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-15471

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the (a) February 2023 Audit Scotland report, NHS in Scotland 2022, and (b) statement that the Scottish Government’s plan to "increase the GP workforce by 800 (headcount) by 2027" is "not on track".

We will give full consideration to the recommendations of this report, which sets out both the challenges, and successes, of the continued recovery of our NHS from a global pandemic.

We are making good progress against our GP commitment and since 2017 GP headcount has increased by 291 and a record 5209 GPs are now working in Scotland.

Progress is measured by the annual GP Headcount Public Health Scotland publication. The latest publication can be found at:

General Practice - GP Workforce and practice list sizes 2012 - 2022 - General Practice - GP workforce and practice list sizes - Publications - Public Health Scotland

The assessment by Audit Scotland does not take into account GP Registrars in their final year of training, when assessing progress against this commitment. These registrars spend 12 months full time equivalent in a GP practice.

Question reference: S6W-15581

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it (a) received the request from NHS Lanarkshire and (b) confirmed the 2022-23 funding for the National Treatment Centre in Cumbernauld.

Question reference: S6W-15481

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the report of the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre Project, which was undertaken in 2019, will be published.

Question reference: S6W-15099

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details, including a list of attendees, of any discussions that it was involved in, or facilitated between producers and retailers, to (a) approve Circularity Scotland as the Deposit Return Scheme administrator and (b) confer any exclusive rights on Circularity Scotland in relation to the collection of scheme articles.

Circularity Scotland submitted an application to Scottish Ministers for approval to become a scheme administrator. Drinks producers, wholesalers and retailers across Scotland collaborated to create Circularity Scotland and support its application to become a scheme administrator. The Scottish Government did not engage in discussions with producers or retailers with regards to Circularity Scotland’s application. While Circularity Scotland is the only approved scheme administrator, it does not have exclusive rights in relation to the collection of scheme articles. There is no limit on the number of scheme administrators that can operate within the scheme.

Question reference: S6W-15134

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many public swimming pools have closed in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

We recognise the importance of swimming pools and other sports facilities in supporting the physical and mental health of the nation. sport scotland, our national agency for sport, are supporting Scottish Swimming to deliver the Scottish Swimming Facilities Project to accurately understand the current swimming pool provision, life cycle and predict the landscape in the short, medium and long term.

We have asked sport scotland to write to Mr Miles Briggs MSP with more details of the Scottish Swimming Facilities Project and to keep him updated as it progresses.

Question reference: S6W-14784

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13023 by Jenny Gilruth on 9 January 2023, when it will fulfil its commitment to reduce train journey times between Inverness and Edinburgh to 2 hours 45 minutes, as referred to in the original question.

Transport Scotland, alongside industry partners, is exploring options for lengthening passing loops on the line to enable longer and more frequent freight and passenger services.

Enabling the transfer of freight traffic, particularly from the adjacent A9 to the Highland Main Line, will produce significant carbon savings and improve safety and traffic flow on the A9.

We will fund the infrastructure enhancements necessary to produce further journey time savings on the Highland Main Line once a robust business case has been established for this expenditure.

Question reference: S6O-02027

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce violence in schools.

Violence towards anyone is unacceptable and the safety of our children, young people and staff at school is paramount.

We have produced guidance for local authorities and schools to promote positive relationships and manage behaviour, including de-escalation of violent behaviour. There are a number of programmes that they use to do this.

Last week I met the Teachers Panel to discuss their experiences and how we could better support schools and pupils. The fifth wave of our Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research started last month and will provide a robust national picture of current relationships and behaviour. We will use this research and engagement with stakeholders, including the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools, to inform the development of further future policy, guidance and support for schools and school staff.

Question reference: S6O-02060

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to eliminate any spillages of sewage from the sewer network into rivers and lochs.

Question reference: S6O-02053

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it produces guidance for local government on how allegations of sexual misconduct against councillors should be handled.

Question reference: S6O-02057

Current Status: Withdrawn