Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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-11258

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the UK Government to ensure that people in rural areas in Scotland, who may not be connected to mains gas and are reliant on heating oil, are supported during winter.

I know that many consumers in rural and remote areas of Scotland, already facing higher living costs rely upon heating oil to heat their homes.

I am very disappointed at the inadequate support announced by the UK Government for users of these fuels, especially since the additional £100 offered does not come close to the increases in heating oil and LPG costs seen in recent months.

We have raised these concerns directly with the UK Government, and will continue to do so.

Question reference: S6W-11257

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to protect users of pre-payment energy meters during winter, in light of reports that they could be impacted first in an energy cost crisis.

We know that households using prepayment meters are at particular risk of self-rationing and self-disconnection this winter.

While many of the powers in relation to price setting in the energy market remain with the UK Government, the Scottish Government is using all of its available powers to help these vulnerable consumers. The Emergency Budget Review will extend our Fuel Insecurity Fund through 2022-23, making available a further £10million to Third Sector Organisations to support those facing fuel insecurity. We have also provided an additional £1.2million to advice services across Scotland to enhance support available to those seeking advice on paying their bills and energy efficiency.

Question reference: S6W-10969

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the uptake of the Young Persons' (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme, in light of reports from First Bus of just a 50% uptake since the scheme went live in January 2022.

We’re seeing many young people already benefitting from the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme, with well over 20 million journeys having been made since its commencement in January. We have now launched a national marketing campaign to increase awareness and understanding of the scheme and, ultimately, encourage more young people to apply and enjoy the benefits of free bus travel.

Transport Scotland has also provided communications and promotional resources for stakeholders at freebus.scot, and these have been shared with over 300 public, private and third sector organisations who work with young people and families, and within the transport sector.

Question reference: S6O-01062

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on a recent report by the London School of Economics Centre for Economic Performance that states that Brexit-related trade barriers have resulted in a 6% increase in UK food prices.

Question reference: S6O-01033

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the actions set out in its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan will support low-income families in Stirling.

Question reference: S6O-00983

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the Home Heating Support Fund.

Question reference: S6O-00886

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that people visiting rural Scotland, including the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, are aware of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Question reference: S6O-00828

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of International Women’s Day, whether it will provide an update on its action to improve health and reduce inequalities for women in Scotland, as outlined in the Women’s Health Plan.

Question reference: S6O-00806

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-05902

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 23 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether there has been a real-terms cut to Scottish Government funding from the UK Government in the last five years, and what effect any change in the level of funding has had on Scottish Government funding for local authorities.

Due to the changes in responsibilities, it is difficult to provide an exact like-for-like comparison of Scottish Government funding from the UK Government over the last five years. However, excluding Social Security and EU Replacement funding (neither of which featured in the Scottish Budget limit 5 years ago), the amount of funding has increased from £30.662 billion in 2017-18 to £39.257 billion in 2022-23. This is a real terms increase of 14.3 per cent over the period.

As the Scottish Government remains committed to passing on every penny of additional health funding from the UK Government much of this increase has been allocated to Health which has a direct impact on all other areas of the Scottish Budget, including local government.

If Health funding is excluded, the Scottish Budget real terms increase over the period is 8.5 per cent, and local government have therefore been treated very fairly with council’s revenue funding having increased by 9.9 per cent in real terms.