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-18830

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the availability of funding for community groups and local authorities to build and provide Changing Places toilets.

We published our Changing Places Toilets: Planning Guide and an accompanying easy read in November 2022 for people who are planning to develop Changing Places Toilets now.

Timeframes and processes for the distribution of funding for the construction of Changing Places Toilets are still being finalised. Further information on this investment will be available over the course of this parliamentary term.

Question reference: S6W-18150

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 9 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the current delay of up to five months in allocating some complaints to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to a complaints reviewer, what impact this is having on the resolution of issues within public services, and what action it can take within these public services to mitigate any such impact.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, there is currently a delay of up to four months in allocating some complaints to a complaints reviewer at the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO have put in place and are applying a number of measures to reduce the age and number of unallocated cases, and ensure urgent cases are identified and actioned. The SPSO has also received funding from the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to recruit extra temporary staff in order to assist with the backlog. This delay has reduced from 11 months in 2022 and will continue to drop thanks to extra capacity and positive improvements in how the SPSO deliver their service which should mitigate any impact this may have on public services.

Question reference: S6O-02290

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding what support it can provide to communities to establish and operate community-owned libraries.

Question reference: S6O-02251

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to ensure that school children from disadvantaged communities have access to after-school clubs and other activities outside of the school term.

Question reference: S6W-17459

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when an updated version of the revised Planning with People: Community engagement and participation guidance will be published.

Good engagement is essential to good service planning. And there is no doubt that greater participation brings better outcomes for communities all round.

Scotland's national and local governments are committed to involving people and communities in the decision-making that affects them. Nowhere is that more vital than in the development of the health and social care services, which we all rely on.

Listening to the views of people who use services, and involving them throughout the process of planning care delivery, is a key improvement recommendation of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland.

As part of our commitment to these aims, a revised version of Planning with People has been published. Planning with People has been updated to take account of recommendations and feedback from people working in and using health and social care services, community and equality groups, and the third sector. We would like to thank everyone who took part in the review for their time and input.

Planning with People promotes real collaboration between NHS Boards, Integration Joint Boards and Local Authorities. It sets out the responsibilities each organisation has to community engagement when services are being planned, or changes to services are being considered, and supports them to involve people meaningfully.

We encourage everyone in Scotland to get involved in shaping the care services they receive. Ultimately, it is their experience that will be the real measure of what impact it is making.

Question reference: S6O-02066

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its cross-government coordination of Covid Recovery policies, what steps it is taking to ensure that the public has confidence in Scotland’s response to any future pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-02039

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that children and young people know how to contact the police and other emergency services correctly.

Question reference: S6O-01931

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of Brexit on investment in Scotland, in light of reports that Brexit has cost the UK economy £29 billion in lost investment.

Question reference: S6O-01812

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the avoidable harms associated with drugs and alcohol.

Question reference: S6O-01720

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what help it is providing to suicide support services, including SAMH and its recently launched campaign, Ask Them About Suicide, ahead of the festive season.