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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 41674 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6F-03488

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the reported rise in sex crimes.

Question reference: S6F-03462

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03464

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03463

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-30792

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been conducted of any expected changes to the levels of non-drug related crime that occur near or within the vicinity of the safer drug consumption facility in Glasgow.

The safer drug consumption facility is targeted at reducing drug-related harms. In countries where drug consumption rooms already operate, they have seen a drop in drug-related issues within the vicinity of the site. International literature suggests there is no increase in drug-related crime around these facilities but we are not aware of the measurement of non-drug related crime.

Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership plan to assess the impact of the opening of the safer drug consumption facility on the local community, including experiences of crime and perceptions of local safety as part of the formal evaluation, led by Public Health Scotland academics. This work is being informed by consultation with the local community.

Question reference: S6W-30791

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether any money has been spent procuring substances deemed illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1972 for use in the safer drug consumption facility in Glasgow and, if so, how much has been spent and which substances have been purchased.

Substances used within the service are procured by the individuals using the service and not by the service itself. The Lord Advocate indicated in September 2023 that she would be prepared to publish a statement of prosecution policy to the effect that it would not be in the public interest to prosecute users of the facility in terms of section 5(2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 for simple possession offences committed within the confines of the safer drug consumption facility. This does not apply to the staff. No substances have been or will be purchased, and therefore there are no associated costs.

The SDCF website contains information on the service and highlights that those attending the service ‘can only use the drug they bring onto the site’.

Question reference: S6W-30788

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its civil servants have worked on the establishment of the safer drug consumption facility in Glasgow in the financial years (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 to date, and what the salaries are of those civil servants working in this area.

Question reference: S6W-30438

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many former oil and gas workers have transitioned to green jobs as a result of Just Transition funding.

The Scottish Government does not currently hold overall figures relating to employment outcomes or job creation as a result of our funded programmes. We are currently commissioning an independent evaluation which will help to determine this and the impact of the Fund to date, in due course.

Through the Just Transition Fund specifically, we have allocated £9.7 million for a package of skills interventions in the North East. We are currently commissioning an independent evaluation of the Fund’s impact to date which will include existing jobs supported and new jobs created. This work is due to complete by March end 2025.

This includes:

£4.5 million over 5 years for the Energy Skills Transition Hub – which aims to support 1000 people into energy transition roles.
£1 million for the National Energy Skills Accelerator to support a pilot scheme to better understand future energy skills needs and deliver workforce training.
funding for a feasibility study about net zero skills requirements and labour supply chain bottlenecks in Moray.
£3.7 million for the development of the Offshore Energy Skills Passport.

In addition, we are taking forward and supporting a wide range of sector-specific efforts, designed to help workers seize new opportunities, while ensuring that the sector does not lose essential skills and experience.

Question reference: S6W-30392

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, when it was initially conceived, whether a stated aim of minimum unit pricing was to reduce the consumption of alcohol among hazardous and harmful drinkers, and, if so, whether this aim has changed, and for what reason.

The aim of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol is to reduce health harms caused by alcohol consumption by setting a floor price below which alcohol cannot be sold. In particular, it targets a reduction in consumption of alcohol that is considered cheap, relative to its strength. It aims to reduce both the consumption of alcohol at population level and, in particular, those who drink at hazardous and harmful levels. In doing so, it aims to reduce alcohol related health harms among hazardous and harmful drinkers, and contribute to reducing harm at a whole population level.

The aim of MUP remains the same as stated at the Bill's introduction in 2011.

Question reference: S6W-30418

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Offshore Energies UK to discuss employment and training initiatives.

Scottish Government Ministers and officials regularly meet with industry stakeholders, including OEUK to discuss their ongoing employment and training initiatives. The First Minister and I met with David Whitehouse, CEO of OEUK on 30 September 2024. The Scottish Government is working with the energy sector to plan for a multi-skilled workforce to ensure a fair and just transition for Scotland’s highly skilled offshore workers.