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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 941 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-38784

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote any benefits of outdoor learning and access to high-quality green spaces in schools, in light of the finding in the report, School Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that almost 40% of Scottish schools have fewer than five trees within their boundaries.

Education Scotland, the national education agency, promotes the benefits of outdoor learning by sharing a range of resources, guidance and case studies via their new Learning for Sustainability webpage and by facilitating peer-to-peer learning through the Learning for Sustainability mentors’ network. The Scottish Government also provides funding to the Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education to maintain and update its “Going Out There” website which provides a range of toolkits, risk assessment guidance and online learning.

Outdoor learning features strongly in the government’s Learning for Sustainability Action Plan. As part of that plan, a dedicated outdoor learning national working group has been considering further ways to support and promote outdoor learning. The group will provide its final report and recommendations to Ministers later this year.

In relation to access to green spaces in schools, the £2bn Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) is being delivered in partnership with local authorities and will benefit tens of thousands of pupils across Scotland. Through the LEIP, projects are encouraged to maximise the use of the outdoor environment for learning, social activities and recreation.

Question reference: S6W-38785

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to amend curriculum guidelines to promote any positive effects of learning in outdoor spaces, in light of the finding in the report, Schools Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that only around one third of secondary schools regard outdoor spaces as either very useful or essential learning resources.

The Curriculum Improvement Cycle is currently reviewing and strengthening Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. Guidance, professional learning and resources on a wide range of matters will be considered as part of that process.

Education Scotland hosts and shares a range of guidance Outdoor learning resources | Resources | Education Scotland to support outdoor learning provision through the curriculum. Schools and local authorities can also access the GOING-OUT-THERE-PRINT-V3.pdf guidance and associated interactive toolkits online, which have been key to supporting delivery of safe and legally competent outdoor learning experiences.

Question reference: S6W-38786

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will change its guidance on school ground improvement planning, in light of the School Grounds in Scotland in 2025 research, which has reportedly identified budget reductions over the past two decades as a major barrier to the improvement of outdoor spaces in Scottish schools.

It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate and the Scottish Government engages regularly with the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks, including to share the School Grounds in Scotland 2025 report.

The Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Strategy (LES), which was produced in collaboration with COSLA, makes clear that outdoor learning and the use of outdoor learning environments should be maximised. The LES also highlights that good consultation about learning environments, and direct engagement with learners and communities about their needs, should lead to better outcomes for everyone.

Question reference: S6W-38782

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide adequate outdoor space for all pupils, in light of the findings in the report, School Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that 15% of primary schools and 16% of secondary schools have lost outdoor space because of building development.

Question reference: S6W-38783

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statistic in the report, School Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that around one in three primary schools have reported issues with flooding within school grounds.

Question reference: S6O-04842

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of any plans to introduce continuous alcohol monitoring technology for offenders across Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04715

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support regional NHS boards to tackle any backlogs of complaints.

Question reference: S6W-36555

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress update on the public inquiry into Sam Eljamel and NHS Tayside.

The Scottish Government recognises that many former patients still live with the consequences of being treated by Mr Eljamel and have waited a long time for answers. As I set out in my statement in February 2024, patients will be at the heart of this inquiry.

I am pleased that today I can confirm that following consultation with many former patients and their representatives by Lord Weir and his team, that I have agreed the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, and that the Inquiry is now ready to commence from today.

The final Terms of Reference will be made available on the Eljamel Inquiry website today. (https://www.eljamelinquiry.scot/).

Question reference: S6T-02457

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent NASUWT survey, which recorded that 49% of female teachers in Scotland had reported physical abuse or violence in the last 12 months.

Question reference: S6O-04529

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme, including the most recent data for the number of registered persons with PVG certificates.