Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 78 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-06771

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the Falkirk East constituency are currently receiving new benefits through Social Security Scotland, and what the average amount of benefits being received is.

In the current financial year, between April 2021 and October 2021, 2,985 people living in Falkirk Local Authority received one or more payments for Social Security Scotland benefits they applied for. The mean average amount received by recipients living in Falkirk during this time was £519. These figures include applications made for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, Funeral Support Payment, Young Carer Grant, Job Start Payment, Scottish Child Payment, and Child Disability Payment.

Between April 2021 and October 2021, 2,695 Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments of £231.40 were made to people living in the Falkirk Local Authority. Statistics for Child Winter Heating Assistance by local authority covering winter 2021-2022 are due to be published on 26 April 2022.

Question reference: S6W-07024

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the publication of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework will be followed by the publication of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, and when that will be published.

Following the publication of the strategic framework in relation to how Scotland moves forward whilst the threat of Covid 19 remains present, I am today publishing the National Strategy for Economic Transformation which sets out the actions, within the Scottish Parliament’s current powers, that the Scottish Government and partners will take to boost economic prosperity.

The next ten years have been branded the “decisive decade” where we face a choice to either lead or to lag behind other successful economies while we recover from COVID-19, deliver a just transition to net zero and tackle structural inequalities in our society.

This presents us with a unique opportunity to set out how we can build on Scotland’s strengths, recognise the challenges that face us, and maximise the opportunities of the next decade as far as possible within current constitutional arrangements to achieve our vision of a low-carbon, wellbeing economy that creates good well-paying jobs.

The strategy is framed around five policy programmes identified by close analysis of the available evidence https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802016703 . They have been shaped by an expert Advisory Council, as well as through extensive stakeholder engagement and consultation.

The Strategy sets out a comprehensive set of actions for each of these policy programmes and I look forward to engaging with Members in a parliamentary debate as we collectively take forward our ambition to ensure these are realised for the benefit of all the people and places across Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00805

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding food production in Scotland, in light of reported comments by the NFU president that the UK Government is “focused on anything other than domestic food production”.

Question reference: S6O-00786

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure access to care and support planning by a specialist team for people with ME and chronic fatigue syndrome, as recommended by NICE.

Question reference: S6F-00794

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 February 2022

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with professional footballing authorities regarding the protection of women and girls within football.

Question reference: S6O-00714

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, 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 support the agricultural sector receives in Scotland, and how this compares with the rest of the UK.

Question reference: S6W-05063

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to people aged under 60 who can no longer be looked after by their families at home due to complex medical issues.

Through local Health and Social Care Partnerships, a wide range of support is provided to people aged under 60 who can no longer be looked after by their families at home due to complex medical issues.

This includes support from GPs and community Multi-Disciplinary Teams including therapists, nurses and social work teams. In some circumstances support from specialists may be necessary to handle specific complex medical issues, however the community team remains the cornerstone of care. Scottish Government recently announced £20 million to strengthen Multi-Disciplinary Teams, to support joint working between health and social care.

Self-directed Support (SDS) is Scotland’s mainstream approach to social care that seeks to give people choice and control over how their care is provided. Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) are required to ensure that people are offered a range of choices on how they receive their social care support.

Where it is no longer possible for people to remain at home, a wide range of residential options, in homely settings, are available. There is a robust assessment process to ensure that any receiving setting is assessed as a good match and can meet the health and social care needs of individuals.

Question reference: S6O-00601

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways the Internal Market Act 2020 could impact on its ability to meet its net zero targets.

Question reference: S6O-00499

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Falkirk Council to discuss public transport and connectivity within the rural areas of the Falkirk East constituency, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S6O-00339

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the views of consumers are adequately heard in its consultation on legal services regulation reform.