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-27883

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-36131 by Maree Todd on 23 March 2021, what percentage of the 435 equity and excellence leads are in post; how many of the posts are vacant, and on what date all posts were filled, including to where the post-holder has since moved on.

Snapshot figures of graduate level posts in early learning and childcare (ELC) are published annually in Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland 2023. Data in the tables is gathered from centres (either local authority or partner provider centres) with children registered for the funded entitlement at the time of the Census. In 2023, this was collected from 11 – 15 September. As of September 2023 there were 364 (322 FTE) equity and excellence leads in post, which equates to 71% of those that are funded .

The majority of the Scottish Government’s funding to Local Government is provided through the General Revenue Grant. As of 2024-25, and in line with the Verity House Agreement, this covers all funding for statutory ELC provision, including for equity and excellence leads.

It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on ELC, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

Question reference: S6W-28098

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what training packages are in place for Police Scotland in relation to environmental (a) legislation and (b) crime.

Scotland’s natural resources are vital to its economic success and the health and wellbeing of its citizens. The Scottish Government is committed to working with partners on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to reduce the significant harms caused by environmental crime.

I understand that Police Scotland works closely with partner agencies such as Zero Waste Scotland, NatureScot and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for guidance and expert witness testimony in matters of environmental legislation and crime.

The training of officers and staff is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government supports the Chief Constable in having the flexibility to develop her workforce in a way that responds to the challenges she faces and this includes access to appropriate training.

Question reference: S6W-28103

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the reasons are for the reported delays in awarding funding to organisations from the Strengthening Communities Programme for 2024-25.

The Scottish Budget confirmed that the financial outlook for 2024-25 across Government is particularly challenging with future prospects continuing to be volatile. Within the context of this challenging position, achieving a balanced budget requires difficult decisions and robust spending control. Discussions are ongoing to work through priorities and finalise funding allocations within budget lines, including the Strengthening Communities Programme. Funding is being released as decisions are taken to ensure that activity can proceed in agreed areas as soon as possible whilst this review continues.

Question reference: S6W-27719

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, what information has been provided to it regarding the recently announced review of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, including (a) who is conducting the review, (b) the review’s remit, (c) what questions it seeks to answer, (d) what process will be used to reach its conclusion and (e) when any findings will be publicly available.

As a funder of the organisation, the Scottish Government has been informed that Vicky Ling, an independent Chartered Quality Professional, who works in the justice sector, will carry out the independent review.

As the governance, management and operation of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre are matters for their Board to consider and act upon, it is for them to set the remit and decisions around the review.

Question reference: S6W-27720

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review its funding model for Rape Crisis Scotland, in light of any avoidable costs that have been incurred as a result of the recent employment tribunal case involving the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre and a former employee who was held to have been discriminated against.

Question reference: S6W-27718

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, what its position is on whether the recently announced review of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre will be sufficient to address reported concerns in relation to the recent employment tribunal judgement regarding discrimination within the centre.

Question reference: S6W-27721

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what checks it carries out to ensure that (a) Rape Crisis Scotland and (b) other organisations that it provides funding to uphold the law.

Question reference: S6W-27795

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, whether (a) it, (b) local authorities and (c) service users will play a role in the recently announced review of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, and, if so, whether it will provide details of what that role will be and what it will involve.

As the governance, management and operation of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre are matters for their Board to consider and act upon, it is for them to set the remit and decisions around the review.

Question reference: S6W-27723

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, what its response is to the recent employment tribunal judgement in relation to a former employee of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, who was held to have been discriminated against.

Question reference: S6W-27944

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its proposals on restricting promotions of foods high in fat, salt or sugar, what assessment it has made of any unintended consequences of potentially introducing different restrictions to those that are already in place in England, including regarding any increase in bureaucracy and cost, in light of the acknowledgement in the Partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment of the "inter-connected food environment in the UK".

The public consultation on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt closed on 21 May 2024. A partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) was published alongside the consultation, setting out the rationale for Government intervention and welcoming feedback on the expected impact on businesses of proposals. Consultation responses including feedback on the BRIA are now being analysed.

The consultation was run in parallel with an extensive and inclusive programme of stakeholder engagement. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to finalise the BRIA and further develop a full suite of impact assessments that will be used in the decision making process to help inform the final policy.