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-24444

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, whether this supplement will come on top of, or instead of, any higher property rate that may be levied on a retail property.

Question reference: S6W-24435

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a central evidence base relating to the aquaculture industry, and, if there is, how stakeholders can gain access to it.

A wide range of aquaculture research is published by universities and research institutes, both in Scotland and globally, including research by public bodies such as SEPA, as well as the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate. Summaries of research are published by the Scottish Government Marine Directorate and SEPA on their websites and peer reviewed publications by all scientists may be accessed through a range online academic journals.

We are committed to making science as accessible as possible. The Scottish Shelf Model is a good example of a shared resource with vast array of applications which can be used by developed by the wider science community. We are working together to consider future aquaculture science evidence needs. Last year, I commissioned the Scottish Science Advisory Council (SSAC) to consider the use of science and evidence in aquaculture consenting. I look forward to working with stakeholders to further consider the recommendations made by the SSAC in their report this year.

Question reference: S6W-24425

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23979 by Jenny Gilruth on 8 January 2024, whether it will provide the information requested, particularly in light of the actions proposed in its Budget 2024-25, regarding what it anticipates the cost will be of (a) consulting on, (b) establishing, (c) launching and (d) the ongoing running of the Centre of Teaching Excellence (CTE), and, if it is the case that it has not considered what these costs might be and is yet to establish them, whether it will confirm that.

Work to establish a Centre for Teaching Excellence, including co-design and consultation, is being taken forward by the already-established Education Reform Programme. As set out in my statement to parliament on 7 November 2023, the Centre for Teaching Excellence will be funded through repurposing investment currently directed to Regional Improvement Collaboratives. The overall establishment and launch costs for the centre itself will be scoped as part of the design process with key stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-24260

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of a recent survey published by Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) that, of its members in Scotland, (a) 80% reported that they encountered delayed final payments “very often”, “often” or “occasionally” and (b) 32% stated that the total value of outstanding payments beyond the specified final payment date was over £100,000.

Question reference: S6W-24335

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a newborn screening programme for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).

Any decisions on whether to introduce screening programmes in Scotland are guided by the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises Ministers and the NHS in all four nations of the United Kingdom on screening policy. The UK NSC last reviewed adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) in 2021 and did not recommend screening for this condition. Further information regarding the reasons for this decision can be found on their website.

The UK NSC is expected to review ALD screening again in 2024-25. Should the UK NSC recommend screening for this condition, the organisations that oversee screening in Scotland, including the Scottish Screening Committee, will advise Scottish Ministers on introducing and implementing an ALD screening programme.

Question reference: S6W-24261

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of a recent survey published by Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) that 58% of CICV members in Scotland faced unexplained payment reductions either “very often” or “often”, thus intensifying their financial challenges.

Question reference: S6W-24259

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of a recent survey published by Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) that 79% of CICV members in Scotland reported receiving payments later than the agreed payment terms “very often” or “often”.

Question reference: S6W-24245

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-23685 and S6W-23686 by Graeme Dey on 21 December 2023, in light of the budgets for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) being reduced in the Scottish Budget 2024-25, what its position is on how the Scottish Budget will impact its engagement with SFC and SDS to monitor enrolments and destinations after course completion for courses that impact the energy efficiency and low-carbon heating sector.

In 2024-25 the Scottish Government is investing over £2.4 billion to support our colleges, universities and skills system, this includes funding for Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.

As set out in the answers to previous questions S6W-23685 and S6W-23686, the Scottish Government will continue to engage with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and post-school learning and training providers to better understand those who complete courses that are relevant to the sector. This engagement will not be impacted by budget allocation.

Question reference: S6W-24290

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23490 by Graeme Dey on 15 December 2023, for what reason it does not hold specific data on the number of disabled young people supported through Developing the Young Workforce.

The employer-led DYW Regional Groups and School Coordinators work with specialist partners and third sector organisations to support young people who are furthest from the labour market, including disabled young people, into positive destinations.

DYW Regional Groups collect data across the 4 DYW Key Performance Indicators. One of these focusses on equalities and captures data on the number of young people from target groups (which includes disabled young people) who have participated in a universal or bespoke employer engagement activity, facilitated by the Regional Group and / or School Coordinator. We are working with Regional Groups to capture more data for this indicator.

Question reference: S6W-24357

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with its New Deal For Business Group's Non-Domestic Rates sub-group regarding the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, prior to the announcement in the 2024-25 Budget.