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-37488

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated any impact on the processing times for case marking and prosecution decisions as a result of any need to review body-worn camera footage.

The introduction of body-worn video footage by the Police Service of Scotland is a significant development and has the potential to bring enormous benefits to the criminal justice system and beyond.

Body-worn video provided promptly can enable prosecutors to take informed initial marking decisions by providing them with not only evidence of offending, but an insight into the nature of the offending behaviour, and its impact on individuals involved.

Considerable work is being undertaken within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to measure and monitor impact the impact of submission of BWV footage on both operational processes and prosecution decisions.

This monitoring will inform resource allocation within the service and any future funding requirements.

Question reference: S6W-37661

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which institutions and organisations bid to host the Anti Racism Observatory for Scotland, and who made the decision that it would be based at the University of Strathclyde.

Four organisations submitted a tender to host the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland:

1.Edinburgh Innovations Ltd and University of Edinburgh

2.Impact Funding Partners

3.University Court University of Glasgow

4.University of Strathclyde

The bids were evaluated in line with standard procurement processes.

The bid received from the University of Strathclyde, in partnership with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, outlined that the Observatory would be hosted at the University of Strathclyde.

Question reference: S6W-37491

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner regarding any implications of any increased use of body-worn cameras for its case preparation workload, and whether any operational support is being considered.

Discussions with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) have confirmed that the organisation welcomes Police Scotland’s roll out of body-worn cameras (BWC). BWC will provide valuable and incontrovertible evidence which will assist PIRC to undertake its statutory functions of investigations and complaint handling reviews, which contribute to upholding public confidence in policing in Scotland.

Police Scotland commenced its roll out of BWC on 26 March 2025, and use of BWC recorded footage is an operational matter for PIRC. Any additional operational requirements will be considered by PIRC, as this new technology is fully rolled out.

Question reference: S6W-37458

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the National Infertility Group has met during the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-37640

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether local authorities are delivering additional support needs support to a consistent national standard.

The intention behind the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 is that we have an inclusive approach to Education with a needs-led approach in Scotland.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the inclusive approach to meeting the needs of all young people, in-line with the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child.

The nature of ASN is individual to each child or young person, highly varied, and encompasses a wide range of needs; therefore, some variation should be expected in how this is reported. All children and young people with identified needs which require additional support are entitled to this, they do not require a diagnosis to receive this.

The Audit Scotland review into ASL recommended that the Scottish Government and councils fundamentally evaluate, both nationally and locally, how ASL is planned for, funded and staffed as part of core education provision.

In partnership with our local authority colleagues, we are giving careful consideration to the recommendations set out within the briefing and I am meeting with the Auditor General in the coming weeks to discuss in more detail.

Question reference: S6W-37499

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what COVID-19 vaccines are available for those who are immunocompromised and have a respiratory illness, in light of reports that VidPrevtyn, manufactured by Sanofi Paseur, is no longer available.

All those aged 6 months and over, who are immunosuppressed, are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine this spring, along with all those aged 75 and over, and residents in care homes for older adults.

Those who are immunosuppressed cannot receive what are called live attenuated vaccines, but none of the four COVID-19 mRNA vaccine products in use during the spring 2025 programme (Moderna Spikevax JN.1, Pfizer Comirnaty JN.1 Adult, Paediatric and Infant formulations) are live attenuated vaccines and therefore immunosuppressed individuals can safely receive all four of them. Leaflets about the COVID-19 vaccines offered during spring 2025 are available on NHS inform.

Question reference: S6W-37645

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement within the Programme for Government 2025-26 of £4.5 million for new specialist support for long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), chronic fatigue and other similar conditions, what it identifies as "similar conditions".

Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) are examples of post-acute infection syndromes. Work is ongoing to determine how the additional £4.5 million announced in the 2025-26 budget to deliver new specialist support will be allocated to NHS boards. It is expected that NHS boards will develop support based on their understanding of local population need and synergies with existing local service provision.

Question reference: S6W-37632

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not implemented its 2021 commitment to reduce teacher class contact time to 21 hours per week.

Question reference: S6W-37634

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance or negotiations it has undertaken with COSLA to reduce teacher class contact time.

The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing class contact time, and we will continue to explore with COSLA and the teacher unions, through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), how best to deliver this commitment.

Local Government are also undertaking local scoping and modelling work to inform delivery of this commitment. This work is scheduled to be completed by summer 2025.

Question reference: S6W-37638

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its proposed timetable is for legislation to reform additional support needs provision.

The Scottish Government is working closely with our local government partners to improve the experience of children and young people with additional support needs at school, implementing the recommendations of the 2020 review of additional support for learning.

During a debate in Parliament on the Review of Additional Support for Learning and Implementation of Mainstreaming, held on 14 May 2025, the Scottish Government committed to engaging in a cross-party roundtable with Local Government to discuss what more can be done to support Additional Support Needs in our schools and to undertaking a review of Additional Support for Learning.

The scope and detail of the review will be informed by the outcome of the roundtable discussion and will also draw on the evidence set out in the recent reports from the Education, Children and Young People Committee Inquiry Report, Audit Scotland briefing and the Children and Young People Commissioner’s Report.