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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: S6O-04053

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will review whether the Parliament is providing sufficient resourcing for the Legislation Team to support MSPs to lodge amendments to Bills.

Question reference: S6O-04002

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve access to audiology services.

Question reference: S6W-31098

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 8 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the final report on the Women’s Health Plan 2021-2024.

Today we published the Women’s Health Plan 2021 – 2024 Final Report on the Scottish Government website to mark the progress achieved in the three years since the publication of Scotland’s first Women’s Health Plan.

This final report sets out the progress made against the 66 short, medium and long term actions to improve health information, services and outcomes for women and girls in Scotland.

Key achievements include the appointment and work of the first Women’s Health Champion Professor Anna Glasier, development of a women’s health information platform on NHS Inform and this Parliament passing The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024.

Alongside this report, a Women’s Health Plan: Review of the Data Landscape has been published setting out the routinely published data on women’s health currently available and highlighting the key data gaps.

Question reference: S6W-31075

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the consultation on the proposal for a new National Park in Galloway.

Following the Government’s proposal to establish a new National Park in Galloway, NatureScot – in its role as reporter – has been engaging with communities, businesses, public bodies and other interested parties in the Galloway area in order to seek initial views and develop more detailed proposals for consultation.

Today, NatureScot will launch a formal statutory public consultation on the proposal. As well as gauging support for the proposal, the consultation will seek views on options for the possible area, functions, powers and governance of a new National Park.

The consultation process will include a full consultation paper and survey available via the NatureScot website, Have Your Say Today - Information Hub - A Proposal For A National Park In Galloway - Commonplace a survey available both online and distributed to households and businesses in, and near, the area proposed in the nomination, as well as events for businesses including agriculture, forestry and other land-management sectors and activities; and events for under-represented groups and young people. Information about the consultation surveys and events will be published today on NatureScot’s website and the dedicated online engagement hub.

An important part of the consultation process – in addition to the consultation paper and surveys – will be a series of independently facilitated consultation events and drop-in surgeries that will take place throughout the area proposed for National Park status. NatureScot began publicising these consultation events on 1 November, via the NatureScot website National Parks | NatureScot and the Hub Have Your Say Today - Consultation Events - Information Hub - A Proposal For A National Park In Galloway (commonplace.is) and they also intend to promote them in local news outlets and with posters in an effort to make these events as visible as possible.

Attendees at the consultation events will be supported to share their thoughts and opinions in a welcoming environment. There will be sessions within each event asking for responses on different topics, and interactive boards and spaces, as well as opportunities to leave anonymous feedback, and to complete a consultation leaflet in writing.

Additionally, a number of drop-in surgeries, hosted by NatureScot, will also be announced between November and January, with the locations and times publicised via the NatureScot website National Parks | NatureScot in due course. These sessions are aimed at individuals with questions about the consultation. They will complement the more structured consultation events. Completed surveys can also be left with NatureScot at these events.

It is extremely important that we hear from people living and working in the area and that the people of Galloway and South and East Ayrshire have the opportunity to discuss the issues, consider the content of the proposal including the desirability of a National Park in their area and suggest any alternatives.

I recognise the significant public interest in this proposal and am aware that there is both support and opposition. Everyone’s views will be listened to and taken into account and I would encourage everyone with an interest to engage with the consultation process in a constructive and respectful way.

The 14 week consultation period will start today and it will conclude on Friday 14 February. The consultation period has been extended to take account of the festive period and to enable as many people as possible to respond.

All views received will be captured and reported on.

We will carefully consider the outcome of this public consultation and NatureScot’s report before taking any further decisions on the proposal for a new National Park in Galloway.

Question reference: S6O-03960

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress being made to improve the educational experiences of children and young people with additional support needs in school settings.

Question reference: S6W-30868

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact was for Scotland of The 152nd Open, a major golf championship in 2024, and what plans are in place to ensure that Scotland continues to stage The R&A’s major championships.

The 152nd Open, which took place at Royal Troon in South Ayrshire from 14-21 July 2024, was a significant success for Scotland. The Championship enjoyed a record crowd for Troon, with over 250,000 spectators in attendance, more than half of whom travelled from outside of Scotland.

Independent research from Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre has found that The 152nd Open generated an estimated £87.3 million in total economic impact – new money entering the economy – for Scotland. Ayrshire received total economic impact of an estimated £43.8 million.

The figures for this year’s Championship bring the total economic benefit generated by the ten stagings of The Open in Scotland since 2005 to £1.36 billion.

The Open is synonymous with Scotland and of significant importance to our country from an economic and reputational perspective. Scottish Ministers have therefore committed funding for a renewed long-term agreement with The R&A starting in 2024, which will ensure that its major championships are staged in Scotland regularly until 2034. The agreement guarantees that 14 major championships organised by The R&A will be staged in Scotland across its lifetime, including five stagings of The Open.

The agreement also brings an exclusive benefits package for Scotland, covering elements such as international promotion, advertising and support for Scottish Government policies, notably in relation to sustainability and health.

As well as delivering significant economic benefits at national and local level, the investment in The R&A’s major championships will drive tourism and showcase Scotland as a world-class stage for major events.

Funding from the Scottish Government and VisitScotland is £1 million per year for 11 years, therefore totalling £11 million. Given the economic impact and wider value that can be expected, this represents very strong value for money.

Question reference: S6O-03873

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it has been undertaking with disabled people’s organisations regarding the delivery of its Disability Equality Plan.

Question reference: S6O-03619

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies indicating that forecast UK Government tax and spending plans would be funded by reductions in public investment, what assessment it has made of the potential impact that any changes to Scotland’s block grant resulting from this would have on Scotland’s public finances.

Question reference: S6W-27831

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recently published data by the National Records of Scotland regarding Scotland's Census 2022, which show that over 60% of the school-age population had no religion, whether it will follow the advice of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and allow young people the right to opt out of religious observance in schools.

As stated in the Scottish Government’s Initial Response to the Concluding Observations issued by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, published on 25 March this year, the Scottish Government is considering its next steps on religious observance in schools to ensure compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Under current legislation in Scotland, religious observance is not compulsory, and parents are legally entitled to withdraw their children from religious observance in local authority and grant-aided schools. This is supported by detailed guidance which states that ‘schools should include children and young people in any discussions about aspects of their school experience, ensuring their views are taken into account.’

This guidance is available at: Curriculum for Excellence: religious observance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6O-03522

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of any impact that Brexit is having on Scotland’s culture sector.