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-26477

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25336 by Maree Todd on 4 March 2024, in relation to those who attended their first appointment for assessment in the last five years, how many people experienced each of the three main outcomes that were listed in the previous answer.

Question reference: S6W-26962

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether parents of multiples aged two years old qualify for funded early learning and childcare under exceptional circumstances.

Since August 2021, we have implemented the funded early learning and childcare (ELC) offer which provides up to 1140 hours per year (equivalent to 30 hours/week term time or approx. 22 hours/week year-round) for all three- and four-year-olds and eligible 2-year-olds. This is fully funded by the Scottish Government and delivered through local councils. More information on eligibility can be found online: Funded early learning and childcare - mygov.scot .

A two year old as part of a multiple birth is not automatically eligible for access to funded ELC due to being a multiple, although local councils have a discretionary power to provide access to funded ELC to any child residing in their area, as they see fit. We are aware that some councils use this discretion to offer places to a wider range of children, either: according to local priorities, or; according to the needs of the individual child. We provide statutory guidance to local authorities on their duties and powers in relation to funded ELC here: Introduction - Early learning and childcare: statutory guidance - July 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6O-03389

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the rural affairs secretary last met with Forestry and Land Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-26966

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26479 by Siobhan Brown on 22 April 2024, what information it has on what criteria the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman uses for categorising cases as (a) priority and (b) non-priority.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) prioritises cases based on a number of factors. These include whether the person bringing the complaint, or person affected, is vulnerable; any immediate health issues of the complainant or person affected; whether the subject matter of the complaint is urgent and ongoing or time critical; and the impact. The SPSO encourages people to contact them if their circumstances change or if that they feel their complaint should be prioritised, so the priority level can be reviewed.

Question reference: S6W-26858

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government under whose ministerial remit its support for Scottish Men's Sheds Association falls.

The Scottish Government has been supportive of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association since their inception in Scotland and since 2016-17 has supported the movement’s growth. In the financial year 2023-24, grant funding was provided under the portfolio of myself. However, the work of the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association is cross-cutting and is not supported by a specific minister. As with other third sector organisations, engagement with the organisation spans across a range of portfolio areas including health and social care, equalities, and communities.

Question reference: S6W-26648

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish updated guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools.

Question reference: S6W-26649

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its national action plan on relationships and behaviour in schools.

Question reference: S6W-26433

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 22 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many domestic abuse cases resulted in the accused receiving an absolute discharge in each of the last five years.

There is no single crime of domestic abuse. Instead domestic abuse can refer to any crime that carries a domestic abuse aggravator, which includes offences under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018. Data on people prosecuted and convicted in Scottish criminal courts are presented in the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland statistical bulletin. The most recent available version covers the financial years 2012-13 to 2021-22. People convicted where the main charge carried a domestic abuse aggravation and the main penalty was an absolute discharge are shown in the following table for the most recent five years for which data are available.

2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21 1	2021-22 1
157	131	108	78	131

1. Data for 2020-21 and 2021-22 were affected by the pandemic and subsequent court closures, reduced court capacities and delayed cases where key participants tested positive for COVID-19. Volumes for these years should be treated with caution and not considered indicative of longer term trends.

Question reference: S6W-26479

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the size is of any backlog of cases that the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has, and what the SPSO is doing to reduce any such backlog.

As of 18 April 2024, the SPSO had a backlog of 286 non-priority cases awaiting allocation and 0 priority cases awaiting allocation. Over the past two years, the timescales for cases requiring further investigation being allocated has reduced from 11 months to 4 months. This is despite a 33% increase in the number of complaints being received in 2023-24 when compared to 2022-23. The SPSO have received funding from the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to recruit more staff to assist with continuing to reduce timescales. In addition, the SPSO continues to monitor resources and service delivery to make best use of their resources.

Question reference: S6W-26478

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the current waiting time is for a complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to be allocated to a complaints reviewer, and what the average length of time is for the conclusion of such a review.

All cases the SPSO receive are currently subject to an initial review within 5 working days. Cases are triaged and priority cases (categorised for example by a complainant’s vulnerability or immediate health issues) which are considered to require further investigation are allocated as soon as possible. SPSO are committed to ensuring no priority cases remains unallocated for more than 4 weeks. Cases which require further investigation but are not deemed high priority are currently being allocated within 4 months. The SPSO aims to let people know their decision within 80 working days and in 2023-24 this was achieved in 61% of cases. At 2023-24 year-end, the number of open cases (cases allocated but not yet having a full decision issued) reduced from 141 to 52 when compared to the previous year, a 63% reduction.