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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-23645

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many volunteer pain patient representatives with known conditions have been appointed to its Pain Management Task Force and to each of its itemised seven sub-committees since 2022.

A member of the third-sector community was identified to join the Pain Management Task Force in October 2022 to represent the needs of people with lived experience.

We are committed to increasing the representation of the needs of people with lived experience in our work and that is why we are currently about to begin the process of recruiting additional lived experience representatives as outlined in the recently published Pain management service delivery framework: implementation plan update.

Question reference: S6W-23638

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it will allocate from its Budget for the piloting of universal free school meals in secondary schools.

Question reference: S6W-23637

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date(s) it has met with local authorities to discuss the piloting of universal free school meals in secondary schools, and which local authorities or schools it expects will be participating in any such pilot.

The Scottish Government has met with several Local Authorities to discuss their delivery of Free School Meals during which views on being involved in any future pilot were sought. These meetings took place; on the following dates;

Western Isles Council – 5 July 2023
Inverclyde Council – 26 July 2023
North Ayrshire Council – 9 August 2023
COSLA – 16 August 2023
Edinburgh City Council – 16 August 2023

Most recently, on 11 October 2023, ADES and COSLA were invited to ask members if they would be interested in taking part in the pilot of universal free school meals at secondary.

Question reference: S6W-23644

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what immediate action it is taking in light of reports that the Scottish Parliament building was forced to close to the public in October due to a lack of security staff.

The Parliament building closed to the public for one day, Friday 13 October. Unfortunately, on the day in question, there was a combination of staff taking pre-approved annual leave, several staff who were too unwell to come to work, and a small number of operational vacancies. As this issue occurred during the October recess period there was no impact on parliamentary business therefore the decision was taken to close the building to the public.

The SPCB is satisfied that since this incident happened on 13 October, the Security Office has taken all relevant steps to ensure staffing levels are maintained by supporting staff in returning to work and employing new staff.

Question reference: S6W-22984

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reviewing the current relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education resources to ensure that sufficient education on abortion is included.

It is up to schools and teachers to decide what resources to use when delivering relevant and engaging learning. A summary of resources that may be used to support delivery of RSHP education is available on Education Scotland's National Improvement Hub at https://education.gov.scot/resources/a-summary-of-rshp-resources/. One of these resources is the RSHP National learning and teaching resource which contains a learning activity at third/fourth level (Secondary 1 to Secondary 3) on abortion. This activity lets young people know that abortion or termination services are available and that sexual health services are confidential. The partnerships of health boards and local authorities who supported development of this resource conducted a review of all learning activities this year.

Officials have also been working with key stakeholders to review and revise the statutory teaching guidance on RSHP education. The public consultation on the revised guidance closed on 23 November 2023 with over 3,800 responses received. Officials are now analysing the contributions to the public consultation with a view to finalising and publishing the statutory guidance for the start of the next academic year.

Question reference: S6W-23573

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it plans to publish the final version of the publication, Reducing car use for a healthier, fairer and greener Scotland: A route map to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in car kilometres by 2030, which was committed to in the 2020 Climate Change Plan update and subject to consultation between January and April 2022.

Question reference: S6W-23572

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 7 November 2023, when it will provide an update on the anticipated publication date of the new Climate Change Plan; whether it will publish a timeline setting out the periods for public engagement and proposed parliamentary scrutiny of the new plan, and what time will be allocated, ahead of the statutory deadline, to permit an assessment and considered response to that engagement and scrutiny.

The Scottish Government announced the delay to the next Climate Change Plan on 7 November 2023 and confirmed their commitment to bringing forward a draft plan in line with statutory deadlines which require a final version of the next Climate Change Plan to be laid in Parliament in March 2025. Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft plan, lasting 120 days, will be built into this timeline with public consultation planned to take place in parallel.

Question reference: S6W-23353

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Rape Crisis Scotland campaign, Survivors Can’t Wait, which calls for emergency waiting list funding to be extended beyond March 2024 to save 28 jobs, and for long-term sustainable funding for Rape Crisis Centres across Scotland.

Rape Crisis Scotland and other frontline services are crucial, that is why we are investing record levels of funding to support them. This includes over £5 million for the Rape Crisis network through our annual £19 million Delivering Equally Safe fund. Rape Crisis Scotland and its centres will continue to receive Delivering Equally Safe funding until March 2025, along with other DES funded projects.

I am aware and acknowledge the concerns about waiting list funding ending in March 2024. Rape Crisis Scotland was awarded a one-off grant of £2,250,000 from COVID Emergency funding from October 2021 until September 2023 to them to respond to cutting waiting lists following the pandemic. A further £580,000 was provided in June 2023 to extend the funding to March 2024. In addition Rape Crisis Scotland was issued with a grant of £65,000 in June 2023 to enable RCS to consult on sustainability options including funding diversification and service models.

Ministers are currently considering budgets for next year during a particularly challenging financial time. The Scottish Government aims to ensure the funding provided works most effectively to improve outcomes for those using services. We are working with COSLA to develop a sustainable approach to funding for violence against women and girl services.

Question reference: S6O-02903

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider its reported plans to downgrade the Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Question reference: S6W-23346

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the topic of any Barnett consequential funding arising from the UK Government's policy of 75% rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure premises for 2023-24 has been discussed at the weekly meetings between the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and senior finance officials, and, if so, when it was (a) first and (b) last discussed.

The consequentials associated with 75% non-domestic rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure premises in England in 2023-24 were confirmed in the Autumn Statement on 17 November 2022.

All Barnett consequentials received as a result of the Autumn Statement are considered as a whole ahead of the Scottish Budget each year and are a vital part of Scottish Government’s funding position. Discussion of the funding position featured at all regular meetings between the Autumn Statement and the Scottish Budget 2023-24 which was announced on 15 December 2022. Similarly, discussions regarding the funding position for 2024-25 as a result of the Autumn Statement on 22 November 2023 continue ahead of the Scottish Budget which will be announced on 19 December 2023