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-16513

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the Scottish Women's Rights Centre since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website . The spreadsheets include a wide range of information including details of the organisation/individuals Ministers met along with the subject discussed.

Scottish Government officials work closely with the Scottish Women's Rights Centre (SWRC) to help progress Equally Safe (Scotland’s strategy to eradicate and prevent violence against women and girls), and through the grant monitoring process for the Victim Centred Approach Fund, for which SWRC are a beneficiary.

Question reference: S6W-16526

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s Fiscal Sustainability Report, published in March 2023, which stated that it will face “significant challenges in funding the future provision of devolved public services in Scotland”.

The SFC’s Fiscal Sustainability Report is an important contribution to the debate on fiscal sustainability and highlights potential impacts of demographic change on the Scottish public finances over the next fifty years. These challenges are not unique to Scotland, and are prevalent in many high-income countries. However, Scotland lacks a full range of levers to deal with these in the way that other countries can, particularly over migration.

Within the powers at its disposal, the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring the public finances are on a sustainable trajectory. This will mean growing our economy and by extension our tax base, and embedding delivery and value for money at the heart of our public services. Central to this will be overseeing public service reform, focused on delivering more efficient, person-centred public services. The Fiscal Framework review will also be vital and must ensure the Scottish Government and Parliament has the necessary powers to manage the risks we face within our devolved responsibilities, and to support economic recovery. The Scottish Government’s approach to managing the public finances over the medium-term is set out in the Medium Term Financial Strategy, due to be published in May 2023.

In 2023 we will also launch a new Talent Attraction and Migration Service for Scotland, and publish an Addressing Depopulation Action Plan. And we will continue to press the UK Government to make the vital immigration reforms required to meet Scotland’s needs.

While the Scottish Government will continue to manage the public finances diligently with the powers we have, it is our view that the current constitutional settlement is insufficient to properly tackle the long-term challenges that Scotland faces. Ultimately, Scotland must be independent with full control over the economy and powers over migration to secure the stability of our public finances.

Question reference: S6W-16530

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

The Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade met the Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce on 18 April. The First Minister and the I had a call with the main business organisations on 20 April and the Chief Executive took part in that call. The Director General for Economy, Gregor Irwin also met the Chief Executive on 21 April. Details of all Ministerial engagements and expenses are proactively published by the Scottish Government, including the costs of travel and accommodation. The information can be accessed in the followng link: https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/.

Question reference: S6W-16381

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been removed from NHS waiting lists without receiving treatment since 1 January 2022.

Between 1 January and 31 December 2022, 360,525 new outpatients were removed from NHS waiting lists, for reasons ‘referred back to GP’, ‘transferred’, ‘treatment no longer required’, and ‘other reasons’. Similarly, for inpatients and day cases, 53,585 patients were removed for these reasons. Please see Table 1 for a description of the reasons for removal.

Table 1. Removal reasons for reasons other than ‘patient seen’ and their associated description.

Removal Reason	Description
Referred back to GP	Under Waiting Times guidance, patients can be referred back to their GP for a number of reasons. These include cancelling two previously accepted appointments; failing to attend an appointment without giving notice; failing to respond to an offer of appointment; refusing reasonable offers of appointments; continuing medical or patient advised unavailability; or because the referral to hospital was inappropriate.
Transferred	These are patients whose management has been transferred from one waiting list to another. This can mean a change of specialty, location, or health board. Unless these patients have been transferred outwith NHS Scotland, they should also appear as an addition to the new waiting list and a subsequent removal where appropriate.
Treatment no longer required	This is the number of patients who have been removed from the waiting list because they no longer require treatment.
Other reasons	Other reasons for removal from list comprise of 'Died' and 'inappropriate addition to list'.

Please note that although we refer to the number of 'patients' waiting, individuals may be counted more than once if they are waiting to attend more than one clinic as a new outpatient or more than one treatment as an inpatient or day case, or a combination of outpatient and inpatient or day case care.

Question reference: S6W-16501

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Scottish Government officials and Ministers meet with NUS on a regular basis to discuss ongoing policy development and issues impacting Scotland’s student population. Meetings are typically scheduled as part of an ongoing series of engagements, however ad hoc meetings may occur to discuss specific issues or concerns. There are not typically clear ‘agreed outcomes’, rather a continued discussion.

Meetings as part of steering groups, working groups and forums which NUS were members/in attendance:

Purpose Built Student Accommodation Steering Group, met on 6 July 2021, 6 August 2021, 14 October 2021, 5 May 2022, 6 June 2022, 3 March 2023, 24 March 2023.

Student Accommodation Group, met on 24 February 2021, 25 March 2021, 13 May 2021, 3 June 2021, 24 June 2021, 26 August 2021, 23 September 2021, 4 November 2021, 25 July 2022, 6 October 2022

Disability Related Student Support Review Steering Group, met on 1 June 2021

Student Support Stakeholder Engagement Group, met on 10 August 2021, 16 September 2021, 28 October 2021, 2 December 2021, 24 January 2022, 23 February 2022, 29 April 2022, 15 June 2022, 25 August 2022, 10 November 2022

Covid Recovery Group, as a full Covid Recovery Group member, NUS representatives attended meetings over the period of June 2021 – Oct 2022. The purpose of these meetings was to discuss covid response measures and the development and implementation of guidance for the FE/HE sector. Stakeholder attendance was optional.

Meetings with NUS and SG/SAAS/SFC officials specifically :

Meeting with NUS to discuss support for Ukrainian students and the establishment of the International Students Emergency Hardship Fund (meeting to raise awareness of support being offered), 14 April 2022

Introductory meeting between the NUS President and (then) interim Chief Executive of SAAS, 18 March 22

Meeting with NUS on the Scottish Government consultation on residency eligibility in Further and Higher Education. Officials met with a range of stakeholders who had a vested interest in the meeting. NUS were planning on submitting a formal response to the consultation, 8 March 2023

Introductory meeting between Director of ALS and NUS, 20 February 2023

Regular meetings between NUS, SG, SAAS and SFC, met on 10 May 21, 23 June 2021, 4 August 2021, 6 September 2021, 8 October 2021, 18 November 2021

Postgraduate Review - Stakeholder Consultation - NUS Feedback, 26 July 2022

Meeting with NUS on the outcomes of the SFC Review, 23 August 2021

Meetings between NUS and Minister:

Quarterly meeting, 18 February 2022

Attending NUS Scotland ‘BROKE’ event, 21 February 2022

Quarterly meeting, 19 May 2022

Spending review meeting, 31 May 2022

Introductory meeting with new NUS Scotland President, Ellie Gomersall, 21 September 2022

Quarterly meeting, 28 September 2022

Quarterly meeting, 6 December 2022

Meeting to discuss NUS Scotland ‘Cost of Survival’ report findings, 22 March 2023

Question reference: S6O-02190

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a Scottish Child Payment top-up for parents under the age of 25 who are in receipt of Universal Credit, as called for by the End Young Parent Poverty campaign, in light of it reportedly being supported by more than 30 charities and civil society groups.

Question reference: S6O-02188

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is improving data gathering in relation to health outcomes.

Question reference: S6O-02189

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the plans for a pilot scheme to provide free school meals in secondary schools.

Question reference: S6O-02194

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase funding for hospices to ensure that they can manage any rising costs, in light of the reported increase in the number of people in need of palliative care.

Question reference: S6O-02193

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which victims groups it has consulted with on its proposed Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.