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-19750

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, whether it will provide an update on how it is helping Museums Galleries Scotland to build on its Skills for Success programme, including by developing future approaches to diversify skills and widen access to careers in culture across the sector.

Question reference: S6W-19749

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, whether it will provide an update on whether it is meeting the vision and priorities in its Policy Statement for the Creative Industries.

The 2021-2022 Programme for Government includes a commitment to revise the Creative Industries Policy Statement to articulate the priorities for the future development of the creative industries, in light of the impacts of EU Exit and the Covid-19 pandemic.

We are currently in the initial stages of scoping this commitment and we expect to be able to share more information on this work in the coming months.

Question reference: S6W-19755

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in its paper, A Culture Strategy for Scotland, whether it is continuing to work with (a) Creative Scotland and (b) the National Youth Arts Advisory Group, to secure ways to ensure that the voices of children and young people continue to be heard and that they are involved in cultural decision-making, and, if so, whether it can provide details of this.

Question reference: S6W-19762

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways its National Partnership for Culture has influenced government policy since its establishment, and whether it can provide details and examples of any such influence.

Question reference: S6W-19308

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to promote (a) domestic and (b) international routes from Scottish airports to support the aviation industry’s continued recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

My predecessor as Transport Minister met with airline representatives in May and was pleased to note an ongoing recovery in passenger numbers and the extent to which Scotland’s route network has recovered

I will continue our engagement with aviation stakeholders in order to deliver the Scottish Government’s commitment to working with Scotland’s airports to help restore lost connectivity, and grow international connectivity, while not returning to previous levels of emissions. Our overall ambition is for Scotland to be as well connected as peer nations and regions. I welcome recent route launches to Beijing, Atlanta and Calgary which demonstrate a growing confidence in the Scottish aviation market. Transport Scotland, working in partnership with VisitScotland and Scottish Development International, continues to work with airlines to promote Scotland and grow our international connectivity for business, tourism, exports and the wider economy.

In terms of domestic connectivity, we continue to provide funding to support the operations of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL). In 2022-23 we provided £62 million of funding, which helped to enable the operation of commercial air services by keeping HIAL’s airport charges lower than they would otherwise be. In addition we continue to support lifeline routes between Glasgow and Campbeltown, Barra and Tiree.

Question reference: S6W-19743

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the Royal Society of Edinburgh since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

The Scottish Government recognises the invaluable contribution of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) to Scotland’s research and innovation. As Scotland’s National Academy, the RSE meets regularly with a wide range of Scottish Government ministers and officials. Given the number of these meetings that take place across Government it is not possible to detail the outcomes of every meeting.

In recent months, however, I have met with RSE’s Chief Executive and RSE researchers to discuss shared priorities for Scottish research and innovation and the contribution of our Further and Higher Education sector.

Question reference: S6W-19737

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

The Scottish Government has held the following meetings with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland since May 2021. No agreed outcomes were recorded for these meetings:

1 June 2021: Introductory meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Jeffrey Sharkey (Principal of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
22 and 28th February 2022: Annual forum between Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and Scottish college and university officials (including Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) – To provide SAAS operational and policy updates to help support students in higher education.
24 March 2022: Meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Committee of Scottish Chairs (including Nick Kuenssberg, Chair of Board, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
12 May 2022: Meeting between Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training) and Jeffrey Sharkey (Principal of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
23 and 28 February 2023: Annual forum between Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and Scottish college and university officials (including Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) – To provide SAAS operational and policy updates to help support students in higher education.

Question reference: S6W-19715

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development will give a statement to Parliament to update it on the selection process for its £5 million loss and damage funding, prior to any decisions being made public.

Question reference: S6W-19714

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13348 by Mairi McAllan on 10 January 2023, whether it will provide an update on the selection process for its £5 million loss and damage funding, and whether this process concluded in Q1 of 2023-24.

The programme will be delivered via a grant-funded partner. The initial funding will be used for global consultation on selection criteria and methodology with the aim of presenting it in draft at COP28. Grants will then be disbursed on the basis of these criteria to global communities most in need. Officials will also seek to leverage matched finance from other sources to increase the impact and value of this funding. This approach was tested with global stakeholders at an event in March to ensure that it upholds the principles identified at SG’s loss and damage conference last year, demonstrates best practice and ensures the maximum contribution of equitable funding goes to global communities most in need. Parliament will be updated accordingly when a decision has been reached on a grant-funded partner, in advance of a public announcement.

Question reference: S6W-19736

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Scottish Development International since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website . The spreadsheets include a wide range of information including details of the organisation/individuals Ministers met along with the subject discussed.

Scottish Government Officials from the Directorate for International Trade and Investment have regularly met with the SDI since May 2021 as key partners to showcase Scotland’s strengths globally, boost inward investment and to achieve our export growth ambition. In addition, officials across a range of portfolios engage with the SDI as part of the policy development process and this will continue.