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-01653

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is supporting public transport to be better used and more affordable.

Question reference: S6F-01648

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the First Minister, further to her commitment in June that a Women’s Health Champion for Scotland would be appointed in the summer, whether such an appointment will be made before Christmas.

Question reference: S6F-01649

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the First Minister what impact the Self-Isolation Support Grant has had on low-income workers who have contracted COVID-19.

Question reference: S6F-01647

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government plans to address reported shortages of antibiotics, in light of the growing number of Strep A cases.

Question reference: S6F-01632

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-01631

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-12723

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason alternatives to custody for non-violent women with dependency issues, such as Turning Point Scotland's 218 service, have not been (a) replicated in other cities and (b) piloted for men.

Decisions about specific programmes or interventions for those who have committed offences are generally taken at a local level under the model of community justice introduced in 2017. Local authorities have significant autonomy to direct justice social work funding to deliver statutory justice services and meet local priorities aimed at reducing reoffending. Services are also commissioned through local partnerships such as Health and Social Care Partnerships, and priorities will be informed by local Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plans.

The funding of Turning Point Scotland’s 218 service pre-dates the implementation of the current community justice model, so central funding has been protected as part of the legacy arrangements for the last 5 years. The creation of any new services, however, would primarily be a matter for local areas to consider.

We currently invest over £119 million of ring fenced funding in community justice services, which includes community sentences and other interventions. The bulk of this funding – around £108 million – is distributed to local authorities for the delivery of justice social work services. The remaining £11 million is directed towards third sector organisations for the delivery of community justice related services. From the main funding, £1.5 million is specifically for bail services for women which is distributed across 32 local authorities.

An additional £50 million per annum over this Parliament is also allocated to support the National Mission to reduce drug deaths and harms. Of this an additional £20 million per year goes to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships and the further £30 million supports grassroots initiatives, implementation of Medication Assisted Treatment Standards, and work with nationally funding organisations.

Question reference: S6W-12797

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage dentistry students to specialise in orthodontics.

The Scottish Government is not taking any specific actions with respect to encouraging orthodontics as a specialty.

A degree in dentistry offers students a well-rounded dental education that sets them up for a strong career. There are three dental schools across Scotland in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow, which offer a common curriculum, and on completion of their degree students are free to choose whether they wish to specialise in any particular area. Those students who wish to specialise in orthodontics can undertake a further three-year postgraduate qualification to allow them to register as a specialist orthodontist.

Question reference: S6W-12787

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any analysis of the financial implications of restoring all of the sites managed by Historic Environment Scotland, and, if so, whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs associated with the restoration of each site.

Historic Environment Scotland continues to review the budgetary requirements during its ongoing inspections programme. Findings from this programme will allow informed decisions to be made regarding the capacity and resources required to carry out any subsequent conservation and repair works.

Against the current challenging financial backdrop, the Scottish Government will maintain our support of Historic Environment Scotland to protect Scotland’s unique heritage and historic environment. I will continue to engage regularly with Historic Environment Scotland to discuss the access restrictions and restoration programme.

Question reference: S6W-12770

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12034 by Michael Matheson on 28 November 2022, what steps it is taking to address any uncompetitive government support for refund guarantees and performance bonds that are inhibiting the growth of commercial shipbuilding in Scotland relative to other countries.

The Scottish Government supports the growth of commercial shipbuilding in Scotland and has welcomed the UK Government’s intention to introduce a Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (HSCGS) as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh.

We look forward to the launch of the HSCGS and once the final details are known we will work with the industry to establish how best to utilise the scheme and maximise its potential to support the growth of commercial shipbuilding in Scotland.