Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-37740

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals assessed as eligible for social care support have not received their full entitlement in each year since 2018, and what proportion of individuals assessed as needing social care support received only a partial care package in each of the last five years, both broken down by NHS board.

Under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships have a duty to assess the social care support needs of people and decide, in light of that assessment, to arrange suitable services, if required.

While the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care support policy in Scotland, it is for local Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to ensure that social care support services are in place to provide their population with the appropriate support in the right place and at the right time.

The Scottish Government do not hold information centrally in relation to the level of support packages provided.

Question reference: S6W-37759

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34497 by Alasdair Allan on 19 February 2025, by what date it will publish the Nature Conservation Order to protect the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane.

Further to the answer to question S6W-34497 on 19 February 2025, drafting of the proposed Nature Conservation Order and associated Land Register of Scotland and General Register of Sasines searches have continued to progress. I expect to receive advice and a recommendation on the proposed NCO imminently.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-37711

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time has been for social care services in each year since 2018, broken down by NHS board.

The Scottish Government does not hold data which would answer this question.

However, data up to 2022/23 on Social Care eligibility and waiting times is publicly available at Local Authority level via the following weblink:

Social care: eligibility criteria and waiting times Scotland 2022-2023 - gov.scot

Data showing the time waited between referral first contact and completion of a community care assessment service in the final quarter of each financial year can be found in the ‘waiting times new clients’ tab of the Excel workbook which accompanies the publication.

Data showing the time waited between completion of a community care assessment and delivery of a new personal care service in the final quarter of each financial year can be found in the ‘Waiting times new personal care clients’ tab of the Excel workbook which accompanies the publication.

However there are a number of caveats with these data:

The data return template sent to LAs is aggregate, and only grouped time periods are collected. Therefore it is not possible to calculate an average waiting time - only a distribution of time periods is possible.
Many local authorities have reported difficulty in providing the information asked for in this data collection and therefore not all data is available for every year.
Due to the gaps in the Local Authority level data, we cannot effectively aggregate to Health Board. Completeness levels for each LA can be found within the ‘Data completeness’ tab of the Excel workbook which accompanies the publication.

Due to the issues faced in collecting this data from LAs and due to the lack of completeness, this data collection has been paused while we explore alternative methods of obtaining higher quality information on eligibility criteria and the length of time people wait for services. Therefore the most recent data available is for
2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-36932

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants it currently employs, broken down by directorate, and how this compares with staffing levels in 2016.

The Scottish government publish official workforce statistics on a quarterly basis.

The latest available data, which is for December 2024 and includes a times series back to March 2012 is available here Scottish Government workforce information - gov.scot.

The following tables provide a breakdown of FTE staff by directorate for December 2024 and March 2016.

SG Core FTE workforce by directorate - December 2024
DG	Directorate	FTE
DG COM	DIRECTOR-GENERAL COMMUNITIES	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR CLADDING REMEDIATION	49
	DIRECTORATE FOR EQUALITY, INCLUSION & HUMAN RIGHTS	107
	DIRECTORATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HOUSING	267
	DIRECTORATE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM	53
	DIRECTORATE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY	419
	DIRECTORATE FOR TACKLING CHILD POVERTY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE	127
	DIRECTORATE FOR UKRAINE RESETTLEMENT	38
DG CORP	DG : CORPORATE	1
	DIRECTOR-GENERAL CORPORATE	3
	DIRECTORATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MINISTERIAL SUPPORT	391
	DIRECTORATE FOR CORPORATE TRANSFORMATION AND WORKPLACE	262
	DIRECTORATE FOR COVID INQUIRIES	31
	DIRECTORATE FOR DIGITAL	611
	DIRECTORATE FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT	150
	DIRECTORATE FOR LEGAL SERVICES (SOLICITOR TO THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT)	328
	DIRECTORATE FOR PEOPLE	284
	DIRECTORATE FOR PROPRIETY AND ETHICS	9
	SCOTTISH PROCUREMENT AND COMMERCIAL DIRECTORATE	196
DG ECON	DG : ECONOMY BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT	1
	DIRECTOR-GENERAL ECONOMY	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR BUSINESS AND BETTER REGULATION	45
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHIEF ECONOMIST	107
	DIRECTORATE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT	225
	DIRECTORATE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT	79
	DIRECTORATE FOR JOBS AND WELLBEING ECONOMY	115
DG EJ	DIRECTOR-GENERAL EDUCATION AND JUSTICE	3
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES	330
	DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION REFORM	83
	DIRECTORATE FOR JUSTICE	147
	DIRECTORATE FOR LEARNING	123
	DIRECTORATE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING AND SKILLS	103
	DIRECTORATE FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES	170
DG HLTHSC	DG : HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE	1
	DIRECTOR-GENERAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER	67
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHIEF NURSING OFFICER	54
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, NHS SCOTLAND	171
	DIRECTORATE FOR DIGITAL HEALTH AND CARE	62
	DIRECTORATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FINANCE, DIGITAL AND GOVERNANCE	86
	DIRECTORATE FOR HEALTH WORKFORCE	83
	DIRECTORATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH	153
	DIRECTORATE FOR POPULATION HEALTH	268
	DIRECTORATE FOR PRIMARY CARE	68
	DIRECTORATE FOR SOCIAL CARE AND NATIONAL CARE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT	203
DG NZ	DIRECTOR-GENERAL NET ZERO	2
	DIRECTORATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ECONOMY (ARE)	988
	DIRECTORATE FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE	358
	DIRECTORATE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY	192
	DIRECTORATE FOR MARINE SCOTLAND	734
	DIRECTORATE FOR OFFSHORE WIND	48
DG SE	DIRECTOR-GENERAL SCOTTISH EXCHEQUER	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR BUDGET & PUBLIC SPENDING	32
	DIRECTORATE FOR FISCAL POLICY AND CONSTITUTION	9
	DIRECTORATE FOR FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY AND EXCHEQUER DEVELOPMENT	26
	DIRECTORATE FOR INTERNAL AUDIT AND ASSURANCE	56
	DIRECTORATE FOR TAX AND REVENUES	32
DG SEA	DIRECTOR-GENERAL STRATEGY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR CONSTITUTION	57
	DIRECTORATE FOR CULTURE AND MAJOR EVENTS	49
	DIRECTORATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS	115
	DIRECTORATE FOR PERFORMANCE, DELIVERY AND RESILIENCE	147
	DIRECTORATE FOR STRATEGY	16
	EU DIRECTORATE	9
	PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL OFFICE	25
PSEC	PERMANENT SECRETARY	1
All		8975

SG Core FTE workforce by directorate - March 2016
DG	Directorate	FTE
DG COM	COMMUNITIES	3
	DG COM	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR DIGITAL	286
	DIRECTORATE FOR HOUSING, REGENERATION AND WELFARE	281
	DIRECTORATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITIES	185
DG EEI	CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS, FOOD AND THE ENVIRONMENT	1
	DG CO-ORDINATION - ENTERPRISE, ENVIRONMENT & INNOVATION	3
	DG EEI	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND RURAL COMMUNITIES	887
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHIEF ECONOMIST	59
	DIRECTORATE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT	165
	DIRECTORATE FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE	86
	DIRECTORATE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY	102
	DIRECTORATE FOR MARINE SCOTLAND	643
	ENTERPRISE, ENVIRONMENT & INNOVATION BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT	1
	SCOTTISH DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL	33
DG FIN	DG FIN	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT	89
	DIRECTORATE FOR FINANCIAL STRATEGY	31
	DIRECTORATE FOR INTERNAL AUDIT	30
	DIRECTORATE FOR LEGAL SERVICES (SOLICITOR TO THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT)	185
	FINANCE	3
	PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL OFFICE	19
	SCOTTISH PROCUREMENT AND COMMERCIAL DIRECTORATE	154
DG HLTHSC	DG HLTHSC	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER	22
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHIEF NURSING OFFICER	29
	DIRECTORATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE INTEGRATION	29
	DIRECTORATE FOR HEALTH FINANCE	21
	DIRECTORATE FOR HEALTH PERFORMANCE AND DELIVERY	47
	DIRECTORATE FOR HEALTH WORKFORCE	35
	DIRECTORATE FOR HEALTHCARE QUALITY AND STRATEGY	61
	DIRECTORATE FOR POPULATION HEALTH IMPROVEMENT	180
	HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE	1
	OFFICE OF THE DG HSC AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE NHSSCOTLAND	12
DG LAJ	DIRECTORATE FOR ADVANCED LEARNING AND SCIENCE	52
	DIRECTORATE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES	112
	DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION ANALYTICAL SERVICES	54
	DIRECTORATE FOR FAIR WORK	57
	DIRECTORATE FOR JUSTICE	126
	DIRECTORATE FOR LEARNING	89
	DIRECTORATE FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES	199
	LEARNING & JUSTICE	7
	LEARNING AND JUSTICE	1
DG SEA	DG SEA	1
	DIRECTORATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MINISTERIAL SUPPORT	112
	DIRECTORATE FOR CULTURE, EUROPE AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS	95
	DIRECTORATE FOR PEOPLE	311
	DIRECTORATE FOR STRATEGY AND CONSTITUTION	106
	MINISTERIAL PRIVATE OFFICES	131
	STRATEGY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS	4
PSEC	PERMANENT-SECRETARY	5
PSEC	PSEC	1
All		5152

Question reference: S6W-36933

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of any increase in the total cost of its civil service since 2016 is accounted for by increases in (a) headcount and (b) salary levels.

The cost of the Scottish Governments Directly employed workforce rose from £239M in 2015-16 to £623M in 2023-24 - An increase of 161%.

Scottish Government Directly employed Workforce Costs (£K)
	2015-16	2023-24
Grand Total	238,680	622,581

Source – Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts

The Scottish government publish official workforce statistics on a quarterly basis. Scottish Government workforce information - gov.scot.

These figures show that the headcount of the Scottish Government increased by 71% from March 2016 to March 2024.

Since 2016 the average increase in Salary for SG employees has differed by grade, as detailed in the following table.

Average (mean) Salary by Grade - 2016 to 2024
	Mar-16	Mar-24	Percentage Increase
A3	18,687	26,158	40%
A4	21,344	29,046	36%
B1	24,824	32,797	32%
B2	30,015	38,684	29%
B3	39,236	49,425	26%
Fast Stream	30,533	38,524	26%
C1	51,575	64,550	25%
C2	62,275	79,606	28%
C3	67,428	84,679	26%
SCS	82,174	96,445	17%
Legal Trainee	25,304	34,722	37%
Marine Grades	32,782	48,520	48%

Source - Scottish Government HR Management Information

Question reference: S6W-37020

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many public sector body board members currently hold appointments with more than one public sector body and, for each such board member, what the total amount is that they receive annually as a combined remuneration.

The list of public appointments by public body, which was published on 25 March 2025, is an exhaustive list of Ministerial regulated public appointments only. Ministerial regulated public appointments are those governed by the Ethical Standards Commissioner and the Code of Practice for Public Appointments (2022). The Code requires publication.

The list is intended to be published to always reflect recently made appointments. It was last published in October 2024, January 2025 and February 2025. It was corrected on 25 March 2025 following the identification of errors.

Officials commenced a process of methodically checking the full list for accuracy on 25 March 2025. Once complete, the list will be re-published.

Question reference: S6W-38202

Asked by: Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund.

I can advise Parliament that the Scottish Government’s £30 million Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Fund has now been fully allocated to local authorities to enable them to work in partnership with the private sector to attract matched investment and deliver approximately 6,000 additional public charge points across Scotland by 2030.

Scotland currently has over 6,800 public charge points and is on track to meet its commitment of enabling approximately 24,000 additional public EV charge points by 2030, the majority of which will be funded and delivered by the private sector.

This fund prioritises the delivery of new public EV charging infrastructure in those parts of Scotland less likely to benefit from stand-alone private sector investment in public charging infrastructure.

I can further advise that through the fund, the Scottish Government has provided the North of Scotland partnership, consisting of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Highland and Moray councils, with over £7 million to transform charging infrastructure across the North of Scotland.

Our investment has enabled this partnership to leverage over £4.9 million of additional matched private sector investment over the next three years to ensure that drivers of electric vehicles in the North of Scotland experience the availability, accessibility and reliability of public EV charging they need and deserve.

Question reference: S6W-37939

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it estimates it would need to provide to local authorities to cover the cost of implementing a national council tax freeze in 2026-27.

Question reference: S6W-37498

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Programme for Government 2025-26 has reportedly reduced peatland and woodland restoration targets.

The commitments for peatland restoration and woodland creation have not reduced for 2025-26.

The 2025 Programme for Government commits to restoring 12,000 hectares of degraded Scottish peatlands and creating at least 10,000 hectares of woodlands, including at least 4,000 hectares of native woodland.

The 2024 Programme for Government committed to restoring 10,000 hectares of degraded Scottish peatlands. The woodland creation commitment in 2024-25 was the same as for 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-37598

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has made of any impact that fire contaminants may have on the health of an unborn child.

Chamber and committees