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-19029

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to hold a consultation on co-operatives, and, if this is the case, what the proposed timetable is.

Question reference: S6W-18836

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding was allocated to the oral health improvement programme, Childsmile, in each financial year from 2018-19 to 2022-23.

Funding provided to NHS Boards for Childsmile programme delivery is set out in the following table.

In addition to direct programme allocations, funding is provided to NHS Boards through the annual Outcomes Framework allocation to deliver a range of core services, including for Childsmile. The total value of this allocation for each financial year is also set out in the following table:

Year	Programme Allocation (£m)	Total Outcomes Framework (£m)
2018-19	2.0	66.2
2019-20	2.3	75.7
2020-21	2.2	71.9
2021-22	1.4	74.1
2022-23	2.4	74.1

Question reference: S6W-18918

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Ministers will make regulations to give effect to Part 7 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce regulations under the Act.

However, involvement in local football clubs can be important to communities and that is why the First Minister recently launched the Fan Bank on 31 May 2023. This initiative is aimed to help support fans organisations who want to become involved in the decision making affecting their club where this is appropriate and where viable proposals have been developed.

Question reference: S6W-19057

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 20 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussion it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding the reopening of The Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Design and Architecture.

Question reference: S6W-17981

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17015 by Neil Gray on 10 May 2023, what strategic economic and industrial assessment it has made of the potential impact that the loss of another FTSE 250-listed company's operational headquarters from Scotland would have, and what action it can take with the company to prevent this.

Capricorn Energy announced in February the intention to carry out a strategic review of its wider operations, which has culminated in the company citing a strong case for its rationalisation activities across the business.

Whilst Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) was offered to the company to support those individuals affected by the company’s decision to reduce their workforce, the company advised that this support was not required.

This is ultimately a matter for the company and no specific analysis has been undertaken by the Scottish Government in this instance but we know that some of the benefits of headquarters include quality jobs with higher wages, beneficial supply chain impacts and knowledge exchange, as well as contributing to a healthy labour market in senior management roles.

Scottish Government and our agencies continue to promote Scotland’s strength and capabilities to attract and retain those overseas owned businesses and organisations Headquartered in Scotland, as well as supporting existing Scottish domiciled businesses, making Scotland an attractive location for companies to innovate, grow and invest for the future.

Question reference: S6W-18657

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17995 by Neil Gray on 30 May 2023, for what reason it remains committed to returning the airport to private ownership, in light of it having "performed well in a highly competitive aviation market and is now a profitable business".

Scottish Ministers' stated objective since purchasing Glasgow Prestwick Airport in 2013 has been to return the business to the private sector when the time and circumstances are right for the business and for the Scottish Government as shareholder.

That means we must be confident that any sale would not only represent value for the taxpayer but would put the business on a firm footing going forward and secure wider economic benefit to build on the foundations we have put in place.

Any purchase offer from a private operator will be evaluated against these objectives and will only proceed if they are met.

Question reference: S6W-18576

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider adopting universal salt iodisation (USI) as a public health measure to address any iodine deficiency in the population.

The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to adopt universal salt iodisation.

Food Standards Scotland advises that adults need 140 micrograms (µg) of iodine a day and most people should be able to get all the iodine they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Children need proportionally less depending on their age group.

Good food sources of iodine include cows' milk and dairy products, eggs, sea fish and shellfish. Iodine can also be found in varying levels in plant foods, such as cereals and grains.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) considered ‘Maternal iodine status, birth outcomes and child development’ at its horizon scanning meeting in June 2022. Members agreed that this would be added to the SACN work programme. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor this work as it progresses.

Question reference: S6W-18612

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the free bus travel pilot for people seeking asylum in Glasgow, which is funded by the Paths for All Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) Open Fund, is expected to conclude.

A short-term pilot led by the Refugee Survival Trust and third sector partners in Glasgow commenced on Monday 30 January and will run until July.

The pilot provides free bus travel to people seeking asylum living in Glasgow for three months, along with information and digital support to access and use the pass.

The information gathered from this pilot will help inform options on how to deliver our Programme for Government commitment to consider how best to provide free bus travel to people seeking asylum in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-18609

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the successful tender was for the ScotRail Class 170 sander project, and in what location this project will be carried out.

Question reference: S6O-02414

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the level of child poverty in Scotland.