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-28608

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its long-term strategy for addiction recovery services, and how will it ensure a comprehensive and effective approach to addressing both alcohol and drug misuse.

The Scottish Government remains committed to addressing the twin public health emergencies on alcohol and drugs and recognises the key role treatment and recovery services play.

Implementation of the Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards in such services is being supplemented with the implementation of UK-wide clinical treatment guidelines for alcohol services. Both MAT and the UK-wide clinical treatment guidelines will feature in the National Specification for alcohol and drugs services. We have committed to publishing the Specification and subsequent overarching guidance for treatment and recovery services, in response to recommendations made by the Drug Deaths Taskforce. The Specification and guidance, alongside MAT standard implementation and UK-wide guidelines, will help to ensure that high-quality treatment options, for those affected by addiction, will be met for years to come.

In addition, a comprehensive range of initiatives to improve alcohol and drug outcomes for people is set out in our National Mission, including investment in prevention and early intervention, improved treatment services and long-term recovery support for problematic alcohol and drug use. Investment in residential rehabilitation has increased the number of spaces for people, both now and in the future, and our work on tackling stigma aims to fundamentally break down barriers for those seeking support.

To ensure that our future strategic plans are evidence-based, they will be informed by the National Mission evaluation, with the final publication expected in 2026. In accordance with democratic processes, any future strategic plans will also take into account the outcomes of the 2026 Scottish election.

Question reference: S6W-28603

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28303 by Christina McKelvie on 9 July 2024, how it will ensure transparency and accountability in the reporting of residential rehabilitation treatment lengths once the data infrastructure is in place.

We have responded to calls for more transparency and accountability by commissioning Public Health Scotland to carry out an independent evaluation of the Residential Rehabilitation programme as part of the wider evaluation of the National Mission.

By collecting and publishing robust data, we will be able to increase the evidence base that will help us to best direct financial resource. This improved understanding means that more people will be able to access the treatment type that is right for them at the right time.

Question reference: S6W-28448

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to reducing teachers' class-contact time to 21 hours per week, and, if so, when it expects to meet this target.

Question reference: S6W-28690

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28192 by Jenny Gilruth on 1 July 2024, whether it can confirm that there were no participants in the November 2023 Computing Science week from (a) Argyll and Bute Council, (b) Orkney Islands Council and (c) West Dunbartonshire Council.

Question reference: S6W-28552

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the General Teaching Council for Scotland regarding the establishment of a national standardised system for disciplinary or investigative procedures regarding teachers.

The Scottish Government has not held any discussions with the General Teaching Council for Scotland regarding the establishment of a national standardised system for disciplinary or investigative procedures regarding teachers.

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), as the Independent Professional and Regulatory Body for teachers in Scotland, has a published Fitness to Teach process at https://www.gtcs.org.uk/fitness-to-teach which sets out how the GTCS will investigate serious concerns about teachers.

Question reference: S6W-28480

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with teaching organisations regarding increasing the timetabling of computing science at Higher level, and what the outcomes were of any such discussions.

The timetabling of Computing Science in the senior phase is the responsibility of individual schools who have discretion to deliver a curriculum that best meets the needs of their pupils and the wider community.

Since September 2022, Education Scotland has overseen a national timetabling group bringing school leaders and local authority representatives together to focus on innovative approaches to timetabling across all curricular areas.

The Scottish Government also continues to fund and engage with the organisation, Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science (STACS), to support Computing Science as a subject area. One of the key aims of STACS is to promote Computing Science as a desirable career option to young people and their parents/carers.

Question reference: S6W-28489

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills held, between 1 April and 22 May 2024, to discuss its guidance on mobile phones in schools, and what the outcomes were of any such meetings.

Between 1 April and 22 May 2024 I held three meetings to discuss the revised guidance on use of mobiles phones in schools:

? Two meetings with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools (SAGRABIS) on 16 April 2024 and 15 May 2024. Minutes of these meetings are available at: Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools (SAGRABIS) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

? A meeting with the Head Teacher Taskforce on 22 May, the minutes of which can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/head-teacher-taskforce-minutes-may-2024/

Question reference: S6W-28485

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its response to the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment.

Question reference: S6W-28484

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it had (a) completed all the work required to produce and (b) finalised its guidance on mobile phones in schools, prior to the commencement of the purdah period for the 2024 General Election.

The revised guidance on use of mobile phones in schools was fully drafted and had been agreed by the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools (SAGRABIS) prior to publication. The document was in the process of completing final due diligence consideration when the need to consider whether or not it could be published during the pre-election period arose. The guidance would otherwise have been published prior to the end of the school year.

Question reference: S6W-28487

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it had (a) completed all the work required to produce and (b) finalised a draft response to the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment, prior to the commencement of the purdah period for the 2024 General Election.