Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-36883

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has issued any guidance or support to higher education institutions on maintaining academic standards, in light of the increasing use of AI.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has statutory responsibility for quality assurance of provision by colleges and universities, including in relation to academic standards. With the support of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), the SFC is continuing to work with universities to address the risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, and its potential impact on assessments, academic integrity and standards. This includes guidance on quality and academic standards issued by the SFC, and guidance issued by QAA to support universities with the use of generative Artificial Intelligence tools.

Question reference: S6W-36895

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential risk to taxpayers from any future liability that could arise from owning or operating the Grangemouth refinery.

Further to my answer to S6W-36894 on 13 May 2025, we understand that significant financial investment would be required to retain refinery operations at Grangemouth. Given the expansive fiscal levers at its disposal, the UK Government must utilise all routes to securing a sustainable future for the Refinery site.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-36863

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the reported overreliance of universities on international student markets for financial stability.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has a statutory duty set out in the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 to secure the coherent provision by the post-16 education bodies (as a whole) of a high quality of fundable further education and fundable higher education. As autonomous institutions, universities have the key role in mitigating financial pressures and external risks.

The SFC monitors and assesses the financial health and the sustainability of universities through regular engagement and analysis of financial returns, which universities are required to submit to SFC each academic year. This includes consideration of a wide range of factors, including international enrolments.

We need an immigration system that supports our higher education sector to deliver the best learning, research and student experience. That is why the First Minister announced proposals for a Scottish Graduate Visa - to support a clear pathway for international students to build their careers in Scotland and contribute to our economy and wider society.

Question reference: S6W-36862

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency planning it has undertaken to mitigate the impact of any reduced international student recruitment on university finances.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has a statutory duty set out in the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 to secure the coherent provision by the post-16 education bodies (as a whole) of a high quality of fundable further education and fundable higher education. As autonomous institutions, universities have the key role in mitigating financial pressures and external risks.

The SFC monitors and assesses the financial health and the sustainability of universities through regular engagement and analysis of financial returns, which universities are required to submit to SFC each academic year. This includes consideration of a wide range of factors, including international enrolments.

Scotland’s first International Education Strategy (IES), published in February last year, highlighted the positive impact that international students make and sets out the actions that the Scottish Government will take to promote Scotland as a study destination and to attract and diversify our international student population.

Question reference: S6W-36875

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to reduce any delays in care package approvals, in light of reported warnings that 90% of care homes have seen reductions in local authority-funded packages.

Under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships have a duty to assess the social care support needs of people and decide, in light of that assessment, arrange suitable services, if required.

We understand the pressures faced and addressing long waiting times for Social Care Assessment is one of the reasons that the 2025-26 Budget prioritised both the Local Government Settlement and the Health & Social Care portfolio with both receiving record funding allocations.

This includes almost £2.2bn for social care and integration – increasing investment by £1.2bn since 2021-22. On top of that, our Budget makes a record £15 billion available for councils for 2025-26.

Question reference: S6T-02523

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the announcement that NHS Grampian has been escalated to stage 4 of NHS Scotland's National Performance Framework for finance, leadership and governance.

Question reference: S6T-02522

Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any implications for Scotland’s public services of the UK Government’s proposed reforms to the immigration system.

Question reference: S6F-04082

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2025

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the recently announced UK-USA trade deal and its potential implications for businesses in Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-04075

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2025

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to address the performance of NHS 24, in light of reports that nearly one in five calls to the service went unanswered last year.

Question reference: S6F-04071

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Chamber and committees