The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S6O-04632

Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve support for disabled people, including when seeking employment.

Question reference: S6W-37060

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) reasoning and (b) supporting evidential basis is for its decision to split the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group (FMAC) into separate commercial fishing and Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations, also known as eNGOs, groupings, and what its position is on how this decision impacts the principle of inclusivity in fisheries management, as set out in the Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy 2020-2030.

Further to the answer to S6W-36304 on 9 April 2025, the decision to split the Fisheries Management and Conservation (FMAC) Group was taken following a review of the Group that was undertaken last year. The review found that the way the FMAC Group had been operating was hampering effective co-management. The review findings, which were in line with my officials’ observations from recent meetings, provided the evidential basis for the decision. The revised structure will enable co-management and help ensure that our fisheries management continues to be inclusive.

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-36876

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many care homes (a) have closed in the last 12 months, and (b) are considered to be at risk of closure.

In regards to part A of the question, the best source for care home closure data sits with the Care Inspectorate (CI) via their ‘service cancellations and registrations publication’. The most recent version was published on 22 January 2025, which you can access via the link below

https://www.careinspectorate.com/images/documents/7934/CI_Stats_Report_RegCanxQtr3_24_25.csv

37 care home services have cancelled their registration with CI since the start of 2024, according to this most recent report. This includes care home services for older people, children & young people, mental health, alcohol & drugs misuse, learning disabilities and respite services.

In order to see those services that have been cancelled you can look at the cancelled services column the publication table.

It is important to note that often the services listed will most likely have been reopened under a different business name and care service number since this data was released. Over the same period, there have been 30 registered care homes services, you can view this in the registered services columns in the same table.

In regards to Part B, to understand the care home services that are at risk of closure you can look at the RAD score – current Scrutiny Assessment Tool (SAT) score, High-Medium-Low – for each service which is available on the Care Inspectorate data store publication. The most recent one was published on 28 February

https://careinspectorate.com/images/documents/8039/MDSF_data_28%20February%202025.xlsx

The SAT is a trigger tool to identify indicators of potential concerns in services. The SAT was developed using feedback from staff, information from our enforcement review, intelligence and learning from the pandemic and the Hull early indicators of concern (which has been widely adopted by the health and social care sector). It only provides a picture of the services that have been inspected, rather than all care homes in the country.

Question reference: S6W-36861

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency measures are in place in the event that a large number of care homes close in the next six to 12 months, in light of reported concerns from the sector regarding potential closures.

I would highlight that although we have overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, the statutory responsibility for delivering, commissioning, providing appropriate social care capacity at a local level lies with local authorities, NHS boards and Integrated Joint Boards. This includes the responsibility for these organisations to develop contingency plans for each service they commission or provide and to have robust plans in place should a service close. COSLA have provided guidance on how to manage a service closure and under procurement contracts, including the National Care Home Contract, providers are required to have appropriate business continuity plans in place.

However, we do understand that additional pressures have been brought to the sector by the decisions of the UK Government, such as the increase in employers National Insurance Contributions, changes to the social care visa system and salary threshold levels.

Safeguards are in place to support the sector with regulators, COSLA and the Scottish Government available to provide additional support where necessary. We will continue to provide targeted support to local areas through the Collaborative Support and Assurance Group, co-chaired by myself and the COSLA spokesperson on Health and Social Care, Councillor Kelly. COSLA also chairs the National Contingency Planning Group, which can be stood up in the event of a large-scale threat to the sector affecting more than one local authority.

The Scottish Government are undertaking a programme of work to understand and respond to the current financial viability pressures facing the care home and wider social care sectors, and identify where extra support, contingencies and mitigations may be required. This work has included collaboration with COSLA, sector partners and representative bodies. Work remains ongoing but is proceeding at pace.

Question reference: S6W-36651

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring it and its enterprise agencies undertake to evaluate whether grants that are awarded are impactful in achieving diversification away from arms manufacturing.

Question reference: S6W-36725

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask Historic Environment Scotland to undertake a study to designate important examples of early electricity generation and transmission infrastructure, in light of reports that some utility companies are destroying significant such infrastructure, such as G-route pylons in Renfrewshire and Glasgow Corporation Electricity Department cabinets.

As the lead public body responsible for preserving, maintaining and promoting the historic environment Historic Environment Scotland will consider any application for designation in line with its published policy ‘Designation Policy and Selection Guidance’.

Any individual can apply for a site to be designated and the designation consideration process by Historic Environment Scotland ensures that the historical and cultural significance of each site is fully considered.

Question reference: S6W-36516

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that Historic Environment Scotland revise its policy to not normally list buildings that are subject to development proposals at an advanced stage, in light of reports of recent cases where this has been seen as counterproductive.

As detailed in its ‘Designation Policy and Selection Guidance’, Historic Environment Scotland aims to act proportionately within the Scottish Regulators Code of Practice.

Although that means usually avoiding any unnecessary intervention in the planning process or other regulatory processes where there are development proposals by adding a new designation, the individual circumstances are fully considered, including the implications of the proposed designation and the effect development proposals would have in each case.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to write to the member to explain its policy further.

Question reference: S6W-36517

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that Historic Environment Scotland introduce a policy to recommend to planning authorities that they serve a building preservation notice at the outset of any instance where it has been requested to assess a building for designation but where that building may be subject to development proposals, or otherwise at risk of demolition during the designation assessment process.

The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 sets out that it is for planning authorities to issue a Building Preservation Notice, as such, any policy Historic Environment Scotland may introduce would be guidance only and would not supersede the legislation.

Designation is not a barrier to development proposals or to applications for planning permission, rather it is designed to ensure that appropriate consideration of the cultural, social, environmental and economic value of Scotland’s historic environment is taken into account during any planning process.

Question reference: S6W-36476

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether having access to skilled training pathways should form part of its wider welfare-to-work strategy for under-25s, and whether it considers military service to be such a training pathway.

Access to skilled training pathways, including apprenticeships is vital for developing the young workforce. Apprenticeships play an essential role in giving young people a pathway into rewarding careers as well as enabling employers to invest in their staff.

The Scottish Government invests over £2 billion annually in colleges, universities, and the broader skills system, including apprenticeships and vital services linked to Scotland's Careers Service. This underscores our commitment to helping young people access the right education and skills pathways.

Skills Development Scotland provide an all-age career service in every local authority with an SDS Careers Adviser in every secondary school to highlight the wide range of career options available to people across Scotland. Advisers offer impartial careers information and guidance to support customers to consider and make informed personal decisions having explored all options and relevant information.

Military service can be a rewarding career pathway for many young people, offering a wide range of training and career opportunities as well as valuable transferable skills. Careers Advisers would support individuals to access information on the My World of Work site or direct to armed forces career centre sites if considered appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-37041

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the use of artificial intelligence-based tools to address any delays in cancer treatment and diagnosis.

Scottish Government is committed to the trustworthy, ethical and inclusive use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health and social care, where it can help to transform lives, increase healthy life expectancy and reduce health inequalities across Scotland.

There are promising examples of AI being developed to improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis and in enhancing decision support tools.

The Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway is a programme funded by the Chief Scientist Office within Scottish Government. It has been established to provide a national approach to the identification and adoption of research and proven scientific and technological innovations. Governed by the Innovation Design Authority (IDA), it aims to support improved partnership working, system leadership and joint decisions on the progression of AI innovations across any health condition, including cancer.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

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Question reference: S6O-04632

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Question reference: S6W-37060

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