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-02086

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding whether Dunkeld and Birnam railway station is eligible for support from the Access for All fund to improve pedestrian platform access, including the immediate instalment of a temporary footbridge throughout the period of the construction work at the station, and, if it does not meet the criteria for such support, whether an application can be made to the Local Rail Development Fund to assess these requirements.

Rail accessibility is a reserved matter for the UK government and the criteria for selection for an accessibility scheme is set by the Department for Transport and assessed by them via the Access for All scheme:- Access for All: funding to improve accessibility at rail stations - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

No discussions have been held as the station does not meet the UK government’s criteria.

Transport Scotland is, however, considering four possible route options for the A9 Dualling Pass of Birnam to Tay crossing section, all of which improve access to Dunkeld and Birnam station. The project team is currently in discussions with Network Rail regarding possible improvements, including accessibility, and the team will look to work closely with stakeholders to consider these improvements in more detail once a preferred route option has been selected.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving access at stations beyond the UK Government programme. Where possible, we look to improve accessibility as part of wider rail investments and a £2 million Scottish Government Local Rail Development Fund was relaunched in February 2019 to respond to the interest and enthusiasm shown by local organisations in looking at opportunities to tackle local transport issues including accessibility. The 2019 fund is now closed however, Tactran applied for funding and is currently undertaking appraisal work for a potential Tay Cities Park & Choose Strategy at Stirling and Bridge of Earn Strategic Park & Ride along the Perth-Montrose rail corridor.

Question reference: S6W-02401

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government on which dates in 2021 meetings of the Mobilisation Recovery Group have been scheduled and subsequently cancelled.

Question reference: S6W-02404

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have attended each meeting of the Mobilisation Recovery Group.

Question reference: S6W-02327

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many bids were received for the contract to design and build HMP Highland.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

‘An initial ‘Expression of Interest’ stage was undertaken by SPS for the HMP Highland project with four expressions of interest received. Following evaluation and a high standard of response, all four contractors were invited to tender and four bids were received in June 2021.

Tender evaluation is underway and SPS anticipates the initial contract award will be made in September 2021.’

Question reference: S6W-02349

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on dentistry in each of the last five years, and how much of this total was paid to general dental practice.

Question reference: S6W-02201

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the Advisory Council on Economic Transformation hears from people who have experienced economic hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic hardship for many householders throughout Scotland and is why the Scottish Government reacted quickly to provide vital support to help people, communities and businesses during this unprecedented period. The Scottish economy faces major challenges as it recovers from the pandemic and transitions towards becoming a net zero economy. To support the economy during this period, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering a new 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The strategy will, through the Advisory Council for Economic Transformation and the views received through the programme of stakeholder engagement and the public consultation, fully take into account the impact of the pandemic as it sets out the key actions to transform the economy over the next 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-02214

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of school leavers have gone to university from (a) state schools and (b) independent schools in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government publishes information on the initial (3 months after leaving school) and follow-up (9 months after leaving school) destinations of school leavers from publicly funded schools.

Initial destination: School education statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Follow-up destination: School education statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Note that this does not directly identify the proportion who have gone to university but does identify those who have went in to Higher Education. Within these statistics Higher Education is defined based on the qualification being studied rather than the place of study. It covers those following a course of study at a level higher than the standard of the National Qualifications, i.e. above SCQF level 7. This includes degree courses, courses for the education and training of teachers, higher level courses for professional qualification and Higher National Certificate / Diploma or equivalent. This will include those studying such courses at University but also in other settings such as a Higher Education Institutions or Colleges.

The latest follow-up destinations data on the proportion of publicly funded school leavers who were in Higher Education is provided below. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the percentage of independent school leavers who have gone to university or Higher Education.

Proportion of school leavers from publicly funded schools with Higher Education follow-up destination

	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20
Higher Education	37.3	38.3	39.0	38.4	42.9

Note: These figures relate to school leavers from mainstream schools and exclude school leavers from special schools.

Question reference: S6W-02200

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include the economic pathway to meeting its statutory climate change targets through a just transition as part of the remit of the Advisory Council on Economic Transformation and, if so, whether it will (a) arrange a presentation of these issues to be held at a council meeting from experts in the environmental movement and (b) invite at least two people with a strong environmental and climate change background to join the council.

The Scottish economy faces unprecedented challenges as it recovers from the pandemic and transitions to becoming a net zero economy. To guide the economy through this period, the Scottish Government has committed to delivering a new 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

The Advisory Council for Economic Transformation was established to help shape and drive the strategy. The Advisory Council’s work will be complemented by an extensive programme of stakeholder engagement, including environmental stakeholders, and the views put forward by the public through the consultation. This is a national endeavour and so the Scottish Government wants to hear directly from business, workers and stakeholders right across the country on how to transform the economy and help us reach net zero.

Question reference: S6T-00112

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the joint statement by the World Health Organization and UNICEF on the need to prioritise in-person classroom-based learning as efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic continue.

Question reference: S6T-00106

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the preparation and planning being undertaken to support people fleeing Afghanistan who may be resettled in Scotland.