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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-13784

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement in its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan that "many young people are already choosing renewable or low carbon roles" and that "only 12% of the oil and gas workforce is under 30", what its response is to the suggestion that its comments regarding domestic oil and gas production ending and a presumption against new exploration and production in the North Sea, for example by the Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Parliament on 10 January 2023, might be impacting young people’s choices to move into the oil and gas sector.

Data from the industry itself clearly shows that a significant proportion of the oil and gas workforce will retire in the coming years.

As a responsible government, we have set out a pathway to ensure a fair and just transition for our energy workforce, and to bring a new generation of skilled workers into the industry. Given the North Sea basin is mature and production is already in decline, any other course of action would only serve to put jobs and our economy at risk.

Question reference: S6W-13731

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what sanctions could be applied, and to whom, in the event that it breaches the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 as a result of a failure to meet its annual legal emissions targets in 2021.

The outcome of the 2021 emissions reduction target will not be known until statistics for that year are published by early June 2023. In the event that any emissions reduction target is missed, under section 36 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 the Scottish Government has a legal duty to produce a catch-up report with additional policies and proposals to compensate in future years for the excess emissions. This approach ensures that the total amount of Scottish emissions over the lifetime of the targets in the Act will remain no greater than would have been the case if all of the annual targets had been exactly met.

Question reference: S6W-13729

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has requested any meetings with the UK Government to discuss improving collaboration to meet those climate change targets it has failed to meet, as recommended by the recent Climate Change Committee report, Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland - 2022 Report to Parliament.

Under the legal framework set by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and agreed by the Scottish Parliament, a target outcome is determined at the time it is reported, which means that it is not possible to subsequently meet a previously missed emissions target.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with the UK Government to discuss areas of shared interest on climate change, including through the Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-Ministerial Group. Given the significant powers reserved to Westminster, including on energy infrastructure, taxation and borrowing powers, the Scottish Government intend to discuss further with the UK Government how we can ensure our plans aren't delayed as a result of UK Government decisions where shared action is needed to meet our future emissions targets.

Question reference: S6W-13775

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to mark National Pothole Day 2023.

Question reference: S6W-13792

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support, other than bursaries provided by the Scottish Social Services Council, is available to any postgraduate social work students who are completing full-time unpaid placements without access to Student Awards Agency Scotland support or student loans.

The Scottish Government understands the challenges faced by students who are required to balance study with other commitments, and the additional costs incurred during their time spent studying.

Postgraduate Social Work students who are undertaking full-time placements as part of their course, and are experiencing financial hardship, can apply to their institutions for hardship funds. The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) also administer a hardship fund. This is in addition to the bursary available to postgraduate Social Work students provided by the SSSC.

Question reference: S6W-13952

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13505 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, how often the Fair Work in Social Care Group meets, and when it last met.

The Fair Work in Social Care Group organised itself into four workstreams on Pay; Terms and Conditions; Effective Voice; and Sectoral Bargaining. The workstreams meet 1-2 times per month, most recently on 17 January 2023.

The Fair Work in Social Care Group is now overseen by a Joint Ministerial Group, co-chaired by myself and COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson. The Joint Ministerial Group met on 3 November 2022 and is scheduled to meet again in February 2023.

Question reference: S6W-13947

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13457 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, when the evaluation of the framework will be completed.

Question reference: S6W-13954

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13474 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, what information it holds on how many social care staff (a) have and (b) have not received a "robust and supportive induction" since the launch of the National Induction Framework on 1 February 2022.

This answer is not centrally held, however, the SSSC advises that although the National Induction Framework resource is presented as open access (in order to ensure maximum accessibility), and therefore analytics are anonymous, they can advise that the number of visits to the site is 10,852 with total interactions (including visits) standing at over 30,300.

Although visits to the site are not individually identifiable, since the launch of the framework in February 2022, there have been 3,100 interactions through TURAS, the NES/Health platform.

More information can be found here:

https://sssclrs.uk/dashboards/6239f16c3f75d206d3162a42/6239f19d3f75d206d3162a72/NIF---Analytics

Question reference: S6W-13949

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13532 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, when it expects this investigatory work to be completed.

Question reference: S6W-13951

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13505 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, what the timeline is for its project to trial the Framework in social care settings.