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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-35056

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support local heritage organisations, such as Friends of Kinneil, in their efforts to safeguard and promote key historical sites in the Central Scotland region.

The Scottish Government values both museums and heritage sites as important assets and recognises the undoubted benefits they bring to communities across Scotland.

We will continue to support Museums Galleries Scotland, the dedicated national development body that supports museums and galleries, and Historic Environment Scotland, our lead public body for the historic environment. Both these organisations deliver direct and indirect support to heritage projects and groups across Scotland by providing expert advice and guidance, as well as through their grant schemes – details of which can be found on their respective websites.

Question reference: S6W-35058

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any local authorities have raised concerns regarding financial viability for the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27 financial year.

More frequent and meaningful budget engagement with COSLA and Councils was fundamental to informing the record funding settlement made available to Local Government in the Scottish Budget 2025-26.

That engagement included consideration of financial viability, the importance of sustainable local services and the critical need for transformation.

The Local Government Settlement was significantly more generous than Councils were expecting based upon the trajectories set out in previous Medium Term Financial Strategies. Despite this, all local authorities, along with the rest of the public sector, are facing difficult decisions as part of their budget setting processes including on how to meet the increased costs of employer National Insurance Contributions following the UK Budget in November 2024.

Whilst no specific concerns over financial viability in 2025-26 or 2026-27 have been raised since the Scottish Budget was published, Scottish Ministers remain committed to deepening and broadening budget engagement to ensure the sustainability of local services in the long term.

Question reference: S6W-34849

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the money that it allocates to local authorities is ring-fenced, and how this compares with (a) 1999-00 and (b) 2006-07.

While ring-fenced funding is provided to support increased investment in services such as our schools, inter-island connectivity and criminal justice social work, this represents only 2.7% or £0.4 billion of the overall Local Government Settlement in 2025-26.

Comparisons prior to the historic Concordat agreement in November 2007 do not represent a like for like comparison as Local Government funding changed significantly in 2008-09 when the majority of the former ring-fenced grants provided in the previous year were baselined into to the settlement.

Whilst not directly comparable, the best available data, as published in the Local Government Finance Circular 19/1998 indicates that specific grants worth £543 million were allocated to councils in 1999-00. This was equivalent to 8.29% of ‘Total Aggregate External Finance’.

Question reference: S6W-35069

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic and employment impact of the UK Government’s reported plans to support the steel sector in Scotland with reduced electricity costs compared to any absence of targeted support for the Grangemouth refinery.

The Plan for Steel hasn’t been published yet so the Scottish Government has not made an assessment of reported plans for the UK Government to support Scotland’s steel sector. An assessment of confirmed UK Government plans and support will be made following the publication of The Plan for Steel. The Scottish Government will be contributing to the steel strategy consultation; and we will continue to represent the sector, including via my membership on the UK Steel Council.

In addition to the Scottish Government’s previously announced Grangemouth Just Transition Fund, which will support the transition of the industrial cluster in its entirety to help secure a long-term and sustainable future, the Scottish Government has announced £25 million targeted investment for the vitally important Scottish industrial site.

Question reference: S6W-34825

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent to date on planning and development for each of the five national treatment centres, and how this compares with the estimate in its initial proposals.

As set out in answer S6W-29116 on 6 September 2024, the cost incurred to date in relation to the planned National Treatment Centre in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside is as follows.

Board	Cost incurred to date on National Treatment Centre
Ayrshire & Arran	£4,843,600
Grampian	£6,474,000
Lanarkshire	£268,000
Lothian	£13,749,000
Tayside	£12,111,438

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-35053

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding appropriate disciplinary measures for violent or abusive behaviour by pupils towards teachers and school staff.

Question reference: S6W-34848

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many public services have been transferred from local authorities to its agencies or non-departmental public bodies since 1999, and which services have been affected.

Question reference: S6W-34845

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government on what date its most recent stroke awareness campaign was launched, and what evaluation it carried out on its effectiveness.

The Scottish Government provided funding to Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland in 2018 to support a stroke awareness campaign. This was managed by Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and delivered via NHS Boards. Scottish Government does not hold an evaluation of this campaign.

Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland launched a public FAST awareness campaign on 30 October 2024; World Stroke Day. Further information can be found at:

https://www.chss.org.uk/news/chest-heart-stroke-scotland-launches-new-f-a-s-t-campaign-to-improve-stroke-awareness/

Question reference: S6W-35054

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what national measures are being taken to address reported increasing concerns over poor pupil behaviour and abuse towards staff in schools, in light of the industrial action at Kirkintilloch High School.

Question reference: S6W-35052

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review existing policies on classroom discipline and pupil behaviour management, in light of reported concerns raised by teachers about insufficient consequences for disruptive behaviour.