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-03170

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03169

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-27897

Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-27896

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angus Robertson on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on work to develop a refreshed National Events Strategy for Scotland.

The Scottish Government published the refreshed National Events Strategy for Scotland 2024-2035 today.

Developing this strategy has been a collaborative effort, shaped by voices from across the event sector, Trade Unions, Local Authorities and the wider public sector. Following a consultation and engagement process clear agreed priorities have emerged to shape a strategy that provides focus for the whole sector, bringing everyone together to deliver a shared ambition.

This strategy can sustain and develop a dynamic, resilient, and responsible events sector that is a valued part of Scotland’s wellbeing economy, maintaining Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events. It will ensure Scotland continues to support a dynamic portfolio of events – from regular local community events to Scotland’s signature events and festivals, to one off international business, cultural and sporting events.

The Scottish Government remains committed to continuing to work with the existing strong partnerships across Scotland – as well as creating new relationships in a collaborative and cohesive approach, helping to maximise our collective resources.

A copy of the strategy is available using this URL – https://www.visitscotland.org/about-us/what-we-do/events .

Question reference: S6W-27909

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received the pre-election propriety advice from the permanent secretary, which was referred to during First Minister’s Questions on 23 May 2024.

Pre-election guidance, informed by UK general election guidance and consistent with the devolved administrations, was published on the Scottish Government Website on 24 May: UK General Election 2024: guidance for civil servants - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

In addition, the Permanent Secretary wrote to me on 27 May outlining the impact of this guidance on the Scottish Government’s planned business: https://www.gov.scot/publications/pre-election-period-advice-letter-to-the-first-minister

This advice means that during the restricted period which extends until 4 July, strategic policies due for publication, including the Programme for Government, the Medium Term Financial Strategy, the Scottish Government’s draft tax strategy and the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, should be deferred.

Question reference: S6W-27895

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase access to diabetes technologies.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone living with diabetes can access the care that they need to live their lives well. This includes increasing access to diabetes technologies.

Between 2016 and 2022, we invested £29.6 million of additional funding to support the increased provision of diabetes technologies.

I am delighted to confirm that this financial year, up to £8.8 million of funding will be made available to expand access to diabetes technologies in Scotland. The focus will primarily be on providing access to all children that want Closed Loop Systems, but will also allow us to continue increasing access to adults.

This investment will allow us to continue developing innovative care models for diabetes in Scotland that have a focus on digital pathways and peer support.

Question reference: S6W-27704

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many overdoses from painkillers in those under the age of 18 were recorded in the financial year 2023-24, and, of these, how many instances resulted in death.

Drug-related hospital stats are published by Public Health Scotland and can be found at. Drug-related hospital statistics - Scotland 2022 to 2023 - Drug-related hospital statistics - Publications - Public Health Scotland Breakdowns are available by ‘drug type’, but are not specific to different painkillers, and are not cross tabulated with age.

National Records of Scotland also publish an annual official statistics report on Drug-related Deaths in Scotland. The most recent publication was released on 22 August 2023 and can be found at Drug-related Deaths in Scotland in 2022 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) . Within Table SUB2 ( Additional Data | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) of the additional data tables published alongside the main report there is a breakdown of drug poisoning deaths by year and by substance, including specifically those drugs which were implicated or potentially contributed to the cause of death. National Records of Scotland does not publish an age breakdown of this data.

Question reference: S6W-27690

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make a high-level summary available of the benchmarking report that was undertaken by First Marine International on Ferguson Marine's shipbuilding facilities and its recommendations for improvement.

Question reference: S6W-27641

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it ceased the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme.

Question reference: S6W-27605

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported withdrawal of members of the Law Society of Scotland from the Legal Aid Remuneration Project and Research Analysis Group, and whether it has recently met with the Law Society of Scotland to discuss such concerns.

To give effect to the principal recommendation of the Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel, that independent research be commissioned to consider the financial landscape for legal aid providers, a working group was established in 2022.

Membership of the group included representatives of the Law Society of Scotland, the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association and the Scottish Legal Aid Board. The group met regularly and agreed a specification to tender for the required research.

Following two unsuccessful tendering processes, the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association indicated their withdrawal from the working group. The Scottish Government share these frustrations, but an offer to re-tender remains.

The Scottish Government has held productive discussions with both the Law Society of Scotland and the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association on the purpose of the research and will continue to make the case for re-tendering. We do believe that there is much to gain by carrying out the research.