- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that hospices do not lose staff as a result of the reported delay in allocating the £5 million of funding to hospices.
Answer
The Scottish Government has already provided reassurances to independent hospices that the funding will be allocated as soon as practically possible, based on the analysis of financial data provided by the hospices.
However, it is important to reflect that it remains the responsibility of Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to commission palliative care services, including independent hospices, to meet the needs of their local populations. As such, we expect Scottish hospices and IJBs to continue to engage on any matters that may impact on the delivery of local palliative care services.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what baseline data was used to determine the scale of need for play park renewal prior to distributing the £60 million of funding.
Answer
I refer the member to S6W-38037.
The £60m Scottish Government funding for play park renewals was distributed among the 32 local authorities based on population of 0-14 year olds and rurality. In the first year, the formula was:
1.95% on population 0-14
2.5% on rurality
From 2022/23, the formula was:
1.93% on population 0-14
2.7% on rurality
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what appointments the Minister for Housing had in the two weeks to 23 May 2025.
Answer
Information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found at: www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/. The engagements for May 2025 will be published three months in arrears, in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school-aged children have been home educated in each year since 1999.
Answer
Scottish Government does not collect the information on the number of children and young people in receipt of home education.
Local authorities hold responsibility for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children being home educated, and that the education they are receiving is suitable for their age and ability. In line with the Scottish Government's home education guidance, it is recommended that local authorities should make contact on an annual basis with those families who are known to be home educating within that local authority area.
As part of the update to this guidance, Scottish Government will work with local authority partners to consider options for collecting an aggregate number of children and young people home educating in their area.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the delivery of its 2021 commitment to renew every play park in Scotland, and whether this includes a national dataset or dashboard.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer provided in S6W-38036 on 13 June 2025. The reporting information provided by Local Authorities is collated and held centrally and provided on request.
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
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many self-employed counsellors have been contracted by each local authority to work in schools in each year since 1999.
Answer
Local Authorities have the statutory responsibility for education therefore the Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Local authorities may hold this information.
As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest in access to school counselling services, since 2021 local authorities have reported on key measures of their counselling provision. A summary of these reports can be found at: Access to counsellors in secondary schools and children and young people’s community mental health services – summary reports - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what data it has on how the £60 million for play park renewal has been (a) allocated and (b) spent across all 32 local authorities.
Answer
Capital funding for the play park renewal programme is distributed to all 32 Local Authorities based on population of 0-14 year olds and rurality. In the first year, the formula was:
1.95% on population 0-14
2.5% on rurality
From 2022-23, the formula was:
1.93% on population 0-14
2.7% on rurality
The full table of allocations to each local authority by year is:
Local Authority | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | Total |
Aberdeen City Council | £188,000 | £185,000 | £373,000 | £559,000 | £932,000 | £2,237,000 |
Aberdeenshire Council | £296,000 | £308,000 | £616,000 | £924,000 | £1,539,000 | £3,683,000 |
Angus Council | £108,000 | £111,000 | £220,000 | £330,000 | £550,000 | £1,319,000 |
Argyll and Bute | £76,000 | £79,000 | £157,000 | £235,000 | £391,000 | £938,000 |
City of Edinburgh Council | £414,000 | £406,000 | £811,000 | £1,216,000 | £2,027,000 | £4,874,000 |
Clackmannanshire Council | £47,000 | £46,000 | £93,000 | £139,000 | £231,000 | £556,000 |
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Council | £29,000 | £32,000 | £62,000 | £93,000 | £156,000 | £372,000 |
Dumfries and Galloway Council | £140,000 | £146,000 | £291,000 | £437,000 | £728,000 | £1,742,000 |
Dundee City Council | £125,000 | £122,000 | £243,000 | £365,000 | £609,000 | £1,464,000 |
East Ayrshire Council | £112,000 | £112,000 | £224,000 | £336,000 | £561,000 | £1,345,000 |
East Dunbartonshire Council | £102,000 | £100,000 | £202,000 | £303,000 | £505,000 | £1,212,000 |
East Lothian Council | £108,000 | £108,000 | £218,000 | £327,000 | £545,000 | £1,306,000 |
East Renfrewshire Council | £102,000 | £101,000 | £204,000 | £306,000 | £509,000 | £1,222,000 |
Falkirk Council | £147,000 | £145,000 | £289,000 | £434,000 | £723,000 | £1,738,000 |
Fife Council | £344,000 | £342,000 | £681,000 | £1,022,000 | £1,703,000 | £4,092,000 |
Glasgow City Council | £525,000 | £514,000 | £1,028,000 | £1,542,000 | £2,570,000 | £6,179,000 |
Highland Council | £234,000 | £245,000 | £488,000 | £732,000 | £1,219,000 | £2,918,000 |
Inverclyde Council | £65,000 | £63,000 | £126,000 | £189,000 | £314,000 | £757,000 |
Midlothian Council | £98,000 | £97,000 | £197,000 | £295,000 | £492,000 | £1,179,000 |
Moray Council | £92,000 | £94,000 | £188,000 | £282,000 | £469,000 | £1,125,000 |
North Ayrshire Council | £118,000 | £117,000 | £231,000 | £347,000 | £578,000 | £1,391,000 |
North Lanarkshire Council | £324,000 | £319,000 | £635,000 | £952,000 | £1,586,000 | £3,816,000 |
Orkney Islands Council | £24,000 | £26,000 | £51,000 | £77,000 | £128,000 | £306,000 |
Perth and Kinross Council | £140,000 | £144,000 | £291,000 | £437,000 | £728,000 | £1,740,000 |
Renfrewshire Council | £158,000 | £155,000 | £307,000 | £461,000 | £768,000 | £1,849,000 |
Scottish Borders Council | £113,000 | £117,000 | £234,000 | £352,000 | £586,000 | £1,402,000 |
Shetland Islands Council | £28,000 | £31,000 | £61,000 | £91,000 | £151,000 | £362,000 |
South Ayrshire Council | £94,000 | £94,000 | £189,000 | £283,000 | £472,000 | £1,132,000 |
South Lanarkshire Council | £298,000 | £296,000 | £597,000 | £896,000 | £1,493,000 | £3,580,000 |
Stirling Council | £84,000 | £85,000 | £168,000 | £253,000 | £421,000 | £1,011,000 |
West Dunbartonshire Council | £81,000 | £79,000 | £157,000 | £235,000 | £392,000 | £944,000 |
West Lothian Council | £186,000 | £184,000 | £369,000 | £553,000 | £922,000 | £2,214,000 |
Total | £5,000,000 | £5,000,000 | £10,000,000 | £15,000,000 | £25,000,000 | £60,000,000 |
The Scottish Government does not hold data on local authorities receipted spend on play park renewals. In accordance with the reporting template agreed with COSLA in 2021, local authorities are not required to provide a detailed breakdown of the play park renewal funding. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them based on local needs and priorities.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of the provision of school security measures across the school estate.
Answer
It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate and the Scottish Government expect them to exercise their statutory responsibilities and deliver a safe environment for all school users.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has achieved its reported commitment to provide a counsellor for every secondary school.
Answer
The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.
We continue to support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that all school pupils aged 10 and above and all secondary schools in Scotland have access to school counselling services.
In December 2020, all local authorities confirmed that access to counselling services were in place across Scotland.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what specific data it has received from local authorities on the (a) number and (b) condition of play parks renewed using the £60 million national play park fund since 2021.
Answer
As noted in S6W-38035 on 11 June 2025, Local Authorities report annually every April on their play park renewals carried out as a result of the Scottish Government’s £60m play park renewal funding. The reports from Local Authorities detail the number of play parks in their estate, the number of play parks identified for renewal, the number of play parks they have renewed in that financial year and the number of play parks they have renewed to date since the funding started. Since September 2021, when funding for the renewal programme commenced, Local Authorities have reported that over 1,100 play parks have been renewed. Local Authorities are invited to share details of their play park renewals and the details of the engagement with the local community but are not required to list details of each renewal. The reporting format was developed and agreed in collaboration with COSLA in 2021.
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
