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-27663

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the ScotRail rolling stock procurement plan is paused; whether procurement of new railway rolling stock is on track to deliver on the decarbonisation action plan, and whether diesel-powered passenger trains will be removed from the ScotRail network by 2035 as planned.

Question reference: S6W-27670

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Plugged-in Communities Grant Fund will reopen for applications in 2024-25.

Question reference: S6W-27697

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answer expected on 4 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to respond to the final report of the UK-wide Infected Blood Inquiry, which was published on 20 May 2024.

Question reference: S6W-27327

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in the Highlands and Islands region are currently rated (a) excellent, (b) very good, (c) good, (d) satisfactory, (e) weak and (f) unsatisfactory by Education Scotland, broken down by local authority area.

HM Inspectors evaluate the quality of education in Scottish schools using quality indicators. 'How good is our school? (4th edition)’ has been in use since September 2016.

HM Inspectors use a six-point scale to grade individual quality indicators. There are two models of inspection, one in which two quality indicators are graded, and one where four quality indicators are graded. The information provided includes grades assigned for both models of inspection.

The information provided relates to grades assigned during inspections carried out using the current framework, 'How good is our school? (4th edition). The information does not include details of inspections carried out in academic year 2023-24 where fieldwork has been carried out, but the reports not yet published.

Question reference: S6W-27330

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it allocated to the Arctic Connections Fund for (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.

(a) In 2023-24 the Arctic Connections fund was allocated £83,276. The projects funded can be found at Arctic Connections Fund: successful projects 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

(b) Establishing the Arctic Connections Fund was a commitment in the 2019 Arctic Connections policy framework. In 2024-25, following three successful years helping Scottish organisations collaborate with partners in the Arctic, and in line with commitments in Scotland’s International Strategy, we will begin an evaluation of the policy framework. This will consider how Scotland’s Arctic engagement has developed since 2019 and how it can be shaped for the future.

Question reference: S6W-27301

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in relation to the recommendations of the Broomielaw District Regeneration Framework by Austin-Smith:Lord for Glasgow City Council, which were approved by the local authority in June 2019, including (a) that Transport Scotland establishes an M8 Transformation Board in partnership with the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council, (b) the removal of the William Street on ramp to the M8 westbound, (c) the removal of the Bothwell Street off ramp and flyover from the M8 eastbound, (c) the reconnection of William Street and Bothwell Street via a new bridge across the M8 cutting and (d) the reconnection of Argyle Street underneath the Kingston Bridge approach spans at Anderston Cross, with an updated entrance portal to Anderston railway station.

Transport Scotland continues to engage with Glasgow City Council regarding their aspirations for this area, noting it is they who are responsible for bringing forward land use changes and the associated planning duties. Transport Scotland’s interests lie in the safe and effective operation of the M8.

Transport Scotland has communicated to Glasgow City Council, that in order to take forward potential proposals, a robust assessment of the potential impacts on the mainline, access roads and adjacent facilities should be carried out. Officials from Transport Scotland are currently scoping an assessment of the future of the M8.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26829 and S6W-26830 on 29 April 2024.

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-27354

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in improving the pathways of less survivable cancers, including shortening the time to agreeing treatment options, as set out in its Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023-26.

The Scottish Government has been making progress in several ways to improve and shorten the pathways of less survivable cancers.

For example, the Scottish Government awarded the Scottish HepatoPancreatoBiliary Network funding of £653,000 over two years to redesign the pancreatic and liver cancer pathways - the PHCC Pathway Improvement Project. The project has been extended for one more year and we are exploring options for sustained delivery of its positive outcomes after March 2025.

Through the Detect Cancer Earlier programme, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) continues to design and support the implementation of optimal cancer diagnostic pathways. As reflected in the Cancer Strategy, lung, head and neck and colorectal cancer have been identified as the first tranche. Scotland’s first optimal cancer diagnostic pathway for lung was published in December 2022.

Scotland’s first Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDS) have been established in 5 Health Boards across Scotland. They provide primary care with access to a new fast-track diagnostic pathway for people with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer. An evaluation published in February 2024 shows success in finding cancer while delivering a high standard of quality care at speed. Lung and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) were the two most commonly found.

Question reference: S6W-27321

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it supports (a) local authorities and (b) schools to encourage young people to learn coding.

The Scottish Government recognises the significance of learning coding skills as part of the wider technologies curriculum, with a range of specific Experiences and Outcomes under the heading “Understanding and analysing computing technology”.

The Government has supported the teacher led body, Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science (STACS), since 2020. STACS is an organisation supporting computing science in schools, run by teachers in partnership with Glasgow University, and is a one stop shop for computing science teachers to access high quality teaching resources and professional learning. One of the key aims of STACs is to promote computing science as a desirable career option to young people and their parents/carers. Over 83% of Computing Science teachers are involved in the STACS initiative across all local authorities.

Education Scotland (ES) also offers a range of support to schools in encouraging pupils to code. For example, they offer one hour “Curriculum live” lessons which teachers can download and deliver using a smartboard, including lessons on coding. They have also supported the expansion of the First Lego League in schools which inspires young people to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills by providing programmable robotic equipment, and ES run Computing Science Scotland Week which last year reached 365 schools, 384 educators and 9,658 learners.

Question reference: S6W-27323

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS boards are required to inform it of the number of Golden Hello payments that are made to GPs in each financial year, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Question reference: S6W-27324

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the total cost of any financial penalties issued by Transport Scotland to CalMac Ferries since October 2022.

The level of performance deductions incurred by CalMac Ferries Ltd since October 2022 has been answered recently in a Freedom of Information request.

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. Details of the above Freedom of Information request can be found using the link: CalMac Ferries Limited performance deductions 2022/23 - 2023/24: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The level of penalties, as result of late submission of reporting, in respect of Contract Year 7 (October 2022 to September 2023) is £1,040,794