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-04699

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many Police Scotland officers in U Division have been routinely deployed in the Ayrshire area in each month since January 2018.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The recruitment and deployment of Police Officers and Police Staff is a matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

Scottish Government statistics show that we have a higher number of officers than at any time during the previous administration. We currently have 17,232 officers, with Scotland having around 32 officers per 10,000 population compared to around
‎ 23 per 10,000 population in England and Wales.

The Chief Constable regularly reviews the size and shape of the policing workforce in light of changing demands. Local police divisions have a core complement of officers who are always dedicated locally to community and response policing, and they can additionally draw on specialist expertise and resources at a regional and national level – providing the right people in the right place at the right time to keep people safe and to meet the needs of our communities.

Question reference: S6W-04678

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider routinely publishing all the data and statistics that it produces with a breakdown by parliamentary constituency, in addition to local authority or NHS board, in order that all elected members representing those constituencies can be fully informed about data trends within the communities they represent, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Government aims to publish data at local and regional levels including parliamentary constituencies wherever it is possible and appropriate to do so. A large amount of data is already published at the level of parliamentary constituencies by the Scottish Government via its Official Statistics open data platform statistics.gov.scot .

In some cases however it may not be possible or appropriate to publish data at this level. In some cases data may not be collected at a level that allows for aggregation at parliamentary constituency level, it may not be possible due to issues of confidentiality, or due to concerns around the robustness of estimates produced for some areas. The collection and publication of statistics should also be proportionate to the requirements of the users of statistics, including the level at which decisions are made or services are delivered.

Such decisions about the appropriate level of geography at which to collect and publish data are made on a case by case basis and are done so based on user engagement activity and in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics . This approach is also consistent with the Government Statistical Service Geography Policy and the upcoming Government Statistical Service Subnational Data Strategy.

Question reference: S6O-00522

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives from NHS Lothian to discuss their approach to the treatment of drug addiction.

The Scottish Government meets with representatives from NHS Boards, including NHS Lothian, on a regular basis to discuss a range of matters relating to drug and alcohol treatment. Most recently this has included a number of discussions about the additional funding being made available to support the widening of access to residential rehabilitation and the embedding of the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards.

As part of these discussions Scottish Government officials met with the General Manager of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital & Associated Services on the 24 November 2021.

Question reference: S6O-00523

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with Optometry Scotland regarding the request for a fee uplift and regular yearly review of fees, and the anticipated timeframe for a mutually agreeable settlement to be reached.

Question reference: S6O-00521

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of childminders in Scotland.

The Care Inspectorate’s most recent data showed that as of December 2019, 4,752 childminding services were operating. This is a decrease of 356 from 2018, reflecting a downward trend in recent years.

We are funding research by Ipsos MORI to explore the factors contributing to the decline in childminding numbers, and to identify actions to ensure there are sufficient childminders to meet demand for this unique form of childcare. The study will publish in early 2022.

Additionally, we continue to progress Our Commitment to Childminding Report, working alongside the Scottish Childminding Association and other partners to highlight childminding, not only as a choice to parents, but as a positive career opportunity.

Question reference: S6O-00556

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish National Investment Bank's investment portfolio.

Question reference: S6O-00554

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed works at Sheriffhall roundabout as part of its £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Question reference: S6O-00550

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the Hunterston PARC development.

Question reference: S6O-00549

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels statistics.

Question reference: S6O-00548

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the red meat industry.