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-28375

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people it estimates are eligible for the Young Carer Grant in (a) Fife and (b) the Cowdenbeath constituency.

Social Security Scotland publishes official statistics for the number of payments for Young Carer Grant by Local Authority but not at constituency level. In the financial year 2023-24, Social Security Scotland made 280 payments totalling £99,217 to clients in the Fife Local Authority.

The Scottish Government published estimates of take-up rates for a number of devolved benefits in November 2023. Take-up rates are estimates of the number of people who are eligible for a benefit that receive it. The latest estimated take-up rate for Young Carer Grant in Scotland for 2022-23 is 75%. This figure is for Scotland nationally.

The latest take-up rate estimates and further detail on the methodology can be found at: Take-Up Rate Estimates - Take-up rates of Scottish benefits: November 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The latest statistics published for Young Carer Grant can be found at: Social Security Scotland - Young Carer Grant: high level statistics to 31 March 2024 .

Question reference: S6W-28373

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is promoting the Young Carer Grant to those that are eligible for the payment, and whether it has consulted with (a) young carers and (b) other stakeholders on recent public campaigns.

Since launching in October 2019, 12,305 Young Carer Grant payments worth £4.0 million have been made to young carers in Scotland.

Social Security Scotland promotes Young Carer Grant in a targeted way, including by working in partnership with local carers centres in each local authority, encouraging young carers to apply. Social Security Scotland have also delivered multiple marketing campaigns across digital channels that young people engage with most - including a joint campaign with Young Scot.

When designing marketing campaigns, Social Security Scotland carry out primary research with eligible people. A series of focus groups and interviews with young carers has ensured the campaigns resonate with and reach those eligible for the payment.

Social Security Scotland also attends the Scottish Young Carers Festival, organised by the Carers Trust, to promote Young Carer Grant, talk to young carers about their experiences and encourage them to apply. To mark this year’s Young Carer Action Day, Social Security Scotland re-ran their digital Young Carer Grant campaign, including sharing a stakeholder toolkit with carer organisations, and worked with STV and a young carer on a broadcast feature.

This latest campaign activity helped drive the highest number of applications in a month since the payment launched - with 790 applications received from young carers in March alone this year. In the last financial year, over 3,700 young people received Young Carer Grant payments worth £1.4 million, almost 60% more than the year before.

Question reference: S6O-03617

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Developing the Young Workforce programme in the Cowdenbeath constituency.

Question reference: S6O-03512

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support cultural activities in the Cowdenbeath constituency.

Question reference: S6W-27340

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy on 18 April 2024, whether it will outline the timetable for the development of the Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran.

As outlined, the Scottish Government will develop a Just Transition Plan for the Mossmorran industrial complex following delivery of the Grangemouth Just Transition Plan. Work will commence in early 2025 and as such, detailed timetable is not yet available, however we would anticipate taking a sequential approach, working to develop data driven baseline, an outline vision for 2045, a corresponding action plan and monitoring framework. The Scottish Government intends to publish the Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran by the end of the parliament.

Question reference: S6W-27341

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy on 18 April 2024, what discussions it has had with (a) ExxonMobil, (b) Shell, (c) Fife Council, (d) SEPA and (e) trade unions, to date, regarding the development of a Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran.

The Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran is at very early stages of proposal, a comprehensive stakeholder engagement exercise will form a critical component of the work plan. The Scottish Government has had early engagement regarding the proposal with business operators. In line with the principles of co-design, it is our intention to engage extensively with all stakeholders including industry, the workforce, the local authority, UK Government, MSPs and the wider community. We will apply a place-based approach that will ensure that the views of all stakeholders are considered, working to reach collective agreement on the plan’s long-term vision and actions.

Question reference: S6W-27339

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy on 18 April 2024, how it will develop its Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran, in collaboration with the (a) operators, (b) trade unions, (c) employees and (d) local community.

Question reference: S6W-27343

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy on 18 April 2024, whether it has met with (a) ExxonMobil and (b) Shell since it announced plans for the development of a Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran, and, if so, what was discussed.

Question reference: S6W-27337

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy on 18 April 2024, whether it will outline who has been involved in the proposal for a Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran, and who will be involved in the creation of the plan going forward.

The Mossmorran Just Transition Plan proposal is at very early stages of consideration and will be initiated fully following delivery of the Grangemouth Plan. The Scottish Government has held early discussions with both operators at the Mossmorran complex regarding the proposal. In line with the principles of co-design, it is our intention to engage extensively with all stakeholders including industry, the workforce, the local authority, UK Government, MSPs and the wider community.

Question reference: S6W-27338

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy on 18 April 2024, when it expects the Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran to be published.

The Scottish Government has committed to developing a Just Transition Plan for the Mossmorran industrial complex following delivery of the Grangemouth Just Transition Plan. Work will commence in early 2025. This will allow for a thorough evaluation of the approach taken at Grangemouth to maximise learning and outputs. The Scottish Government intends to publish the Just Transition Plan for Mossmorran by the end of the parliament.