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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: S6O-03644

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any specific measures or alternative programmes it is considering as a replacement to Erasmus+ in Scotland, whether it can provide a timeline for any support that may be available for Bishopbriggs Academy and other schools.

Question reference: S6O-03504

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, 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 it ensures that disabled people who receive Scottish social security benefits are treated lawfully, in light of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s reported investigation into the treatment of some disabled benefits claimants by the UK Department for Work and Pensions.

Question reference: S6W-27672

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any implications of the UK Spring Budget for the 2024-25 Scottish Budget, and what its current position is on the 2023-24 Scottish Budget.

The UK Spring Budget, announced by the Chancellor on 6 March, generated £293 million of resource consequentials for 2024-25, of which £237 million relates to Health. Health consequentials will be passed on in full to the Health portfolio, in line with our manifesto commitment.

The remaining £56 million of resource funding will be passed on to local authorities to support the Council Tax freeze. This comes on top of the record funding I announced for local authorities back in December.

Disappointingly, Scotland received no new capital or financial transactions funding so the Scottish Government will continue to see a real-terms cut in our capital block grant – a cumulative loss of over £1.3 billion by 2027-28.

The 2023-24 budget in both resource and capital will be delivered on balance, which is a significant achievement given the pressures we have faced. As per normal practice, following the year-end process, Scottish Ministers will confirm the 2023-24 provisional outturn position to Parliament in June.

Question reference: S6O-03406

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on devolved benefits in Scotland, what representation it plans to make to the UK Government regarding its proposed changes to welfare benefits for people with mental health issues.

Question reference: S6W-26394

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Natalie Don on 22 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to the scoping study on historic forced adoption.

Today marks the first anniversary of the Scottish Government’s national apology to those affected by historic forced adoption practices. I acknowledge the immense pain and suffering that adoptees, mothers and families have endured as a result of these unjust practices. Addressing the harms caused remains a priority for this Government.

The scoping study is one of the sources of evidence that the Scottish Government is using in determining how to best support those affected by historic forced adoption. It is being considered alongside other evidence, including the accompanying service delivery paper , the original consultation exercise held in 2022 and ongoing engagement with campaigners and people with lived experience.

To that end, we are establishing a series of lived experience sessions on historic forced adoption, to be facilitated by the Scottish Government’s Principal Psychological Adviser. The purpose of these sessions is to explore potential collaborative solutions to the issues raised in the scoping study. The sessions will inform the Scottish Government’s policy response and help to determine how we prioritise and sequence this work, alongside our consideration of wider matters such as potential legislative, financial and operational impacts. We anticipate that a particular focus for discussion will be the form of support that is needed to address the emotional and psychological impact of historic forced adoption for adoptees, mothers and families.

A key issue that has been highlighted as part of our engagement is around the challenges of accessing records. As such, both the National Records of Scotland and Scottish Court and Tribunals Service have updated the information that they provide online in order to assist people with the practical aspects of accessing records, as well as signposting to further support. Both organisations will continue to provide access and assistance to adoption records in line with current legislation. We are also exploring what more we can do to ensure people affected by historic forced adoption are able to easily access the right information and support when they need it.

Additionally, the Scottish Government continues to fund the charity, Health in Mind, to provide specialist support through peer support groups. Monthly peer support sessions are now being held for mothers and an adoptees group will begin shortly. The peer support groups are open for self-referrals from those affected and further details are available online at Health in Mind | Historic Adoption Peer Support (health-in-mind.org.uk) .

Question reference: S6O-03229

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it can make to the UK Government regarding the potential amendment of its Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill to cover Scotland, to ensure that there is parity and equality for all sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses who have been affected.

Question reference: S6O-03191

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the availability of ADHD medication supplies in Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-02905

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024

To ask the First Minister, in light of International Women's Day on 8 March, what steps the Scottish Government is taking to tackle gender-based violence.

Question reference: S6W-25729

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Siobhian Brown on 23 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022.

To date, four out of six key measures provided for within the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 have been implemented, these are:

A prohibition on providing or making available fireworks or pyrotechnic articles to children;
A new statutory aggravation for courts sentencing offenders where fireworks were used to attack emergency workers;
New discretionary powers for local authorities to designate firework control zones; and
New offences of possession of pyrotechnics in public places and at designated venues and events.

After careful consideration and assessment of the significant financial pressures the Scottish Government is facing following the UK Government’s budget settlement, the Government has decided to extend the timeframe for delivery and implementation of the firework licensing requirement (Part 2 of the Act) to 2026. A pause to the implementation of restrictions to the days of supply and use of fireworks (within Part 3 of the Act), was outlined to the Criminal Justice Committee in March 2023. I am writing to the Convener of the Criminal Justice Committee to provide further details about this decision.

Question reference: S6O-03140

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will encourage the uptake of foreign languages at primary and secondary schools.