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: S6F-04032

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports of local authorities suspending council housing allocations.

Question reference: S6F-04025

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04036

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025

To ask the First Minister, in light of the reported high demand for neurodevelopmental assessment services, when the Scottish Government plans to publish the report on the work that it funded on the five “tests of change” across Scotland, which concluded in March 2024.

Question reference: S6W-36487

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported claims that schools are being discouraged from excluding violent pupils, and whether this reflects official policy.

Question reference: S6W-36514

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has allocated any funding to support the Scottish Assembly for the financial year 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-36270

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what due diligence Scottish Enterprise undertook prior to its ministers announcing the grant offer of £1.7 million for Bhagat Holdings in relation to the former Pinneys of Scotland plant in Annan.

Prior to the announcement of support for Bhagat Holdings, Scottish Enterprise's due diligence included appraisal of the project and its benefits to the Scottish economy, assessment of eligible Scottish Enterprise support and consideration of the conditions attached to any support offered. Checks on bank accounts and funds, money laundering checks and Human Rights (level 1) checks were also undertaken. The company was required to sign all contracts relating to the offer of support.

Question reference: S6W-36252

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that colleges are adequately and fairly funded.

I recognise the financial challenges colleges are currently facing. The 2025-26 budget sees a £13.2 million uplift on 2024-25 to the college resource allocation, in recognition of the vital role colleges play in communities across Scotland. On top of this a further £3.5 million in targeted support has been announced for offshore wind and social care skills pathways. This is alongside an increase of almost 5% in capital maintenance funding which will help colleges further invest in student’s learning experiences. Following the decision by UKG to increase employer National Insurance contributions we have agreed to allocate 60% costs to colleges. While this does not fully meet the estimated cost pressures, we will continue to engage with sector representative bodies on their concerns. We called on the Chancellor to fund these costs in full and will continue to press UKG on this matter.

It is the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) role to work closely with the college sector to identify the best split of the available resources, taking into account Government priorities and the college sector’s needs.

Question reference: S6W-36253

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to support the Scottish Funding Council in increasing transparency in relation to revised funding models for colleges.

In the approach to the recent indicative college allocations for Academic Year 2025-26, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) responded to requests from the sector to address issues regarding transparency and funding comparability between learners on similar courses and colleges. Through the Colleges: Tripartite Alignment Group (comprising of Scottish Government, the SFC and Colleges Scotland) collaboration continues to work on identifying and implementing workable flexibilities to ease colleges’ financial pressures while ensuring accountability for public funds.

Question reference: S6W-36584

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have been in (i) red and (ii) amber warning levels for potential violence from pupils in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-36580

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many in-person visits have been undertaken by health visitors in each local authority area in each year since 1999.