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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-34541

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out a new consultation regarding long-term chronic pain conditions; how this will be conducted, and take account of the differences between conditions; who will (a) organise and (b) carry out this consultation, and what the outcome was of its previous such consultation, including what improvements were recorded as a result of it.

We are exploring a new long term conditions strategy to better recognise the fact that many people living with long term conditions need the same types of support and care, regardless of their condition.

A long term conditions strategy will focus on ensuring equitable and sustainable access to the services that all people with long term conditions need, while still allowing for targeted action on condition-specific care and support where appropriate.

We have been engaging with clinicians, patients, carers and third sector organisations to find out what matters to them. We will shortly launch a full public consultation to ensure everyone can have their say.

This consultation will take place online via CitizenSpace and consideration will be given to include groups who will be unable to access the online platform.

In summer 2023 we engaged with stakeholders including clinicians, third-sector organisations and people with lived experience of chronic pain. Feedback received was used to inform the development of the updated Pain Management Service Delivery Framework – Implementation Plan.

Question reference: S6W-34509

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents involving illegal drugs have been reported in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each of the last five years, also broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-34444

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on supply teachers in primary schools in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-34450

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what funding arrangement with local authorities has been developed to support learning for pupils whilst they are receiving treatment in children’s hospitals.

Local authorities have the statutory responsibility for delivering education and the statutory duty to make special arrangements for any affected pupils to receive education elsewhere than at a school or other educational establishment as a result of prolonged ill health. The Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities primarily by means of a block grant and it is for local councils to manage the allocation of their resources and the level of services that are delivered, including for education. In the 2023-24 financial year, the latest figure available, spending by local authorities reached a record high of over £1 billion from the Scottish Government for additional support for learning. This represents an increase from the £540 million spending allocated for this purpose in 2012-13.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has published guidance on the education of children and young people unable to attend school due to ill health. The purpose of our guidance is to provide advice and information for local authorities in relation to their statutory duty to make special arrangements for any affected pupils/ This includes guidance on making alternative arrangements in instances where a child or young person is either staying in hospital, or they have a health condition which means they are often in and out of hospital. Our guidance is available through the following web link: Introduction - Education of children unable to attend school due to ill health: guidance - gov.scot.

Question reference: S6W-34441

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers have been signed off work due to mental ill health in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-34442

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers have been signed off work as a result of having been attacked in school in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-34446

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many exit interviews have taken place for teachers leaving the profession in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-34454

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the independent schools sector regarding the impact of the implementation of VAT on school lunches.

Scottish Government officials have continued to engage with the Scottish Council of Independent Schools and Local Authorities on the impact of the removal of the VAT exemption for independent school fees on independent schools, their pupils, families and the state sector in Scotland.

I am advised that the independent sector has not to date raised school lunches as an issue with Scottish Government, however my officials remain open to discussions with the sector on any matters of concern. HMRC wrote to all Scottish independent schools in October 2024 to provide the following UK Government guidance on charging and reclaiming VAT on goods, services and payments. This included school meals: Charging and reclaiming VAT on goods and services related to private school fees - GOV.UK

As this is a UK Government policy, it is the responsibility of the UK Government to engage fully and clearly communicate the impacts of changes for Scottish independent schools, to support them through the VAT registration process and ensure they fully understand their new VAT liabilities.

Question reference: S6W-34445

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on supply teachers in secondary schools in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-34447

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of whistleblowing have taken place in each public service organisation in each year since 1999.