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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-28476

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 24 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any skills shortages within the Scottish hospitality sector, and what action it is taking to address any such shortages.

We understand that the hospitality sector, alongside other sectors within the economy, including construction and manufacturing, are facing challenges in attracting, recruiting and retaining workers. This situation has been exacerbated by Brexit and the loss of people from the EU, as well as problems caused by the pandemic.

We regularly monitor and assess the performance of the tourism and hospitality sector through a range of official statistics, as well as via regular engagement with key stakeholders, including the main hospitality trade bodies. Our most recent statistics show that in May 2024 29% of businesses in the accommodation and food services sector reported difficulties in recruiting employees, slightly higher than the Scotland average (27%). (Source BICS ONS May 2024).

In April 2024 , one in five (18%) of businesses within the accommodation and food sector reported recruitment difficulties (lower than the Scottish average for all businesses at 24%). The most common reason given for businesses reporting recruitment difficulties, by over half, was a lack of qualified applicants for the roles on offer (53%), while just under a third cited the reduced number of EU applicants (30%). (Source BICS ONS April 2024).

The Scottish Government is taking measures within our powers, to address labour and skills shortage issues. These include providing a range of employability support to help people enter the workforce alongside funding for the development of modern apprenticeships via Skills Development Scotland to meet the needs of the tourism and hospitality sector. We are also working to explore solutions to staff shortages in collaboration with the sector, through our Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group and our Tourism and Hospitality Skills Group.

Fair Work is at the heart of our national Tourism Strategy; Outlook 2030 which commits to support and enable the adoption of Fair work practices in Scotland’s tourism sector. We continue to promote fair work measures in the sector which will help businesses attract and retain staff and will carefully consider recommendations from the Fair Work Convention’s Hospitality inquiry and take forward as appropriate.

While immigration is reserved, we hope to work collaboratively with the new UK Government to make a difference to the lives of people in Scotland, as the First Minister made clear in his meeting with the new Prime Minister on Sunday 7 July.

Scotland’s distinct demographic and economic needs require a tailored approach to migration. Scotland needs access to international talent and skills at all levels of the economy, for vital, challenging roles within sectors including tourism and hospitality.

Scottish Ministers are committed to working closely with the UK Government in delivering an immigration system that supports the prosperity of Scotland’s economy and communities.

Question reference: S6W-28535

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 24 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date, at the latest, it will have concluded the review and business case for upgrading Ardrossan Harbour.

Question reference: S6O-03595

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Association for Marine Science regarding its research into reducing the deaths of cetaceans from fishing line entanglements.

Question reference: S6O-03577

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to increase the number of GPs.

Question reference: S6O-03506

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how its Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund will help tackle island depopulation.

Question reference: S6W-26747

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) passengers, (b) cars, (c) lorries and (d) coaches were carried on the Largs to Cumbrae ferry route in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available.

Question reference: S6W-26746

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) passengers, (b) cars, (c) lorries and (d) coaches were carried on the Lochranza to Claonaig and Tarbert ferry route in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available.

Question reference: S6W-26745

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) passengers, (b) cars, (c) lorries and (d) coaches were carried on the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry route in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available.

The information requested is available on the Scottish Transport Statistics 2023, published on 27 March 2024, at Tables 9.15 and 9.16 and via CalMac’s website and can be found by following the links below:

www.transport.gov.scot/publication/scottish-transport-statistics-2023/

www.calmac.co.uk/corporate/your-carrying-statistics

The carryings statistics for 2023 on the CalMac website, are up until 16 May 2023, although further carryings should be available in due course.

Question reference: S6W-26655

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26239 by Shona Robison on 2 April 2024, whether it will provide the requested breakdown of these figures by year since 1 March 2006, and for what reason it did not provide this breakdown in its original answer.

The information requested on annual unitary charge payments relating to both the North Ayrshire Schools PFI contract and the Largs Campus contract which formed part of the NPD/hub Programme is in the public domain. This information can be found be at the Scottish Government website via the following link under the ‘NPD and PFI projects’ section: https://www.gov.scot/policies/government-finance/infrastructure-investment/#npd

Question reference: S6O-03299

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how Crown Estate Scotland supports marine tourism in coastal communities.