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-03802

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03823

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the recent Labour Market Outlook survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development on UK business confidence.

Question reference: S6F-03808

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government’s plans to update the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967.

Question reference: S6F-03801

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03814

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to reduce the disability employment gap.

Question reference: S6W-35012

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angela Constance on 17 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how support for the social work profession will progress, following the decision not to proceed with part 1 of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.

We have agreed to establish a National Social Work Agency to support the social work profession. This will be an executive agency of the Scottish Government, and will be established by spring 2026.

The Feeley Review recommended a specific agency, and the social work sector and the workforce have told us change is urgently needed.

The National Social Work Agency will work in partnership with COSLA and Social Work Scotland, and wider sector partners. This is our opportunity to make a difference in our health and care system, to advance the social work profession and enhance support for people across our communities. We are committed to a skilled, supported and sustainable social work workforce in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-34897

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many people who are resident in (a) Scotland are registered with a GP in England and (b) England are registered with a GP in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-34384

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with developing an apprenticeship model for allied health professionals.

There is currently a moratorium on new apprenticeships in Scotland while work is ongoing with the Scottish Government’s post-school education and skills reform programme.

However, one of the key recommendations of the Allied Health Profession (AHP) Education and Workforce Review is to develop earn as you learn routes, which may in the future include apprenticeships. We are currently working closely with partners including Higher Education Institutions, Health Boards, Further Education and the Scottish Funding Council to progress this issue.

Progress has already been made to tackle workforce shortages in podiatry through the creation of a collaborative earn as you learn route at Glasgow Caledonian University. Health Boards are able to identify and send employees to train to become a podiatrist whilst remaining in the workforce and receiving full employee benefits of their local Board area.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government is currently collaborating with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and wider stakeholders on the development of Next Generation HNC for AHP subjects. This work is providing the opportunity to take forward initial developments across three AHP professions and potentially offers a first step towards a recognised earn and learn progression route. It is currently in its early stages of development.

Question reference: S6W-34435

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to run the National Dental Inspection Programme in (a) 2024-25 to date and (b) the four previous financial years.

This information is not held by Scottish Government.

The National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP) is a key function of the Public Dental Service, delivery of which is the responsibility of Health Boards.

From the financial years 2020-21 to 2023-24, Scottish Government provided funding to Public Dental Services via Health Board allocations, however this did not specify funding for NDIP. From the financial year 2024-25, this funding has been baselined in to the overall Health Board allocation and is not separately identifiable.

Question reference: S6W-34439

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what innovative approaches it is considering to identify undiagnosed individuals living with hepatitis C.

The most recent surveillance report from Public Health Scotland indicates that the number of people tested for hepatitis C (HCV) antibody in Scotland in 2023 had surpassed pre-pandemic levels in almost all settings. Nonetheless, detecting more infections is a priority and we are focused on testing and treating more people, wherever they are, as we continue to push towards elimination of the virus.

Current work includes ensuring that opt-out testing is optimised in drug services and prisons, and considering the results of a recent Scottish Government-funded prison-based Hepatitis Intense Test and Treat (HITT) initiative in NHS Lothian. We are also reviewing the outcomes of opt-out blood borne virus testing pilots in Scottish emergency departments to determine whether further roll-out of this model would be effective.