Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1686 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-14654

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Police Scotland recording that 30% of the people referred to its Prevent de-radicalisation programme in 2021-22 were aged under 15.

National Security, which includes the Prevent strategy, is reserved to the UK Government but delivered through devolved functions in Scotland. Prevent has been a statutory duty on Policing, Healthcare, Education, Local Authorities and Prisons in the UK as a whole, Scotland included since 2015.

The collective focus of Prevent in Scotland is always on identifying the earliest opportunity to offer support to individuals who may be vulnerable to being drawn into or supporting terrorism, or who are exposed to divisive extremist narratives.

There is no fixed profile for someone who may benefit from support in this context. However, as exposure to radicalisation and a range of extremist narratives has grown in the online space in particular, referrals to Prevent across the UK have indicated an increase in individuals being exposed to such harms at a younger age.

Scottish Government works closely with Police Scotland and other key partners including the education sector to ensure proportionate responses to such challenges across a broad spectrum of threat.

Our alignment of Prevent to existing safeguarding processes such as the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC), seeks to ensure Prevent works in a supportive, multi-agency way in line with other strategies designed to prevent harm and safeguard children from exposure to such issues as drug use, criminal gangs, physical abuse and sexual exploitation.

A Prevent referral allows for a multi-agency safeguarding assessment to be conducted where appropriate, and all referrals are carefully assessed based on the specific details of the case.

Where a referral is deemed appropriate for Prevent case management, the type of support available is wide-ranging, and can include help with education, parental or carer support or child social care involvement. The ongoing provision of training and online guidance aims to ensure that when a Prevent referral is made, it is robust and appropriately informed, and that the response is considered and proportionate.

The publication of Prevent referral statistics on an annual basis is reflective of efforts to ensure as much transparency as possible in respect of the Prevent programme, within the confines of what is appropriate in line with the protection of individuals’ data.

Question reference: S6O-01906

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on small-scale drinks producers.

Question reference: S6W-14507

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 14 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Operation Close Pass, and whether Police Scotland has plans for another campaign of this nature.

Operation Close Pass is an ongoing exercise carried out by Police Scotland and aligns with the latest version of the Highway Code introduced in January 2022 which highlights leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking people cycling at speeds of up to 30mph and giving them more space when overtaking at higher speeds. In the complementary 'Give Cycle Space' campaign funded by Transport Scotland, 62% of drivers report being more likely to give at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking a cyclist. Based on research by West Midlands Police (available publicly) we know that Operation Close Pass can reduce the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on the road by as much as 20%. The Scottish Government will continue to support Police Scotland with Operation Close Pass in 2023-24 on specific dates or at locations as determined.

Question reference: S6W-14656

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) teachers and (b) pupils have been (i) hospitalised or (ii) required police/ambulance assistance as a result of violence in schools in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-14235

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure the provision of early intervention and support for young people with speech difficulties, in light of reports that North Ayrshire’s speech and language therapy waiting list is closed due to waiting times exceeding two years.

Question reference: S6W-14437

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 9 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of any disproportionate financial impacts of the Deposit Return Scheme on poorer households.

A Fairer Scotland Impact Assessment (FSIA) looked at the additional initial outlay on ONS Household groups. This was both as a percentage of a grocery shop as well as a percentage of mean net income. The results can be found in the Annex A of the FSIA at:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/consultation-paper/2019/09/deposit-return-schemme-scotland-regulations-accompanying-statement-proposed-regulations/documents/fairer-scotland-impact-assessment/fairer-scotland-impact-assessment/govscot%3Adocument/fairer-scotland-impact-assessment.pdf

Question reference: S6W-13237

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any trial of Abu Agila Mohammad Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi, in relation to his potential role in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, should take place (a) in a Scottish Court, (b) under Scots Law and (c) inside or outside the United States of America, in light of him having featured on the original Scottish indictment and other similar proceedings having been held under Scots Law in the Netherlands in 2000.

The Lockerbie bombing remains the worst terrorist atrocity ever committed on UK soil and the effects continue to be felt around the world. The investigation into this terrible atrocity has been conducted jointly by Scottish and American prosecutors and law enforcement for 34 years. 270 people lost their lives that terrible night and 21 countries lost citizens. It has always been an international investigation and I welcome the significant step taken by the United States in obtaining custody of Mr Masoud.

Having been transferred to US custody, Mr Masoud will stand trial in a United States Court, subject to United States laws. That does not diminish the loss suffered by Scotland and many other countries. The 190 American lives lost that night give the United States of America criminal jurisdiction to prosecute Mr Masoud, just as the scene of this terrible crime in Lockerbie and the lives lost here, gave Scotland jurisdiction to prosecute Mr Al-Megrahi and Mr Fhimah under Scots law at Kamp Zeist.

There are no current criminal proceedings in Scotland against Mr Masud. Scottish prosecutors and Police Scotland are dedicated to supporting the US prosecution, just as American counterparts, with assistance from countries around the world, supported the trial at Kamp Zeist to its successful conclusion in 2001.

In December I travelled to Washington DC where I attended a memorial ceremony and met with the US Deputy Attorney General. We discussed how we can continue to work together to obtain justice for all of the victims and their families, and I assured the Deputy Attorney General of Scotland’s unwavering support in this international effort.

Question reference: S6W-14258

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) First Minister, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, (c) Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training and (d) Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights last visited an independent school.

Question reference: S6W-14259

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the amount of public funding that independent schools potentially save as a result of not receiving funding directly from central government for the services that they provide.

Question reference: S6W-14262

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13722 by Jenny Gilruth on 23 January 2023, how much ScotRail is planning to spend on its aim "to roll out a programme of menopause awareness training across the organisation", and how much it has spent to date on menopause-related initiatives.

ScotRail Trains Ltd. is currently developing a training plan with associated costings to roll out menopause awareness across the organisation. It is anticipated that this will include, among other things, “Train the Trainer” sessions with Henpicked, which will enable the delivery of awareness sessions across the organisation. Henpicked works with organisations to help develop the right menopause in the workplace training, education, policies and practices to make an organisation menopause friendly.

Scottish Rail Holdings has advised that ScotRail Trains Ltd.’s expenditure on menopause-related initiatives to date are as follows:-

2022 and 2023 - Annual Membership fee to Henpicked to become a Menopause Friendly Accredited organisation - £1500 plus VAT each year
2022 and 2023 - speakers fees for events for World Menopause Day/World Menopause Month – Total £1000