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: S6O-04277

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Forces Children Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04256

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on the provision of library services in Mid-Scotland and Fife of the proposed local government settlement for 2025-26.

Question reference: S6O-04278

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is collaborating with third sector organisations regarding the provision of mental health, wellbeing and emotional support in schools.

Question reference: S6O-04258

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the public inquiry into the investigation of Emma Caldwell's murder.

Question reference: S6O-04275

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding action to improve access to books for, and encourage reading by, children and young people.

Question reference: S6W-33842

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to simplify the post-school education and skills funding body landscape in Scotland.

In June, I launched a public consultation on proposals to simplify the post-school funding body landscape. With thanks to all those who submitted responses I have now considered the evidence both from the consultation, and from an Outline Business Case analysing the three options.

I can confirm that a decision has been made to proceed with the proposal to consolidate all post-school provision funding within the Scottish Funding Council and all student support funding within the Student Awards Agency Scotland. I look forward to working with stakeholders to help realise these changes which I am confident will facilitate significant benefits for the post-school system, and importantly for learners and employers.

I will update the Parliament on plans for the Bill announced in Programme for Government 2024-25 in due course.

Question reference: S6W-33945

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its calls for tailored migration routes to be introduced within the current UK immigration system, to support Scotland’s economy, communities and public services.

The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to deliver an immigration system which works for Scotland. As part of this, we have developed evidence-based immigration policy proposals, such as the Scottish Visa and Rural Visa Pilot proposals, which continue to command strong stakeholder support and would respond to specific challenges faced by Scotland’s economy, communities and public services.

If we are to meet our ambitions and deliver sustainable economic growth we need to attract and retain international students who can help to grow our economy. The Scottish Government has developed a proposal for a tailored visa route for international graduates from Scottish Universities or Colleges who want to stay in Scotland. This Scottish Graduate Visa would be linked to a Scottish tax code and be based on a requirement to live and work in Scotland. It would give international students in Scotland an additional two years to develop their career to meet the salary threshold for a Skilled Worker Visa.

I encourage the UK Government to engage with what is being proposed, and to discuss with Scottish Ministers how it could be delivered within the current UK immigration system to help meet Scotland’s distinct demographic needs.

The publication link is live at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836912729

Question reference: S6W-33531

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, on average, what percentage of surgeries currently performed at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary involve patients from rural areas.

Question reference: S6W-33534

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients in rural areas have been transferred to hospitals in urban areas for treatment in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-32732

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on (a) foreign travel, (b) foreign accommodation and (c) other expenses associated with official overseas visits for the (i) Lord Advocate and (ii) Solicitor General in the calendar year, 2024.

All costs associated with overseas visits undertaken by the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General in their roles as heads of the systems of prosecution and deaths investigation are paid by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service budget.

In the calendar year 2024 the costs associated with overseas travel for the Lord Advocate, all of which are associated with ongoing criminal investigations and casework, are as follows:

Flights	Accommodation
£4,427.40	£434.67

The Lord Advocate did not undertake any overseas trips in her capacity as a Scottish Minister.

The Solicitor General made no overseas trips in the calendar year 2024.