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: S6T-01060

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by the General Secretary of School Leaders Scotland, that a reduction in budget will lead to class sizes increasing, subjects being removed from the curriculum and a reduction in the number of teachers.

Question reference: S6T-01061

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statement by COSLA expressing Council Leaders' extreme disappointment with the proposed budget settlement for local government and its presentation lacking consistency with a partnership approach, and their invitation to the Deputy First Minister to attend a special meeting.

Question reference: S6W-12933

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many applicants were considered for its new Chief Entrepreneur role.

Professor Logan was selected for this role in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code, which enables Ministers to make appointments providing they are satisfied that the preferred candidate is being appointed on the basis of merit. Professor Logan was selected from a list of outstanding candidates on the basis of his exceptional experience in growing companies to scale, advising and investing in Scottish start-ups, his strong relationship across industry and investors, and his work in teaching entrepreneurship at the University of Glasgow. This list was assembled, and the decision made, following discussions with key figures in industry, academia, the entrepreneurial ecosystem and public sector leaders.

Question reference: S6W-12934

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual salary is for its new Chief Entrepreneur role, and what (a) expenses and (b) support the post-holder is entitled to.

Question reference: S6W-12932

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the job description is for its new Chief Entrepreneur role.

Question reference: S6W-12860

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a scarlet fever outbreak on MS Ambition, how it will ensure that young people and their families are given adequate mental health support to deal with the challenges of becoming infectious whilst living in temporary accommodation as refugees.

The health and wellbeing of displaced people from Ukraine is our priority.

There has been no outbreak of Strep A on the M/S Ambition, with infections having been restricted to isolated cases.

On the M/S Ambition, should quarantine measures be required, there is a section of the ship that is set aside for quarantine procedures, with specific cabins set aside. Where this has been required, those quarantined were visited daily by ship medical staff, and meals and snacks were delivered to the cabin.

The Scottish Government is working with partners to deliver relevant public health messaging in relation to Strep A, to ensure everyone in Scotland has the most up-to-date advice.

The Scottish Government Mental Health directorate worked closely with our partners such as Heads of Psychology Scotland, NHS Scotland, COSLA, the Scottish Refugee Council, amongst others, to develop and then publish wellbeing packs for displaced people from Ukraine arriving in Scotland. There was a specific pack full of helpful resources and guidance for displaced people from Ukraine on physiological wellbeing – Ukraine psychological wellbeing advice pack: guidance for Ukrainian arrivals - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This pack is available online and therefore accessible when using the internet on passenger ships. The pack also highlights specific resources for children and families.

We have amended legislation so there will be no charge for NHS Scotland services for people who have fled Ukraine, including mental health services.

Anyone in Scotland, regardless of their nationality, residence status or length of time they will be in the country, is already entitled to receive emergency treatment at an A&E or casualty department, and can register with a GP Practice to receive general medical services, at no charge.

Question reference: S6W-12883

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many homes in Scotland have been insulated with support from government funding in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-12878

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many companies are currently accredited to carry out home insulation work in each local authority area in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-12752

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether an independent specialist body is needed to receive sexual harassment complaints, offer advice, investigate patterns of concern and make structural recommendations for specific employers in Scotland.

Equality Law and Employment Law, are reserved to the UK Parliament.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the independent specialist body tasked to promoting and upholding equality and human rights ideals and laws across Scotland, England and Wales.

The EHRC publish guidance for employers, review the effectiveness of the law and take legal enforcement action to clarify the law and address significant breaches of rights.

In the absence of powers over employment law, the Scottish Government will do all it can within devolved powers to promote and embed fair and inclusive working practices and prevent issues such as workplace bullying or harassment. Please refer also to response to S6W-12749 on 19 December 2022.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
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Question reference: S6W-12800

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-16968 by Humza Yousaf on 12 June 2018 and S6W-11891 by Jenny Gilruth on 22 November 2022, for what reason it is no longer able to provide a breakdown of operating subsidies on an airport-by-airport basis.