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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-30537

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the Chief Entrepreneur.

The Chief Entrepreneur has been fundamental to the development of some of our most ambitious economic policies, including but not limited to: the building of a new policy agenda embodied by the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review; the Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint report to enhance the economic impact of our universities and colleges, and promote the teaching of Computer Science in schools; the Pathways report to increase women’s participation in entrepreneurship; and the delivery of Techscaler, a programme central to our ambitions to create one of the finest state-funded entrepreneurial systems in the world dedicated to the creation of high-growth businesses.

Question reference: S6W-30539

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made any contract extension for the Chief Entrepreneur.

Question reference: S6W-30538

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to recruit a new Chief Entrepreneur.

Question reference: S6O-03854

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has in place for local authorities that may be unable to fulfil any legal requirements for a balanced budget in the forthcoming financial year.

Question reference: S6W-30263

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the impact will be on employment in the event that the Forties Pipeline System closes in 2030.

Question reference: S6W-30259

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the Forties Pipeline System may close as early as 2030.

Question reference: S6W-30260

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to protect Scotland's energy security in the event that the Forties Pipeline System closes in 2030.

Question reference: S6W-29714

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the reported £800,000 reduction to VisitScotland's advertising budget will have on tourism numbers.

The decision relates to uncommitted marketing spend, however, Visit Scotland will continue to maximise the impact of its £43.6 million budget through use of its own and partner channels, including relationships with travel intermediaries, to attract domestic and international visitors to Scotland.

The number of people visiting Scotland is subject to different variables, including the state of the global economy. Scottish Government will work closely with VisitScotland to track and report performance.

Question reference: S6O-03815

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its international offices.

Question reference: S6W-29477

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any funding reductions that have been made as a result of the reallocation of funds to local authority pay awards.

Public sector pay continues to be a significant driver of in-year pressures and, under the current devolution settlement, any substantive in-year pressures can only be funded by reductions elsewhere. If the UK Government does not fully fund public sector pay deals, there will be a significant gap between the expectations of the workforce and the available funding.

As confirmed in the Fiscal Statement to the Scottish Parliament on 3 September, the Scottish Government has identified a range of measures to support the 2024-25 budget totalling almost £1 billion, of which up to £500 million are direct savings. Correspondence with the Convenor of the Finance and Public Administration on 3 September, confirmed that the impact of these measures has been appropriately assessed, including in formal impact assessments where required.

In relation to local authority pay awards, the Scottish Government has agreed with local government that they can draw on specific existing programmes to fund pay deals. The relevant funding will be replaced in 2025-26 and assurance has been sought from local authorities to confirm that they are able to mitigate any impacts in 2024-25 and that delivery timescales will not be significantly impacted.