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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-30858

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much basic payment scheme funding has been awarded to crofters in each year since 2016, also broken down by what proportion of the scheme's budget this represented.

Details are as follows:

Scheme Year	Basic Payment Scheme	Greening	Young Farmer Payment	Total Payments	Percentage of Budget
2016	£13,159,516.98	£8,034,413.77	£82,710.65	£21,276,641.40	5.3%
2017	£14,717,656.80	£8,346,051.08	£100,820.05	£23,164,527.93	5.4%
2018	£15,897,839.65	£8,341,637.76	£104,294.50	£24,343,771.91	5.7%
2019	£16,706,540.21	£8,297,249.49	£104,464.03	£25,108,253.73	5.9%
2020	£17,464,866.57	£8,473,816.01	£96,699.60	£26,035,382.18	6.1%
2021	£17,419,003.61	£8,418,431.75	£87,894.17	£25,925,329.53	6.1%
2022	£17,303,035.99	£8,356,501.06	£82,654.19	£25,742,191.24	6.0%
2023	£16,190,430.99	£7,790,318.31	£68,886.59	£24,049,635.89	5.6%
2024*	£14,867,321.75	£7,165,412.11	£386.82	£22,033,120.68	5.2%

*Note: 2024 payment processing is ongoing.

Question reference: S6W-30834

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been educated in category (a) C and (b) D school buildings in each of the last eight years.

Question reference: S6W-31069

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 19 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report from Public Health Scotland, which shows that there are currently more than 5,000 people in Scotland waiting for a social care assessment.

The Scottish Government recognises the value of social care support to all who require additional support in living independently at home or in the community.

Under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships have a duty to assess the social care support needs of people and decide, in light of that assessment, whether to arrange any services, and if so, which services.

We know that the system needs to work better for everyone in Scotland and we are continuing to work with partners and people with lived experience on ongoing improvement and reform.

These statistics show the fewest amount of people waiting for a social care support assessment this year – a reduction of 12% since January.

Question reference: S6F-03550

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2024

To ask the First Minister, in light of reported figures that over 2,000 people were killed or seriously injured on Scotland's roads last year, what the Scottish Government’s position is on whether 2024 could see the highest number of road accidents and fatalities on record.

Question reference: S6W-31070

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing tougher sentences against those who attack emergency workers.

There are a range of criminal laws available to deal with individuals who attack emergency workers.

Anyone who is guilty of assaulting an emergency worker can receive up to life imprisonment under the common law of assault. Anyone who is guilty of threatening or abusive behaviour towards emergency workers can receive up to five years imprisonment under the general offence of threatening or abusive behaviour. In addition, there is specific legal protection for emergency workers contained in the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 which can be used to prosecute cases.

Following a conviction, decisions on the sentence in any given case is a matter for the independent courts within the overall legal framework.

The Scottish Government supports the independent courts having these powers available to use in relevant cases.

Question reference: S6W-31068

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planned construction of National Treatment Centres (NTC), in light of the Barnett consequential funding arising from the UK Budget.

The capital funding position remains challenging and infrastructure projects remain under review. The Scottish Government is assessing the full implications of the UK Autumn Budget and also await the outcome of the UK Government’s Spending Review in 2025. Full consideration will be given as to which projects are affordable and deliverable and can be included within our revised infrastructure investment plan pipeline.

We are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan which will reflect needs across Scotland and support continued safe operation of existing facilities, as well as determination of longer term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-30859

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to removing the so-called cliff edge earnings limit for recipients of the Carer Support Payment.

Carer Support Payment is replacing Carer’s Allowance in Scotland. Ahead of delivering the benefit we engaged extensively with carers and support organisations to consider how our benefit could work better, and we know the earnings limit is an area where people would like to see change.

Carer Support Payment largely mirrors Carer’s Allowance rules on earnings to protect a safe and secure transfer for people in Scotland already getting Carer’s Allowance. We have already improved how these rules are applied, for example with better ways of averaging earnings, reducing the impact of the ‘cliff edge’ for many carers.

We have also considered further changes which could be made once the transfer of benefits from Carer’s Allowance is complete. Our analysis found that an earnings taper to address the cliff edge earnings limit would add significant complexity for carers, operationally, and in terms of interactions with wider support. However we took feedback in our 2022 public consultation on two proposals which would help address this issue – an increase to the earnings threshold, with a link to 16 hours at a specific rate, such as Real Living Wage, and a proposal for a run on of support where carers earn over the limit so that they don’t lose all support immediately.

Question reference: S6W-30806

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of any benefits of Scotland’s Green Freeports to Scotland’s wider economy.

As part of the business case setup phase, each Green Freeport is required to submit detailed analysis to Government setting out the benefits they will deliver. By driving new investment, creating high-quality employment and promoting decarbonisation, both Green Freeports seek to have transformational impacts not only in their respective regional economies but also in wider supply chains across Scotland and beyond. Forth Green Freeport aims to support up to 34,500 jobs, including creation of up to 16,000 direct jobs. Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport aims to create over 18,000 jobs in the UK – over 11,000 of those in the Highlands. Both Governments have carefully scrutinised the business cases of each Green Freeport to ensure the benefits articulated are deliverable, supported by evidence, and represent value for money. The Scottish and UK Government have also established a Green Freeports monitoring and evaluation framework which will gather regular performance data, track the Green Freeports’ against their aims, and report on progress.

Question reference: S6W-30807

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many delayed discharges there were in NHS Ayrshire and Arran in each month from January 2022 to September 2024.

Public Health Scotland's latest monthly statistics publication Delayed discharges in NHSScotland monthly - Figures for September 2024 - Delayed discharges in NHSScotland monthly - Publications - Public Health Scotland, published on 5 November, shows the number of delayed discharges by Health Board and by month, up to and including September 2024.

The relevant information can be found in Summary tables to September 2024 2024-11-05_delayed_discharges_summary_tables_to_september_2024.xlsx (live.com) on sheet Tab 1 Summary, by selecting the relevant health board and date range using the drop down options.

Question reference: S6W-30805

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the potential for creating additional Green Freeports in Scotland.