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-41470

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any funding applications that Creative Scotland has received to support South Asian productions through the funding programmes that it manages, including those where the finance is provided by the National Lottery, how many applications in total there have been that were initially recommended for funding but where the non-departmental public body eventually reached a final decision not to support the project in (a) each of the last three full financial years and (b) 2025-26 to date.

A ‘South Asian production’ is a broad term which could span various languages, countries, art forms, and cultural contexts.

Generally the region is defined to include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Regarding organisations and individuals that specifically described their project as ‘South Asian’ or referred to one of the countries that form South Asia, the following is a breakdown of the funding awards since 2022-23:

2022-23

19 approved awards for combined value of £413,653
10 unsuccessful applications requesting combined value of £229,635

Of these unsuccessful applications, 2 were recommended for funding (requesting £33,092)

2023-24

15 approved awards for combined value of £470,229
19 unsuccessful applications requesting combined value of £326,521

Of these unsuccessful applications, 12 were recommended for funding (requesting £203,081)

2024-25

19 approved awards for combined value of £367,359
27 unsuccessful applications requesting combined value of £1,087,174

Of these unsuccessful applications, 8 were recommended for funding (requesting £246,983)

2025-26 (to date)

6 approved awards for combined value of £91,199
4 applications that are pending decision for combined value of £202,882
8 unsuccessful applications requesting combined value of £138,302

Of these unsuccessful applications, 3 were recommended for funding (requesting combined value of £70,682)

Question reference: S6W-41513

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to the Scottish Government Online Safety Taskforce, which was announced in January 2025.

As referenced in the Scottish Government Programme for Government 2025-26: Building the Best Future for Scotland, the purpose of the Taskforce is to strengthen our approach to keeping children safe online, providing oversight and direction across Scottish Government and identifying what more can be done to protect children and young people. In meeting this purpose it will bring together work from across government to better effect, maximising the funding available across government to keep children safe online and help promote wellbeing through positive behaviours.

Question reference: S6W-41244

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many parents involved in child protection cases have not been offered advocacy support since May 2021.

The requested information is not held by the Scottish Government.

We want to ensure families can get the help they need, where and when they need it. That is why we are transforming holistic family support through the Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) Programme.

Since 2022, we have invested over £148m in a programme of activity to transform family support. This includes a multi-year commitment to funding Children's Services Planning Partnerships (CSPPs) to drive this work at the local level.

Funding for CSPPs will increase from £32m to £38.1m in 2025-26 and 2026-27.

WFWF is a critical part of how we will keep the Promise – by shifting investment towards early intervention and prevention activities to prevent Scotland’s families reaching crisis.

It is also an essential part of our mission to eradicate child poverty. By ensuring we provide holistic support that meets the needs of the whole family. This is the smarter, more compassionate way to help Scotland’s families, by putting their needs at the centre of our approach.

Question reference: S6W-41281

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39821 by Mairi McAllan on 1 September 2025, should the Scottish Law Commission conclude that compulsory owners’ associations can be established in law, what its position is on whether the current obligation on owners to insure under section 18 of the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 should be updated to instead place the duty on owners’ associations to provide insurance under a single common policy.

Question reference: S6W-41245

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many referrals to social work have been made due to parental poverty or housing conditions since May 2021.

Question reference: S6W-41250

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been temporarily unable to attend a local authority nursery due to staff shortages in the last 12 months.

Question reference: S6W-41557

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons the retired MV Hebridean Isles vessel is being dismantled at a facility in Denmark and not in Scotland.

CMAL, as vessel owner, sought competitive quotes on the open market for the recycling of the MV Hebridean Isles. Quotes were received from UK based suppliers which would have seen CMAL pay significant costs for the vessel to be recycled domestically.

Two notes of interest and one firm offer were received from EU bidders. CMAL confirmed the specialist knowledge, sustainable approach to recycling and track record of Smedegaarden A/S which is a dedicated recycling yard in Denmark. CMAL signed the contract with Smedegaarden A/S who have bought the vessel from CMAL ahead of recycling activity, providing guaranteed decommissioning work to the highest standards and better value to the public purse.

Question reference: S6W-41399

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the temporary barriers will be removed from the carriageway at the railway overbridge at Sword Street in Dennistoun.

Question reference: S6W-41471

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding Creative Scotland has provided, through the funding programmes it manages, including those where the finance is provided by the National Lottery, for South Asian productions in (a) each of the last three full financial years and (b) 2025-26 to date.

A ‘South Asian production’ is a broad term which could span various languages, countries, art forms, and cultural contexts.

Generally the region is defined to include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Regarding organisations and individuals that specifically described their project as ‘South Asian’ or referred to one of the countries that form South Asia, Creative Scotland has awarded a combined total of over £1.33m to 59 successful projects since 2022-23 to date.

The total funding awards broken down by year are as follows:

2022-23

19 approved awards for combined value of £413,653

2023-24

15 approved awards for combined value of £470,229

2024-25

19 approved awards for combined value of £367,359

2025-26 (to date)

6 approved awards for combined value of £91,199

Question reference: S6W-41516

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason third sector organisations have reportedly not been involved in the operation of the Scottish Government Online Safety Taskforce, which was announced in January 2025.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41513 on 7 November 2025. The Taskforce will bring together work from across Government. The Scottish Government is engaging with a wide range of third sector bodies, including those representing children and young people, as well as public sector stakeholders in developing and delivering work focused on tackling online harms to children and young people. This includes the various stakeholders involved in the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group - gov.scot.

The Taskforce will be considering how engagement on the government’s overarching approach to online harm can be enhanced further to support a more joined up dialogue with stakeholders including the third sector.

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.