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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-08201

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of digital devices that have been distributed to children and young people in each local authority area.

In 2020-21, we provided £25 million of funding to councils across Scotland to tackle digital exclusion, resulting in over 72,000 pupils receiving a device to support their learning.

The following table shows the number of devices distributed via that funding, as reported by individual local authorities.

Local Authority	Devices Distributed
Aberdeen City	1777
Aberdeenshire	5008
Angus	2420
Argyll and Bute	1317
City of Edinburgh	2605
Clackmannanshire	828
Dumfries and Galloway	2371
Dundee City	2050
East Ayrshire	1837
East Dunbartonshire	1015
East Lothian	1806
East Renfrewshire	623
Falkirk	1840
Fife	5465
Glasgow City	7240
Highland	4499
Inverclyde	1107
Midlothian	1235
Moray	1315
Na h-Eileanan Siar	357
North Ayrshire	1734
North Lanarkshire	6026
Orkney Islands	275
Perth and Kinross	1507
Renfrewshire	1800
Scottish Borders	316
Shetland Islands	475
South Ayrshire	1512
South Lanarkshire	5544
Stirling	1794
West Dunbartonshire	2084
West Lothian	2905
Total	72687

Beyond this, Councils have also invested in technology and have recently indicated that in total almost 280,000 devices have been, or are in the process of being, distributed to learners. This figure includes the 72,000 devices provided for by Scottish Government funding.

Question reference: S6W-08196

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what role NHS boards have in monitoring the performance of dental practices treating NHS patients and the availability of NHS treatment.

Question reference: S6W-08195

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will grant an extension to businesses that were awarded grants through the COVID-19 Business Ventilation Fund but which did not receive notice from Dumfries and Galloway Council in time to have works carried out.

As stated in the Business Ventilation Fund Guidance published on 23 November 2021, the deadline for works to be completed was 31 March 2022, as the budget for this fund was only available for financial year 2021-22.

The Scottish Government extended the deadline for submitting claims to 15 April 2022 to allow businesses to get works done and provide the paperwork required for claims to be made.

The Scottish Government will evaluate the impact of the Business Ventilation Fund and consider more widely how organisations can be supported to improve ventilation in their premises.

Question reference: S6W-08039

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is no statistical data available from the SQA that could be used to asses whether there are any differences in pass rates for exams taken (a) pre-COVID-19 pandemic and (b) during the pandemic for those (i) with a neuro-divergent diagnosis and (ii) without such a diagnosis.

I have asked the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to reply.

While information is available for children and young people with additional support needs, neither Scottish Government nor SQA collect specific data on candidates who may have a neuro-divergent diagnosis. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 (as amended) requires education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. The provision of additional support is based on need for educational support rather than a diagnosis alone.

Where a school is presenting a candidate with additional support needs for examination, if appropriate, a request can be made to SQA for a reasonable adjustment, such as additional time or a scribe. The requests from centres do not require or provide any detail on the range of additional support needs or disabilities that learners have.

Question reference: S6F-01094

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will convene an emergency summit on abortion healthcare in response to anti-abortion rights action in Scotland and around the world.

Question reference: S6F-01082

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what meetings the Scottish Government has had with the private and voluntary nursery sector regarding the delivery of its early learning and childcare strategy.

Question reference: S6F-01081

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report published last Friday, Owning the Future: A framework of regulations for decarbonising owner-occupied homes in Scotland, commissioned by the Existing Homes Alliance.

Question reference: S6F-01083

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-01076

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-01075

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

Question to be taken in Chamber.