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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-19507

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a full appraisal of the National Transition Training Fund, including the total number of people who accessed the fund, the proportion of fund users who were unemployed or economically inactive, and the number of people who used the fund to upskill and reskill.

The Year One report for the National Transition Training Fund (NTTF) was published in February 2022 and can be found here: National Transition Training Fund (NTTF): year 1 report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This shows that 9.482 individuals were supported in academic year 2020-21 across a diverse range of projects.

In Year Two (academic year 2021-22), 22,266 training opportunities were provided. Across both years of the fund, data on those who were unemployed or in work was not collected across all projects, although some specific projects in each year were designed to support people who were either in work or not. For example, the Aviation Covid Recovery Fund managed through Scottish Union Learning and delivered by Unite the Union, was aimed specifically at those in work to help them retain their jobs in a sector significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Skillsboost Programme which ran in both years across Scotland’s colleges was aimed at those who were out of work or at risk of redundancy.

A report summarising the impact of NTTF’s second year will be published in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-19468

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 12 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported shortage of HGV drivers, including any help and support that it is providing regarding the cost of training for individuals.

Investing in skills across people’s lifetimes is critical to our future productivity and success as the economy and labour market continues to evolve over the coming decades. This is underlined by our commitment to a skilled workforce set out within the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

Apprenticeships are a key tool for employers to invest in their workforce, providing the skills the economy needs both now and in the future. There are currently over 80 Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) frameworks available in Scotland, including Freight Logistics which has a pathway in Driving Goods Vehicles.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) provide funding contributions towards the cost of training and assessing MAs on behalf of Scottish Government. Funding contributions are available for Freight Logistics (Driving Goods Vehicles) across all age groups. Full details of the current contribution rates can be found on the SDS website at 2021-22-appendix-1-ma-contribution-table010623.pdf (skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk)

Question reference: S6W-19152

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of administering the Skills for Growth programme has been in each year of its operation, including staffing and any direct business support.

Question reference: S6O-02452

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what post-diagnostic clinical support is available for autistic children and young people.

Question reference: S6W-18678

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update its target to grow Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) expenditure to £1.75 billion by 2025, in order to account for the change in methodology used by the Office for National Statistics.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) have recently changed their measurement of Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) expenditure which has led to significant uplift revisions to BERD expenditure estimates. Work is currently underway between the Scottish Government and the ONS to further quality assure the new methodology; once this work is complete the Scottish Government will consider target setting options. The Scottish Government's recently published National Innovation Strategy will monitor a range of metrics to track progress over the next decade through its Innovation Scorecard, including tracking Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD), Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) spend and BERD spend.

Question reference: S6W-18634

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the updated Stroke Improvement Plan, and whether there will be the required resource provided to allow its implementation.

We will publish our Stroke Improvement Plan on 14 June 2023. Funding to drive forward the actions in the plan has been confirmed for 2023-24 with some of the implementation work already underway.

Delivery of the actions contained within this plan will enable us to minimise preventable strokes and to ensure timely and equitable access to life-saving treatment and a person centred, holistic approach to care that supports rehabilitation.

Question reference: S6O-02392

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-18532

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what Barnett consequential funding it received as a result of the UK Government’s £63 million Swimming Pool Support Fund, and how much of this has been used to support swimming pools in Scotland, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government places great importance on swimming pools. They are crucial to the wellbeing of all our country and most importantly, for our children and young people to be healthy and active.

The financial package announced by the UK Government to support swimming pools in England has resulted in consequentials being added to the overall Scottish block.

We will continue to work with sportscotland, Scottish Swimming and local government partners to consider what additional support can be provided to swimming pools and the wider sport and leisure sector in Scotland. At present, no additional funding has been provided to local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-18368

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 12 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which apprenticeship providers have delivered (a) Modern, (b) Foundation and (c) Graduate Apprenticeships in Scotland in each year since 2018-19, also broken down by occupational grouping.

Question reference: S6W-18288

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an appraisal of its Innovation Centre (IC) programme, across the range of key performance indicators (KPIs) used for monitoring and reporting quarterly progress.