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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: S6W-35606

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the recently announced £100 million of apprenticeship funding by (a) sector and (b) region.

Scottish Government are unable to provide this information at present.

The recently announced £102 million apprenticeship funding for 2025-26 represents a projection of the funding Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will spend to support 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeship (MA) starts and 2,500 Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) starts, as well as MAs and FAs already in training.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) are currently completing the contract/grant award process for 2025-26 so are unable to confirm the exact figure until all contracts are accepted by providers.

It should be noted that SDS are exercising a Plus 1 extension period to the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) contracts for 2025-26, therefore providers are allocated the same volumes as they were awarded at the start of the 2024-25 contract year.

The 2024-25 MA awards have been published and can be accessed via the link below for further insight into the distribution of provision: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/1r4etei1/modern-apprenticeships-april-24-25-contracts-by-framework.pdf

Foundation Apprenticeship Grant Awards totalling 2,500 opportunities have been issued to existing SDS-funded learning providers, including Local Authorities and Independent Learning Providers, for delivery commencing in academic year
2025-26. SDS is unable to confirm an exact figure until all contract awards are accepted by providers.

It should be noted that the Scottish Funding Council also support both Modern and Foundation Apprenticeships, and will provide 2,500 Foundation Apprenticeship opportunities this year.

Question reference: S6W-35605

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the focus on skills shortage sectors will have on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to take on apprentices in non-priority areas.

My letter of strategic guidance for Skills Development Scotland in 2025-26 places an emphasis on the delivery of apprenticeships in the sectors that are most vital to Scotland’s economy and society. These include those that support the transition to Net Zero, and are most likely to result in high quality, long-term employment and meaningful career pathways for participants. In addition, we continue to fund in other sectors to help meet the skills needs of employers. A particular priority for the programme is on encouraging greater participation from small and micro businesses.

While government will lead a new national approach to skills planning, any upcoming regional skills planning approach will support and empower regions to deliver on their own economic and social ambitions, in line with national priorities.

As part of this, careful consideration will continue to be given to a balance of priority and non-priority apprenticeships to meet employer needs.

Question reference: S6W-35604

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what specific support is being provided to apprentices and training providers in rural areas, where access to placements may be more challenging.

We are committed to promoting apprenticeship opportunities in island and rural communities to encourage inclusive growth.

As part of this effort we provide a rural uplift for Modern Apprenticeship delivery, offering increased payments to training providers to support the expansion of apprenticeship programmes in these areas.

In addition, funding for travel and subsistence (including accommodation) is available for apprentices who are required to attend structured, formal off-the-job training beyond normal travel limits.

Question reference: S6W-35611

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering reviewing the reported cap on domestic university student numbers, in light of Scotland's universities' reported reliance on international fees to compensate for any shortfalls in government funding.

Through the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) annual allocations process, universities are allocated funding for the provision of funded undergraduate places for eligible Scottish domiciled students. It is then for the universities themselves to decide how to distribute these places along with postgraduate and alternatively funded undergraduate places between faculties and the courses they offer. Universities are responsible for their own admissions policies but should consider their long-term stability by actively diversifying their international student intake and seeking alternative funding sources. Indicative allocations of funding for 2025-26 will be published on SFC’s website in the next few weeks.

Scotland’s first International Education Strategy, published in February last year, highlighted the positive impact that international students make to our universities, colleges, communities, and economy.

Through the SFC, we invest over £1.1bn for teaching and research in Scotland’s universities and this investment in university education ensures that Scottish domiciled and international students benefit from the learning provided by our world-class universities in near-record numbers. We have boosted financing for the entire university sector by £27 million, or 3.5%, as part of the 2025-26 budget, which is higher than the 3.1% increase that English universities receive through tuition fees. It’s important to be clear that institutions across the UK often cross-subsidise teaching and research activities through other sources of income, this practice is common across the UK under different funding models.

Question reference: S6W-35609

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted of the long-term viability of its free university tuition policy, in light of the reported financial pressures being experienced by universities.

The Scottish Government is resolutely committed to free tuition, and the position that access to university should remain based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay. This commitment to free tuition also means that, unlike elsewhere in the UK, Scottish students studying in Scotland do not incur additional debt of up to £27,750 and average student loan debt in Scotland is the lowest in the UK.

The Scottish Government fully appreciates the financial sustainability challenges being faced by many universities across the UK due to a range of factors, including the impact of UK Government immigration policies on international student recruitment, and the increase to employers’ National Insurance Contributions. While universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own strategic and operational decision making, the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council will continue to offer support to individual institutions as they develop their own plans to mitigate financial challenges.

The Scottish Government listened closely to the university sector in the development of this year’s budget, which is why we are investing over £1.1 billion in university teaching and research in 2025-26. Since February we have also announced a further £25 million to support universities facing financial challenges.

Question reference: S6W-35601

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the reported 700,000 homes deemed not fit for habitation are publicly owned, and what steps are being taken to ensure that local authorities and housing associations upgrade substandard properties.

Of the 700,000 reported homes that failed the tolerable standard in 2023, 244,000 were social homes. This means that 8% of social homes failed the tolerable standard.

Social landlords are required, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, to keep houses they let fit for human habitation and ensure that any repairs are carried out when they are needed.

We work closely with social landlords in our shared ambition to provide quality, affordable social homes and continue to have constructive engagement with them on a range of matters.

Question reference: S6W-35600

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the causes behind the reported increase in homes falling below the tolerable standard since 2018.

The cause behind the reported increase in homes falling below the tolerable standard since 2018 is due to the introduction of the fire and smoke alarm, and carbon monoxide criteria in 2022.

The legal duty to take action on houses that do not meet the tolerable standard rests with the local authority. No homeowner will be criminalised if they need more time, and there are no penalties for non-compliance.

Question reference: S6W-35599

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported increase in homes deemed not fit for habitation, from 54,000 in 2018 to 729,000 in 2023.

The overall condition of housing in Scotland has been steadily improving over the years, driven by existing standards. The Scottish Government is committed to tackling disrepair and driving a culture in which good maintenance is given a high priority.

The increase in the tolerable standard failure rate between 2018 and 2023 is due to the introduction of the fire and smoke alarm, and carbon monoxide alarm criteria. The Scottish House Conditions Survey results for 2023 show that 562,000 dwellings failed the smoke and fire alarm criteria while 407,000 failed the carbon monoxide alarm criteria, although some of these dwellings will overlap.

When previously analysed in 2022 it was found that without the fire and smoke alarm, and carbon monoxide alarm criteria the tolerable standard failure rate was similar to 2018 with an estimated 55,000 households or 2% of all dwellings below tolerable standard.

Question reference: S6W-35663

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the funding that it provides to the Scottish Youth Parliament to support its mission to provide a national platform for young people to discuss the issues that are important to them, what information it has on how many young people were eligible to vote in the most recent Scottish Youth Parliament election, and what the turnout was.

Question reference: S6W-35659

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure that the Scottish Youth Parliament is accountable for the public funds that it receives.