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-30566

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many collisions have been recorded at, or within a half mile radius of the Toll of Birness in each year since 2015, including the period from January to end of September 2024.

The following table provides the number of injury road collisions recorded by Police Scotland as taking place at or within a half mile radius of the Toll of Birness.

Please note that the figures for 2024 are provisional, as they are based on monthly returns received thus far from Police Scotland in 2024, with the most recent returns being received on 10th October 2024. This may be an incomplete picture of casualties up to that date due to a slight lag between collisions occurring and the data being processed and shared by Police Scotland. These figures are also subject to change due to subsequent corrections and late records.

Injury road collisions within half a mile radius of the Toll of Birness, by severity
	Fatal	Serious	Slight	Total
2015	0	0	1	1
2016	0	0	1	1
2017	1	1	0	2
2018	0	0	2	2
2019	0	1	0	1
2020	0	1	0	1
2021	0	1	0	1
2023	0	1	0	1
2024 1	0	1	0	1
1. Provisional to September 2024

Question reference: S6W-30644

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) criteria were used and (b) supporting information or evidence was requested from each local authority in order to access its school meal debt fund.

Local authorities were asked to consider whether they wished financial support to cancel school meal debt while adhering to guidance produced by COSLA on the issue. Local authorities are expected to use any grant for the purpose of clearing school meal debt and that in accepting the offer of funding, local authorities will agree to adhere to the COSLA Good Practice Principles for School Meal Debt Management in their management of school meal debt going forward. The COSLA Good Practice Principles are available through the following web link: Good-Practice-Principles-for-School-Meal-Debt-Management.pdf (cosla.gov.uk)

Local authorities were asked that any bid included details of the amount of school meal debt accrued as of 31 March 2024, as well as the amount that they were seeking to write off. This could include any debt that the local authority has cleared prior to that point.

Question reference: S6W-30772

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how often car deck space on sailings of the passenger Northern Isles Ferry Services between Aberdeen-Lerwick has been full in each of the last five years.

The number of sailings where vehicle deck space reached full bookable capacity on the Aberdeen – Lerwick passenger vessels for each Contract Year is displayed in the following table, which also includes the number of passenger vessel sailings each year.

	Total Sailings		Full based on 470m+
	Northbound	Southbound	Northbound	Southbound
Jun 19 - Jul 20	306	306	18	24
Jun 20 - Jul 21	334	334	31	20
Jun 21 - Jul 22	346	346	49	35
Jun 22 - Jul 23	338	337	42	19
Jun 23 - Jul 24	332	333	64	36

Question reference: S6W-30907

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) NHS Lanarkshire and (b) any other NHS board has closed its attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment waiting lists to adult patients.

This is not data that we hold centrally. There is no national collection of waiting times for adult diagnosis of ADHD. Accordingly, we cannot confirm whether any NHS board has closed its ADHD assessment waiting list to adult patients.

I can advise that The Scottish Government is currently working with the National Autism Implementation Team to implement Adult Neurodevelopmental Pathways across Scotland to ensure that adults with ADHD receive appropriate diagnosis and support.

Question reference: S6W-30642

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding in total has been received by local authorities through its school meal debt fund.

Question reference: S6W-30605

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group last met, and when it plans to next meet.

The Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group’s remit was to inform the development of a Student Mental Health Action Plan as set out in our 21-22 Programme for Government. The Action Plan was published in September 2024.

We are considering how best to support delivery of the Action Plan, including oversight and support.

We will shortly be engaging with the higher and further education sectors and health and other public and third sector organisations to update them on next steps and request their support and participation going forward.

Question reference: S6W-30602

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many improvement notices relating to mental health wards in Scottish hospitals have been issued by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years, also broken down by hospital.

The Health and Safety Executive is a body exercising reserved powers and the information requested is not held centrally. It would be a matter for them to provide the information requested.

The quality and safety of mental health estates is an important issue for the Scottish Government. We expect Health Boards across Scotland to place significant emphasis on patient safety and the environments mental health services are delivered from.

Question reference: S6W-30643

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities applied to its school meal debt fund, and how much funding each received.

Question reference: S6O-03966

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the benefits to Scotland will be of a fully circular waste management system.

Question reference: S6O-03967

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local residents to take forward a replacement river crossing in Annan following storm damage in 2021, in light of the findings of the recently completed feasibility study.