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-33191

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many animal disqualification and deprivation orders were issued in the period 2022-24; how this compares with 2017-22, and what underlying causes are behind any increase in number.

The number of disqualification or deprivation orders imposed in 2022-24 was 307. In the period 2017-22 the number imposed was 255.

While numerous factors can contribute to fluctuations in these numbers, it is likely that amendments to the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), that were introduced by The Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act), have resulted in an increase in the number of disqualification orders being imposed by the courts.

Previously, section 40(1) of the 2006 Act provided that where a person is convicted of a relevant offence, the convicting court may make a disqualification order, but it did not specify when such an order should be made. An amendment introduced by the 2020 Act places a stronger requirement on courts to consider issuing a disqualification order in every case where a person is convicted of a relevant offence and makes clear that such an order should be imposed for the purposes of protecting animal welfare.

Section 4(4) of the 2020 Act, also inserted a new section 42A into the 2006 Act to require the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to establish and maintain a record of the reasons relating to disqualification orders.

Question reference: S6O-04237

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting and investing in youth work.

Question reference: S6O-04240

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting community efforts to preserve built heritage, ancient monuments and archaeological sites.

Question reference: S6O-04238

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve road safety on key routes.

Question reference: S6O-04234

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the additional £34 million allocated to Culture and Heritage in its draft Budget will assist in the preservation of any small, yet key, Scottish heritage sites under threat of closure, such as Kinneil Museum in the Falkirk East constituency.

Question reference: S6O-04239

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its provision of funding for humanitarian aid in Gaza, whether it will provide an update on what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding recent developments in Gaza.

Question reference: S6O-04236

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it anticipates will be paid in this financial year in PFI and PPP unitary charge payments across the public sector.

Question reference: S6O-04241

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the remit of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry remains appropriate.

Question reference: S6O-04235

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support South Lanarkshire Council as part of the local government settlement for 2025-26.

Question reference: S6O-04249

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the current cost of living crisis on the prevalence of food insecurity and reliance on food banks.