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-03125

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to amend part 3 of the Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 to allow more family members to be employed under self-directed support, in light of this being permitted under options 1 and 2 in Scottish Government and COSLA guidance on self-directed support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 set out that people in receipt of a direct payment, Option 1 of Self-directed Support, may employ family members where this is deemed appropriate in certain prescribed circumstances.

The supporting Covid-19: Guidance on Self-directed Support Option 1 and Option 2 does not relax any of the existing safeguarding measures in place when considering a family member as a Personal Assistant (PA). The guidance has been developed to re-inforce the flexibility already in place under existing SDS Regulations.

Local authorities should consider requests to employ family members on a case by case basis, taking into account the family member’s health, their capacity to provide the required care, and other welfare and wellbeing factors.

Question reference: S6W-03144

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to lift the cap on what an individual firm can apply for through the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

Year Five of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund, which commenced in August, will be delivered in the same model as Year 4. Levy payers will continue to have access to up to £15,000 worth of training and Small and Medium Enterprises up to £5,000 worth of training.

We have committed to evaluating the Flexible Workforce Development Fund in 2021-22. The purpose of the evaluation will be to assess the impact the Fund has made on meeting employers training needs, addressing skill gaps and supporting workforce development. The evaluation will also provide recommendations to inform both the future of the Fund and the future development of national policy on up-skilling / retraining and in-work learning.

Reviewing the ‘fixed cap’ model for both Levy-paying employers and SMEs accessing the Fund will be part of this evaluation. Any recommendations from it in respect of its future delivery will be considered by Ministers next year.

Question reference: S6W-03070

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what age group applies to the category "children under the age of criminal responsibility whose behaviour has caused significant harm or abuse" who are one of the eligible groups for the Bairns' Hoose, as stated in the Scottish Government’s paper Bairns' Hoose - Scottish Barnahaus: Vision, Values and Approach.

Question reference: S6W-03188

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to establish the independent review to advise on the replacement for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), and by what date the review will (a) commence, (b) conclude and (c) publish its findings.

Professor Ken Muir has been appointed as an independent advisor on education reform and formally started work on 2 August 2021, and is expected to take around 6 months to conclude.

Professor Muir’s work will include designing the implementation of the OECD’s recommendations for structural change of the SQA and Education Scotland, including delivery of the national curriculum, assessment, qualification and inspection functions. This will include consideration of the role, remit and purpose of both the SQA and Education Scotland, their functions and governance arrangements.

Professor Muir is expected to conclude work and report recommendations to Scottish Government early 2022 and we will seek to publish Professor Muir’s findings as soon as practically possible.

Updates on Professor Muir's work will be provided via https://www.gov.scot/policies/schools/education-reform/

Question reference: S6W-03174

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what direction it has provided to local authorities regarding the model of delivery for the school counselling services that they have been asked to implement.

The commitment to invest in access to school counselling services across education in Scotland was announced in our 2018/19 Programme for Government.

The Scottish Government provided guidance ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/guidance-education-authorities-establishing-access-counselling-secondary-schools/ ) and agreed a set of aims and principles with local authorities ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/delivery-of-access-to-counsellors-through-schools-aims-and-principles/ ) to support delivery of the commitment.

Our local authority partners have confirmed that access to counselling support services through secondary schools is now in place across Scotland. It was up to local authorities to determine how they would deliver the commitment to best suit the children and young people in their area.

Question reference: S6W-03057

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider including water safety training in the school curriculum.

Within schools, Curriculum for Excellence's flexible guidelines allow teachers to decide upon the content of lessons that best meets the local needs and circumstances of all children and young people in attendance. However, we are working with stakeholders to consider the greater opportunities for children and young people to engage in swimming lessons and water safety education within communities.

The National Learn to Swim Framework, which is supported by Scottish Water and delivered by aquatic partners every week, already helps children to become safe, competent, and confident swimmers and these water safety themed lessons are an essential part of the Framework to help educate on water safety.

Question reference: S6W-03137

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangement it has with Openreach to access private land to facilitate the roll-out of fibre optic broadband.

All legislative and regulatory responsibility for telecommunications rests with the UK Government and Ofcom respectively. As such the Scottish Government has no arrangement with Openreach around access to private land in Scotland. Wayleaves are negotiated directly between operators and landowners. Where it is not possible to reach an agreement operators can seek to have an agreement imposed by the courts using the Electronic Communications Code.

Question reference: S6W-03088

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the total cost will be to set up an international office in (a) Copenhagen and (b) Warsaw.

As previous Scottish administrations have done in the past, we are committed to enhancing our external reach and voice. Our new offices in Copenhagen and Warsaw will promote Scotland’s interests and expertise in the Nordic and Central European regions, attracting investment and supporting the exchange of knowledge and best practice. We will set out the costs of the Copenhagen office in due course but would expect them to be broadly in line with those of several other existing offices. It is too early in the planning process to provide an estimated cost for the Warsaw office.

Question reference: S6W-03228

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the registered suppliers of the R100 Broadband Voucher Scheme have confirmed that they are able to provide installations across all (a) areas in Shetland and (b) rural and island communities.

As of 23 September 2021, there are nine suppliers registered to the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) who have indicated that they have delivered a commercial service to properties on Shetland.

In total, there are currently 73 suppliers registered to the SBVS. The whole list - which can be broken down by Scottish Local Authority area - is available on the Scotland Superfast website at https://www.scotlandsuperfast.com/how-can-i-get-it/scottish-broadband-voucher-scheme/ .

Question reference: S6T-00195

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that staff shortages and a new criminal record system in Police Scotland are risking dangerous criminals being left on the streets.