland's Circular Economy by outlining tangible actions the Scottish Government and others must take to accelerate progress.

The responses to the Route Map consultation have been published, and we are considering this feedback carefully as part of the development of the Route Map, alongside ongoing assessment of impacts. Analysis of the consultation findings will be published in due course.

We intend to consult on a draft Route Map, before bringing forward a final Waste Route Map later this year.

Question reference: S6W-18158

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans it made and (b) resources it provided to local authorities to enforce the ban on single-use plastics introduced in 2022.

Enforcement of the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 is the responsibility of local authorities, who have autonomy to allocate the resources available to them based on local needs and priorities. The Scottish Government is providing an additional £793 million of funding to local authorities in 2023-24.

In addition to guidance published on the Scottish Government website in advance of the Regulations, Zero Waste Scotland delivered an awareness raising campaign in the six months prior to the Regulations coming into force to increase business and public awareness of the Regulations. We will continue to support businesses to comply with requirements.

Question reference: S6W-18137

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Minister for Higher and Further Education to the Education, Children and Young People Committee on 2 May 2023, on what date the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills identified the now withdrawn £26 million of funding for colleges as a "necessary saving".

Question reference: S6W-18120

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project has cost to date, and what future funding provision it has made for its delivery.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how much the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project has cost to date - this information is held by Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar.

Initial design and development costs have been incurred on the school and community element of the project, which is being delivered through the Learning Estate Investment Programme.

These upfront project costs have been paid by the local authority and will form part of the total project costs, up to 50% of which will be funded by the Scottish Government through the Learning Estate Investment Programme’s outcome based funding model mechanism.

Question reference: S6W-18102

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a full breakdown of its spend on Nature Networks from the Scottish Budget 2022-23.

In 2022-23, £200,000 was awarded to the Green Action Trust to support nature restoration and ecological connectivity across the Central Scotland Green Network.

In addition, our Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) helps to support ecological connectivity including through nature networks. Through the Edinburgh Process strand of the NRF in 2022-23, local authorities shared a direct allocation of £5 million to support nature restoration. During 2022-23 we awarded funding to 78 projects, totalling £12.9m worth of investments in nature. Details of projects funded to date from the competitive strand are available on NatureScot’s website at: https://www.nature.scot/funding-and-projects/scottish-government-nature-restoration-fund-nrf .

Question reference: S6W-18379

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its timescale is for reviewing the recommendations contained in the Animal Welfare Committee's updated Opinion on the Welfare of Farmed Fish at the Time of Killing, and whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates the recommendations will be made publicly available.

The Scottish Government is aware of the importance of protecting the welfare of fish at the time of slaughter and takes this very seriously.

We will carefully consider any recommendations made by the Animal Welfare Committee concerning the welfare of fish at the time of slaughter. However, due to a lack of clear communication from the UK Government, we do not yet have a timescale for when the report will be published.