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-05773

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how students are chosen to fill the 290 places available on the Saltire Scholarship scheme for EU students.

This funding has been allocated to institutions through the Scottish Funding Council for the 2021-22 academic year. Scholarships will be considered by universities for citizens or permanent residents of an EU or EEA country, and have a conditional or unconditional offer of a place at a Scottish university or college, on an eligible course.

All institutions must have a fair and robust assessment selection and award process in place. They will consider students for full time courses, in any subject area at the following levels:

University - Masters/Taught Postgraduate (TPG) level.
College - Higher National (HN) level, i.e. Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND).

Full eligibility criteria can be viewed on the SFC website.

Question reference: S6W-05712

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proportion of school pupils to whom it has (a) issued a free digital device and (b) provided free internet connection at home.

In 2020-21, as a response to the pandemic and the closure of school buildings, we provided £25 million to councils across Scotland to tackle digital exclusion. This resulted in over 72,000 devices and 14,000 internet connectivity solutions being distributed to disadvantaged pupils across Scotland to support their learning. 72,000 equates to 10.3% of pupils.

These figures do not include devices that will have been distributed from local authorities via their own programmes or any additional COVID funding. However, COSLA have reported that 122,000 devices (including the 72,000 funded by the Scottish Government) have now been distributed.

In addition, since May 2020, the Scottish Government has invested over £48 million in the Connecting Scotland programme which has resulted in 60,000 digitally excluded people being brought online.

Question reference: S6W-05406

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent it has explored prototypes for an online registration system, similar to the system paid for and presented to it by former members of its working group on short-term lets.

Question reference: S6W-05703

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many buildings identified in the High Rise Inventory are classed as student accommodation.

Question reference: S6W-05451

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the medium-term resilient route through Glen Croe at the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83, including (a) whether Transport Scotland is on track to develop a finalised proposal by the beginning of 2023 and (b) when it expects construction to (i) commence and (ii) be completed on the medium-term resilient route.

As part of our plans for the Rest and Be Thankful, we are developing a medium term solution to provide resilience whilst the long term solution is progressed. A number of options are currently being assessed, including the possible use of the existing forestry track and improvements to the Old Military Road.

Depending on whether statutory consents are needed, it is envisaged that a finalised proposal for a medium term solution could be developed by late 2022.A timetable for the construction phase of a medium term solution can only be set once the scope of the proposals are finalised and any statutory procedures required have been successfully completed.

Question reference: S6O-00719

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ministers have had with the outdoor education sector since December 2021.

Question reference: S6O-00716

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its draft Budget will enable local authorities to deliver a consistent level of core services.

Question reference: S6O-00718

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many instances of failure to comply with the 20 mph in Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale have been recorded since its introduction, including how many fines were subsequently issued, as part of the enforcement of 20 mph speed limits.

Question reference: S6O-00717

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to introduce trials for a four-day working week.

Question reference: S6O-00721

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support local authorities in dealing with instances of bullying in schools.