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: S6O-03984

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the implications of the UK Budget for its allocation of capital budget for health projects.

Question reference: S6W-30467

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 12 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the report in The Courier on 7 March 2024, "The Fife girls fighting for better school lunches: ‘We’re not asking for McDonalds, just meals that fill us up’", what meetings it had with the pupils of Beath High School, and what the outcomes were.

A Scottish Government official met with pupils and representatives of the Council, at Beath High School on 18 March 2024. This was an opportunity for pupils to present on their concerns and for them to get an understanding of the School Food Regulations and that flexibility exists for Fife Council to address the issues raised by the pupils in a way that balanced local preferences alongside nutritional needs. Following the meeting, Fife Council and the pupils were to discuss matters further to identify what changes could be made to the meals offer in their schools.

Question reference: S6W-30206

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Gamekeepers Association regarding initiatives that can be taken to protect capercaillie.

The Scottish Government has not had any direct discussions with the Scottish Gamekeepers Association regarding initiatives that can be taken to protect capercaillie.

The Capercaillie is both an important and iconic species and contributes to Scotland’s biodiversity and, as a key stakeholder, I would encourage the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, and its members, to engage fully with the work proposed as part of the Capercaillie Emergency Plan which was published on 30 September 2024.

Question reference: S6W-30204

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives it is currently pursuing to protect capercaillie, and what assessment it has made of the impact of any such initiatives.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30105 on 7 October 2024 for what initiatives the Scottish Government is currently pursuing to protect capercaillie. 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

The Scottish Government has not conducted any formal assessment of the impact of the initiatives to protect capercaillie. However, a review commissioned by NatureScot, A Review of Capercaillie Conservation and Management - Report to the Scientific Advisory Committee, was published on 25 February 2022. The Report is the output of a sub-group of NatureScot’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) who were asked to review the evidence and advise on further measures for the conservation and management of capercaillie in Scotland, with emphasis on the core area of the species in the Cairngorms.

The plan of positive management measures based on the SAC Report recommendations, along with best available evidence and learning from work recently delivered to benefit capercaillie, including through the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project and Cairngorms Connect, is being taken forward through the Capercaillie Emergency Plan which was published on the 30 September 2024.

Question reference: S6W-29295

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers community social work as integral to supporting and empowering families to provide a stable and nurturing environment for children and young people, as part of its priority to eradicate child poverty.

The Scottish Government recognises that social work has the greatest impact where practitioners are embedded in communities. This enables them to recognise and understand the challenges people in communities face on a day to day basis, including the existence of child poverty.

Social work has evolved to respond to both the existing and emerging needs of people and their communities, including demographic and societal changes. The Scottish Government understands that, as part of a range of approaches in which social work supports people, the community social work model holds an important place, especially in relation to responding to child poverty and other complex issues which people experience.

Question reference: S6W-29298

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) what the benefits are of community social work and (b) whether a transition to such a model across Scotland would benefit families in the most deprived areas.

A] The Scottish Government believes that the community social work model remains an important approach and undoubtedly, in the right circumstances, offers a targeted early response to tackle a wide range of issues which may in some circumstances lead to crisis.

B] The Scottish government recognises that, as part of range of approaches, the community based social work model holds an important place in responding to the needs of deprived communities with the main strength being the proactive and accessible nature of the approach.

Question reference: S6W-29297

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the findings of the community social work pilot approach undertaken by Fife Council, and whether it is considering providing additional resources to local authorities to pilot this approach.

Question reference: S6W-29299

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with (a) Social Work Scotland and (b) chief social work officers, and whether community social work was discussed.

Scottish Government officials meet with Social Work Scotland and Chief Social Work Officers regularly to discuss a range of social work issues. Specifically, Chief Social Work Officer Network meetings are held every fortnight, coordinated by the Scottish Government and Social Work Scotland.

Whilst community social work has not been a specific agenda item on the meetings this year, many of the discussions keep abreast of issues underpinning community social work.

Question reference: S6W-29296

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on community social work, and whether it has considered piloting this approach across Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises that the community social work approach may provide assistance for people experiencing a range of circumstances. We know that children, young people and families benefit when they can access the support they need when and where they need it. Communities across Scotland are currently supported through national initiatives including Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), the Promise, and UNCRC legislation. Multi-agency community support hubs - which include social work - exemplify the ways in which national and local partners are working with their communities to provide effective whole family support in a place-based way that works for people.

We will continue to invest to provide a template for future change and improvement, however there are currently no plans to pilot the community social work approach across Scotland. We also acknowledge the role of local authorities in understanding and responding to the needs of people in local communities through the provision of services which promote people’s wellbeing.

Question reference: S6O-03769

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on upgrading the infrastructure of ports.