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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-04460

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the types of rolling stock that are used by ScotRail at present, and what will be available following its transfer to public ownership.

The fleets that are currently leased by Abellio ScotRail are noted within the Franchise Agreement (APPENDIX 1 TO SCHEDULE 1.1 - The Train Fleet - Table 1).

public-register-franchise-variation-east-kilbride-kilmarnock-and-barrhead-capacity-improvements-6-december-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

The new operator, ScotRail Trains Ltd, is currently engaging with fleet owners to secure the rolling stock needed to maintain service provision.

Question reference: S6W-04257

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of hate crime, abuse, attack or assault have been recorded in the last 12 months that were identified as having sexuality as the aggravator or were defined as LGBT+ related crime or offences, and what the overall trends are for such incidents.

The Scottish Government published a study on the characteristics of police recorded Hate Crime in February 2021. The following table shows the number of sexual orientation aggravated hate crimes recorded by Police Scotland from 2014-15 to 2019-20. The table also shows how many of these crimes were assaults (common or serious) and crimes of threatening or abusive behaviour. The number of hate crimes with a sexual orientation aggravation presented below is higher than the figures provided in the aforementioned study. This is because the table also includes hates crime that have multiple aggravations (one of which is sexual orientation).

The study also looked in more detail at the prejudice shown by perpetrators. In the vast majority (94%) of sexual orientation aggravated hate crimes in 2018-19 the perpetrator showed prejudice towards the gay and lesbian community. In over two-thirds (69%) of crimes the words used or actions taken by the perpetrator showed a prejudice towards the gay community, with a further quarter (25%) showing prejudice towards the lesbian community. In 2018-19, the study showed that 39% of sexual orientation aggravated hate crimes had a Police Officer as a victim.

A second study into the characteristics of police recorded hate crime is due to be published in 2022. This will provide the same type of detailed disaggregated data and information on police recorded hate crimes for the year 2020-21.

Year	Sexual Orientation aggravated hate crimes
	Number	Of which were common or serious assault		Of which were threatening or abusive behaviour
	Number	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
2014-15	1,121	126	11%	716	64%
2015-16	1,143	97	8%	818	72%
2016-17	1,177	127	11%	850	72%
2017-18	1,224	141	12%	860	70%
2018-19	1,338	115	9%	990	74%
2019-20	1,501	145	10%	1,110	74%

Question reference: S6W-04351

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with (a) NHS Scotland, (b) NHS Education for Scotland and (c) other relevant partners to develop a coherent workforce strategy that incorporates psychologists across the public sector.

As announced in the NHS Recovery Plan, by the end of 2021 the Scottish Government will publish a National Workforce Strategy that supports the remobilisation, recovery and renewal of Health and Social Care Services. The strategy is being developed in collaboration with NHS Health Boards, COSLA and a wide range of partners, through cross-sectoral reference groups that include NHS Education for Scotland. The strategy establishes a framework and sets out principles which will guide the design and implementation of service-specific workforce plans.

The Scottish Government has committed to develop a long-term Mental Health Workforce Plan in the first half of this Parliament. The Plan will take a system-wide approach to workforce planning for mental health workers, including psychologists, across sectors.

The Scottish Government is working with NHS Education for Scotland to grow the Psychological Therapies workforce, as demand for Psychological Therapies continues to increase.

Question reference: S6W-04464

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the final decision regarding whether to introduce the Fit for the Future timetable for ScotRail services will be (a) reached and (b) publicly announced.

Question reference: S6W-04295

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release on 29 October 2021 regarding a £41 million Winter Support Fund for low-income households, whether it will provide a breakdown of how the £6 million for third sector organisations will be allocated, and what the distribution criteria are for this part of the funding.

We are currently finalising grant awards with partners and will publish a list of organisations when this process is complete.

In terms of distribution criteria, funding will be awarded to trusted Scottish Government third sector partners who have a wide geographical reach and who have previously demonstrated the ability to mobilise quickly to deliver support to people who find themselves in need due to a variety of circumstances.

Question reference: S6W-04350

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to provide patients who have been hospitalised with COVID-19 with a structured, multidisciplinary rehabilitation package that includes specialist psychological services in both hospital and community settings.

Last year, the Scottish Government commissioned Dr Nadine Cossette, a liaison psychiatrist, to examine the mental health needs of people hospitalised due to COVID-19. Dr Cossette’s report was published on Friday 2 October and is available online .

Work is well underway to implement the recommendations from Dr Cossette’s report. Funding of £4.5 million has been approved to enable Health Boards to set up local networks of mental health clinicians across Scotland, supported by a national strategic advisory group offering clinical expertise and guidance. These local networks will proactively contact all patients who have been hospitalised as a result of COVID-19. At this stage it is anticipated that roughly 3,000 people will benefit directly from treatment.

We are also working to implement our ‘Framework on recovery and rehabilitation from COVID-19’, which puts in place clear principles, priorities and objectives to support planning to meet increasing demand and provide high quality person-centred rehabilitation in different settings. We will develop and implement a rehabilitation pathway that will ensure everyone who requires rehabilitation will be able to access it.

Question reference: S6W-04378

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many secondary school music teachers have left their posts in each year since 2019-20.

In September 2019 there were 1,073 teachers in Secondary schools whose main subject was music.

Of these 1,073 teachers, 1,007 had posts in September 2020 (irrespective of subject taught or setting) and 66 did not have a post in publicly funded Scottish school.

The 1,007 with posts in the 2020 teacher census includes those recorded as not teaching at the time because they were either on leave or seconded from their post (e.g. on maternity leave).

Data from the September 2021 teacher census will be published on the 14th of December.

Question reference: S6O-00468

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish, in full, details of its engagement with GFG Alliance in relation to operations at the Lochaber smelter site.

Question reference: S6O-00471

Asked by: Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Tay Cities Region Deal is having on Dundee.

Question reference: S6O-00456

Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is improving women's access to justice.