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-00947

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the First Minister what work is being done to extend the "warm Scots welcome" to Ukrainians arriving in the UK.

Question reference: S6F-00929

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that people are able to register with NHS dental practices and receive NHS dental treatments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6F-00925

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00924

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-06590

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress regarding its Mental Health – Scotland’s Transition and Recovery plan.

We continue to make good progress with the delivery of the Mental Health Transition and Recovery plan, which was published in October 2020. The delivery of the plan is supported by our £120 million Recovery and Renewal Fund which is being used to transform services and increase our focus on prevention and early intervention.

A range of activity is being progressed. This includes work to enhance Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and psychological therapies, the implementation of the Eating Disorders Review and further roll out of digital innovations developed in response to the pandemic. We are also expanding the support available within communities, including the provision of £21 million (2021-2022) and £15 million (2022-2023) via the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for grassroots community groups to help tackle the impact of social isolation, loneliness and mental health inequalities amongst adults. A further £15 million has been made available to local authorities to provide community mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people.

This activity will continue in 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-06565

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government (a) what the timescale is and (b) which groups it will consult for its “national conversation” about the future of ScotRail.

Due to the local elections period, it is expected that the national rail conversation will get underway after 5 May local elections. Decisions on a more definitive timescale will be arrived at when agreement has been reached with Trade Union partners and other interested stakeholders.

It is envisaged that the national conversation will engage a wide ranging group of stakeholders including passengers, regional transport partnerships, rail unions, disability groups, businesses and educational interests.

Transport Scotland officials are currently considering the details on the most effective and productive engagement programme to deliver the national rail conversation.

Question reference: S6W-07166

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Green Jobs Workforce Academy, what the annual budget of the Academy is; how many full-time equivalent teachers and lecturers are employed by the Academy; what the entry requirements are for the Academy; what accredited courses are available, and how many full-time students are enrolled in the Academy.

The Green Jobs Workforce Academy is administered by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and is designed to help workers identify and access skills support and training they need to secure green job opportunities as they emerge.

While the Academy does not directly employ teachers or lecturers, individuals can access training courses across a number of sectors including construction, energy, and land use and agriculture, via the greenjobs.scot website, and can arrange to speak with SDS career advisors.

Question reference: S6W-07195

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the available financial support to help tackle the rising cost of living is visible to and accessible for people in minority ethnic communities.

The £150 cost of living support payments are administered by local authorities who are responsible for ensuring this support, and indeed all the other services they deliver, are visible and accessible for people in minority ethnic communities. Local Authorities have indicated they are using the discretion we allowed to make payments as a credit to council tax accounts in the majority of circumstances. Where payments are made in this way, the credit should be automatically included in council tax bills for 2022-23.

The cost of living package also included extra funding for the Fuel Insecurity Fund which is distributed through third sector organisations who are partnered with referral organisations. Advice Direct Scotland (ADS) recently reported that they now have over 500 trusted referral partner organisations (advice /support services) signed up who can refer people they believe are in need of assistance.

Question reference: S6W-07212

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many council houses were built in each year from 1999-2000 to the most recent year for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.

Question reference: S6W-07186

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much peat has been burned in Scotland in the process of making whisky, in order to flavour malting barley, in each of the last five years.