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-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-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-36536

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

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency planning or business support measures it is considering to mitigate any economic impact on businesses in Scotland of any new US trade barriers.

The Scottish Government continues to closely monitor and assess the direct and indirect impacts of new US goods tariffs, and is working closely with our enterprise agencies, the UK Government, and the business community, to assess the implications and consequences for the Scottish economy and businesses. Information for businesses on US tariffs can be found at https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/usa-tariffs

We will continue to promote the export growth of Scottish businesses in both current and emerging markets as they find a way through this challenging time.

In recognition of the significant impact of tariffs on both the Scottish and UK economy, the First Minister has called on the UK Government to provide additional measures and economic support in response.

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.

Question reference: S6W-36095

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report, Investigation into the care and treatment of Mr TU, published in March 2023, what progress has been made in improving the involvement of families and carers in discharge planning within mental health services, and how improvements are measured.

NHS Boards have duties under the Carers Act to involve unpaid carers in decision making and planning the return from hospital of the person they care for (or will care for). More specifically, the Core Mental Health Quality Standards state that a person’s support network should be involved in their care if they wish. Progress on implementing the standards is measured by Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Local assessments were circulated in 2024 and responses are currently being analysed.

Question reference: S6W-36486

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 analysis it has carried out on whether there is a link between the reported fall in pupil suspensions and the rise in the number of teachers being assaulted.

Information on assaults on teachers is not held centrally as, under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, education is the responsibility of local authorities.

The biennial Attendance, Absence and Exclusions data collection gathers data on the number and reasons recorded for temporary or permanent exclusions from schools. These data show that there were 1,281 cases of exclusion (temporary or permanent) from publicly funded schools in Scotland during 2022-23 where the reason recorded was either ‘physical assault using improvised weapon against staff’, ‘physical assault using weapon against staff’ or ‘physical assault with no weapon against staff’.