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 253 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6O-01826

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with East Renfrewshire Council.

Question reference: S6O-01744

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting children and young people's theatre.

Question reference: S6W-12507

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make additional resources available to support the NHS Gluten-free Food Service.

Question reference: S6W-12508

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available to people with coeliac disease to assist with the purchase of essential gluten-free food products.

There is no specific financial support to assist with the purchase of gluten-free food products. However, people who have been clinically diagnosed with coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis can receive a range of gluten-free food on prescription at no charge.

There is a monthly unit allowance and people may choose to use all or part of that allowance to access gluten-free items through their local community pharmacy if they wish. To help with costs, patients may choose to order their maximum number of units each month.

Question reference: S6W-12323

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to ensure that there is a sufficient number of teachers at Dargavel Primary School, in Bishopton.

Local councils are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of their staff. This includes providing a complement of teachers which best meets the needs of each of their schools and its pupils within the resources available.

During the pandemic, the Scottish Government provided an additional £240m to local authorities to support the recruitment of additional teachers and support staff. We have since committed further permanent funding of £145.5m a year to further support education staffing.

Question reference: S6W-12398

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be represented by any (a) Scottish Ministers, (b) elected politicians and (c) officials at the World Cup in Qatar.

Question reference: S6W-12321

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what funding support it plans to make available to Renfrewshire Council to ensure that Dargavel Primary School, in Bishopton, can accommodate the reported larger than estimated school roll.

We are taking the capacity issues at Dargavel Primary School very seriously.

We are aware that Renfrewshire Council is currently working on a long-term solution for the school, and has committed to engaging with parents and carers on proposals. My officials will continue to engage with the Council throughout that process. To date, the Council has not requested any assistance from the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-12325

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether low-income families that are comprised of children in (a) kinship care and (b) foster care are eligible for the new Scottish Child Payment.

Scottish Child Payment offers financial support to families with children, and is paid as a top-up of certain qualifying reserved benefits, such as Universal Credit. Applicants must also demonstrate child responsibility to meet the qualifying criteria in full.

The regulations for Scottish Child Payment specifically define kinship care as a way of meeting child responsibility and so low-income families that are also kinship carers may be eligible for Scottish Child Payment if they meet all the eligibility criteria. We recently amended the definition of kinship care to ensure more low income kinship carers are eligible now we have rolled out Scottish Child Payment to children under 16. These regulations can be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2022/336/contents/made ..

Low income families that are also foster carers are not eligible for Scottish Child Payment. This is because children in foster care are considered looked after by the local authority and, as such, foster carers do not satisfy the legal responsibilities or rights that entitle them to child responsibility benefits. Foster carers receive allowances from local authorities to cover the needs of children living with them.

Question reference: S6W-12324

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Leader of Renfrewshire Council to address the reported issues surrounding the school roll at Dargavel Primary School, in Bishopton.

Question reference: S6W-12322

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how Education Scotland plans to review Dargavel Primary School, in Bishopton, to monitor any impact of the reported miscalculation in the school roll on pupils’ learning experiences and attainment levels.

In Scotland the provision of education is the responsibility of local authorities who have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to provide adequate and efficient school education. Under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 the local authority is responsible for improving the quality of education within their schools with a view to raising standards.

In the case of Dargavel Primary School, Renfrewshire Council is responsible for ensuring the quality of education within the school and any concerns should be raised with them.

Renfrewshire Council has commissioned an independent review to determine what went wrong and why – the findings of which will be made public.

The Council is working on a long-term solution for the school, and has committed to engaging with parents and carers on proposals.