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-18901

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) the evaluation process is and (b) tools are used to assess the efficacy of funding allocated to the Scottish Drugs Forum, which is a centrally funded organisation.

All grant funding allocated from the drugs policy division is subject to Scottish Government’s robust grant management process, outlined in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) provides guidance on the proper handling and reporting of public funds.

The SPFM also provides guidance on appraisal and evaluation techniques and procedures. The Green Book, Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government ? published by HM Treasury provides more detailed guidance on the principles, techniques and procedures applicable in relation to appraisal and evaluation.

The objectives, milestones and outcomes - aligned to the National Mission Outcomes Framework - are clearly set out in the grant agreement between Scottish Government and the grant recipient. To ensure grant funding meets the agreed outcomes and provides value for money, grant evaluations are undertaken at regular intervals, and again once the project has ended to evidence whether the grant has been a success.

Question reference: S6W-18895

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to the Scottish Drugs Forum in each year since 2014.

Funding allocated to Scottish Drugs Forum for both core and specific project is presented in the following table. Information prior to 2017-18 is unavailable as it was deleted in accordance with our standard records management practice, before the date of your request. Therefore, funding allocated to the Scottish Drugs Forum from 2018-19 has been provided.

Funding allocated in financial year 2021-22 has been provided, however it is also publicly available at: National Mission on Drugs: annual report 2021 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Table: Total funding allocated to Scottish Drugs Forum by financial year, from
‎ 2018-19 to 2022-23

Financial Year	Funding Allocated
2018-19	£812,617
2019-20	£802,508
2020-21	£818,507
2021-22	£2,007,808
2022-23	£1,413,769
Total	£5,855,209

Source: Scottish Government Enterprise Accounting System (SEAS) records.

Question reference: S6W-18856

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Glasgow Caledonian University plans to sell its campus in New York City as the campus had “not reached its potential”, and what action it is taking to ensure that university campuses abroad can reach their potential.

The Scottish Government and our overseas offices work to advance Scotland’s interests, including those of our universities. Our international network will continue to invest in our international relationships and support our universities to engage globally.

As an autonomous body it is for Glasgow Caledonian University to decide on its strategic direction, including investment in particular areas of activity such as overseas campuses.

Question reference: S6W-18882

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition will next meet with the new chief executive of Scottish Water.

Question reference: S6W-18678

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update its target to grow Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) expenditure to £1.75 billion by 2025, in order to account for the change in methodology used by the Office for National Statistics.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) have recently changed their measurement of Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) expenditure which has led to significant uplift revisions to BERD expenditure estimates. Work is currently underway between the Scottish Government and the ONS to further quality assure the new methodology; once this work is complete the Scottish Government will consider target setting options. The Scottish Government's recently published National Innovation Strategy will monitor a range of metrics to track progress over the next decade through its Innovation Scorecard, including tracking Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD), Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) spend and BERD spend.

Question reference: S6W-19069

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many producers have registered for the Deposit Return Scheme as at 7 June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-18986

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when updated software needed to improve the management and monitoring of early learning and childcare services will be developed and ready for use.

Question reference: S6W-18981

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce any budget pressures being experienced by early years and childcare businesses.

Question reference: S6W-18983

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide support to private nurseries and childminders in order for them to be able to provide flexibility and choice for families, in light of the reported fragility of the sector.

Question reference: S6W-18332

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to expand on its AI CivTech Challenge on ethical and explainable AI in the public sector.

The CivTech challenge on ethical and explainable AI has directly lead to the recent launch of the Scottish AI Register.

The AI Register, developed in collaboration with Finnish start-up Saidot, as part of the challenge was launched in March 2023. It makes transparent the development and use of AI in the public sector, and offers the public a simple and effective platform to have a say in how AI is used to make decisions and deliver public services.