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-18617

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many seal licences have been granted for "imperative reasons of overriding public interest, including those of a social or economic nature", and how many seals have been killed or taken by licence holders of this type, in each year for which data is available.

Question reference: S6W-18496

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support it makes available to care experienced young people when they become parents.

Support for care experienced young people when they become parents is threaded through a number of Scottish Government policies.

These include the Family Nurse Partnership where first time parents aged under 20 are supported by family nurses from early pregnancy until their child’s second birthday. This intensive, relational based support helps address social and economic factors, such as housing stability, welfare, education, employment and money advice. Over the next few years the Scottish Government has committed to extending this programme to young parents aged 21 and under, and to target parents aged 25 and under who have experience of care..

Through Early Learning and Childcare, parents with experience of care can access up to 1140 hours a year of funded childcare for their child from their second birthday. There is evidence of the particular benefits of high quality ELC for children from disadvantaged circumstances, which includes children with experience of care or whose parents have experience of care. We are continuing to work with local authorities to maximise uptake of the existing offer of funded ELC for eligible two-year-olds.

Support is also available through the five family payments: the Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and the three Best Start Grants. These payments could be worth around £10,000 by the time an eligible child turns six years old.

As part of our commitment to Keeping the Promise, we will continue to develop and invest in policies to support care experienced parents.

Question reference: S6W-18495

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) nursery sector regarding the current funding agreement.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the views of the private, voluntary and childminding sector are heard and reflected in national policy. For example, the Scottish Government consulted on different funding models before the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) expansion to 1140 hours.

I hosted a meeting with sector representatives on Tuesday 18 April to hear about challenges and opportunities for the sector, and I will be undertaking a programme of engagement over the next few months.

Senior Scottish Government officials also engage regularly with the sector, including through the Childcare Sector Working Group and the National Childcare Providers Forum.

The Scottish Government and COSLA have engaged with providers as part of the work on the joint review of the process for setting Sustainable Rates in 2022-23. I will consider the findings of this review carefully when it reports this summer.

Question reference: S6W-19068

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the National Innovation Strategy.

Question reference: S6O-02389

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the newest developments are in the creation of Scottish Parliament apps to allow the public easier access to parliamentary business papers and other resources.

Question reference: S6O-02391

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it takes to ensure that children and young people from across Scotland can visit their Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6O-02356

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it will next review the car parking arrangements for MSPs and staff.

Question reference: S6O-02390

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide an update on the efficiency of the passholder secure entry system to the Parliament, in light of reports that passholders are experiencing difficulties in gaining access.

Question reference: S6O-02347

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to mitigate any damage caused by fires and floods in higher and further education campuses.

This is a matter for universities and colleges.

Higher Education institutions are autonomous bodies; and Further Education institutions each have a Board of Management and are responsible for their own financial and strategic management.

It is their responsibility to carry out a Fire Safety Risk Assessment and keep that assessment up to date. Based on the findings of the assessment institutions need to ensure appropriate fire prevention and safety measures are in place.

In terms of flood prevention, institutions should ensure that campus buildings are well maintained, wind and watertight. They should have in place maintenance programmes to reduce the risk of water damage.

Question reference: S6O-02354

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the economic impact on businesses of the changes to the Deposit Return Scheme that it announced on 18 April 2023.

The deposit return scheme is a major undertaking for businesses, bringing very significant environmental and economic benefits. Accordingly, we have regularly consulted with a wide range of businesses, trade associations, the scheme administrator, and other organisations as part of the decision making process.

The suite of impact assessments has been updated to reflect the draft regulations laid in May 2023, and as part of this, the Scottish Government has produced a supplementary analysis to the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment. This document includes the economic impacts of the amendments to the scheme announced in April. We will publish updated impact assessments in due course.