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-04620

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help them transition to net zero.

Our enterprise and skills agencies provide funding and specialist advice and support for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) to help them better transition to a low carbon economy, with the majority of services advertised through the Find Business Support website. Tailored support includes advice on the low carbon opportunities available to SMEs in the net zero supply chain.

The Scottish Government has committed over £2 billion of capital funding over the next parliament to deliver low carbon and natural infrastructure. This includes our Green Jobs Fund, which is a five year, £100 million fund offering capital investment to businesses to help them create green employment through investment in improved green products and services and related research and development.

Question reference: S6W-04677

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03032 by Jamie Hepburn on 27 September 2021, whether it will list the organisations that have received funding through the Saltire Research Awards.

The Royal Society of Edinburgh have provided a full list of 2021 RSE Saltire Research Awards on their website. This includes 13 Scottish higher education institutions, across the 93 awardees:

Edinburgh College of Art
Glasgow Caledonian University
Heriot Watt University
Queen Margaret University
University of Aberdeen
University of Dundee
University of Edinburgh
University of Glasgow
University of St Andrews
University of Stirling
University of Strathclyde
University of the Highlands and Islands
University of the West of Scotland

The Scottish Funding Council Saltire Emerging Researcher Scheme awarded 9 Scottish university consortia funding to promote mobility between Scotland and European research partners:

EaSI-CAT (East of Scotland Industrial Catalysis) Doctoral Training Programme
Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities
Scottish Graduate School of Social Science
SAGES – Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment & Society
SICSA – Scottish Informatics & Computer Science Alliance
ScotCHEM – Scottish Universities Chemistry Research Pool
SULSA – Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance
SUPA – Scottish Universities Physics Alliance
MASTS – Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland

Question reference: S6W-04618

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what business expansion grants are available for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Scottish Government provides expansion grants to SMEs primarily through our 3 Enterprise Agencies (Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, and South of Scotland Enterprise) and the Local Authorities. These can be found in detail – including how to apply – on the ‘FindBusinessSupport’ portal which also provides information about what advice, grants and other forms of finance are available to help SMEs. SMEs can also access free business advice – including on the availability of expansion grants - access to market intelligence, and an extensive network of contacts, from Business Gateway which has local offices all over Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-04487

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have undertaken the training developed by Keep Scotland Beautiful since the publication of the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan 2020-2025 in December 2020.

The Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) published in December 2020 sets the Scottish Government’s approach to ensuring our workforce has the skills to support Scotland’s transition to net zero. This approach includes raising awareness amongst employers of all sizes of the need to change behaviours and workplace practices to contribute to the transition to net zero and of the options available for upskilling and retraining.

The implementation of the CESAP requires a collaborative approach to action and investment across employers, local and national government, and its skills agencies.

The Scottish Government does not however hold information on the number of businesses that have undertaken training developed by Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Question reference: S6W-04488

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have contracted COVID-19 whilst in a vaccination centre.

The information requested is not available. As with any other setting, it is not possible to infer whether a specific setting or an event indicates where the Covid19 transmission took place. This is because cases may have attended multiple settings or events within a short space of time.

Local NHS Boards are responsible for putting the appropriate public health measures in place at vaccination centres to help minimise the transmission of Covid19 including physical distancing and the use of face coverings.

Question reference: S6W-04489

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been notified by Test and Protect after coming into contact, in a vaccination centre, with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Question reference: S6W-04491

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals have received funding through an Individual Training Account since 1 January 2020.

Question reference: S6W-04486

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses have been supported through the North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund since 1 January 2021.

Question reference: S6W-04485

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many employees have been (a) trained and (b) retrained through the North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund.

Question reference: S6O-00466

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure transparency in Scotland's public finances.