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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-33292

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it next plans to provide an update on the use of artificial intelligence within the public sector.

Our next formal update will be as part of a parliamentary debate currently planned for early June, subject to ministerial and parliamentary timetables. It is planned that this debate will focus on AI and its current and future impact in the Health sector.

However the Scottish AI Alliance provide monthly updates on the meeting of the Scottish AI Taskforce. This group of public servants meet to discuss and share AI challenges and opportunities, with the intention of avoiding duplication and ensuring shared best practice. These meetings offer a good overview of the public sector approach to AI, and you can find minutes and details from these meeting on the Alliance website. Public Sector AI - Taskforce — Scottish AI Alliance

We are also currently working on our response to the recent publication of the UK Government AI Action Plan, and that response will include a public sector component.

The AI Register remains the intended source of publicly available information on AI in use across the Scottish public sector. Work is on-going to encourage use across Scotland and to build completion of the register into our procurement and development processes.

Question reference: S6W-33291

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants are currently employed in roles related to the deployment of artificial intelligence within the public sector.

The Scottish Government does not hold responsibility for the recording and monitoring of staff grades and structures across the public sector, so we can only respond in relation to our own staffing.

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being used in a number of policy areas and for a diverse range of purposes. Generally these activities will make up a small proportion of a staff members’ daily duties, while AI may be one technology among many deployed for a particular solution, so we only have a small number of staff whose job role is primarily focused on the deployment of AI.

Recently published FOI release (Scottish Government staffing and salary statistics: FOI release - gov.scot) shares that in 2024 we had 6 data scientists, and a wide range of functions involved in the preparation of data, design of digital services, and support functions which could be related to the use or deployment of AI.

Question reference: S6O-04259

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service regarding the setting of mandatory timescales for decisions relating to the charging and prosecution of criminal proceedings.

Question reference: S6W-32885

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much the review commissioned by Public Health Scotland into the potential regulation of alcohol advertising and marketing will cost.

Question reference: S6W-32884

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the review commissioned by Public Health Scotland into the potential regulation of alcohol advertising and marketing will involve (a) calls for evidence and (b) stakeholder evidence sessions.

The evidence review undertaken by Public Health Scotland (PHS) will focus solely on existing literature, studies and research in order to set out potential areas of action on alcohol marketing and advertising. The commission is not seeking to develop or deliver new studies or research.

PHS will have independence in developing its review structure, resources and methods upon identifying its requirements for delivering this strand of work, ensuring that quality, integrity and transparency are achieved.

Question reference: S6W-32886

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the review commissioned by Public Health Scotland into the potential regulation of alcohol advertising and marketing.

Question reference: S6W-32883

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the scope and format is for the review commissioned by Public Health Scotland into the potential regulation of alcohol advertising and marketing.

The Scottish Government has commissioned Public Health Scotland (PHS) to undertake an evidence review to support decisions on potential proposals in relation to alcohol marketing and advertising that may be taken forward in future.

The scope of the review will include analysis of published evidence and existing literature. The commission is not seeking delivery of new studies or research.

The review will be delivered independently of Scottish Government and PHS will deliver its conclusions solely on the basis of its assessment of the evidence.

The commissioning document will be published imminently.

Question reference: S6W-32562

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23524 by Elena Whitham on 11 December 2023, what engagement has taken place with stakeholders, including those representing business and consumer interests; in the event that no engagement has taken place, whether it still plans to consult with stakeholders on proposals for alcohol marketing, and, if so, (a) when and (b) in what format.

The Scottish Government remains committed to progressing work on protecting children and young people from exposure to alcohol marketing.

Public Health Scotland has been commissioned to undertake a review of the evidence for potential regulation of alcohol advertising and marketing that may be taken forward in future.

On receipt of Public Health Scotland’s findings, the Scottish Government will consider where the evidence supports taking forward a further consultation on a range of targeted proposals. This would include consultation with stakeholders representing business and consumer interests.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with business and industry stakeholders with an interest in alcohol policy.

Question reference: S6W-32705

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to questions S6W-30147 and S6W-31340 by Ivan McKee on 11 November and 21 November 2024 respectively, what the estimated cost would be in 2025-26, broken down by industry sector.

Question reference: S6W-32560

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31999 by Shona Robison on 18 December 2024, in light of its answer that it "routinely increases the Local Government budget in-year, including through transfers from other portfolios", for what reason it does not allocate these funds to local government in the initial presentation of its Budgets, instead of later transferring funds between portfolios.

Individual policy teams within portfolios routinely allocate funding to local government to deliver our shared priorities. The intended allocations at the start of the financial year are set out in table 4.12 of the 2025-26 Scottish Budget, providing transparency to parliament. While the funding is included in the weekly revenue and monthly capital payments made to individual local authorities from the start of the financial year, the budget is formally processed at ABR and SBR – which are also published for transparency.

The Scottish Government’s intention in terms of funding available to local government is fully set out in the budget in the initial presentation, and given full effect as a technical increase to the general revenue or capital grants at ABR and SBR.