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: S6O-00850

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-06657

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason nightclubs are reportedly being refused grants from the Nightclub Closure Fund on the basis that their music is not louder than 85 decibels.

The Nightclub Closure Fund was available to nightclubs for support with meeting staffing costs for the period during which they were required to close between the 27 December and 24 January 2022. In order to qualify for this funding, businesses were required to meet eligibility as set out in guidance. This included the requirement to be trading as a nightclub as of the 20 December. In order to prove this, businesses were asked to confirm that they met five conditions including that their licence confirmed that the music exceeded 85DB after 1am. Where this was not the case businesses have been asked to provide further evidence of this.

Following notification of a decision on their applications, businesses were able to ask for this decision to be reviewed, including where this has been due to out of date information contained on licensing details.

There have been 25 reviews requested; 14 decisions overturned, 6 of these where the reason for rejection was noise levels and upon receipt of further information have been overturned. In addition 11 decision have been reviewed and upheld.

Question reference: S6W-05736

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 4 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what further funding it will provide to outdoor education centres in light of the reported reduced uptake from schools and short-notice cancellations as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

Question reference: S6W-05689

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what documents are required when making an application under the Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme.

People applying for a Young Persons Free Bus Travel National Entitlement Card (NEC) card are asked to provide 'proof of person' (the young person's name and age) and proof of residence (where the young person lives). For those aged 11 and over a digital photograph is required.

Young people aged 16 and over apply for the new NEC card themselves, whilst parents or guardians apply on behalf of children aged 5-15.

Full details of the acceptable proofs for the Young Persons Free Bus Travel Scheme are listed on the NEC website at

Question reference: S6O-00701

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight role it plans to take over the Clyde Metro project, in order to support its timely delivery.

Question reference: S6O-00665

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for legal services regulation reform.

Question reference: S6W-05029

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to deal with the reported rising number of homeless people who are being placed in temporary accommodation in the Glasgow area.

Question reference: S6O-00575

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the scale of the problem of sexual assault faced by girls at school.

There is no place for harassment or abuse of any form, whether in the workplace, schools, in the home or in society. Through our Equally Safe delivery plan and review of Personal and Social Education, we are taking action aimed at preventing sexual harassment and gender-based violence, in order to develop positive relationships amongst children and young people.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education take matters of safeguarding very seriously. This is a well-established priority and approaches to safeguarding and child protection are evaluated in every school inspection.

We have committed to commissioning an independent review to establish positive practice and further areas for improvement, during this parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-05034

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether people who are seeking asylum and living under immigration control will be included in the inquiry into the handling of COVID-19.

Question reference: S6W-04786

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to manage the reported rising number of people experiencing homelessness being placed in temporary accommodation within the Glasgow area.

Temporary accommodation offers an important safety net for anyone who finds themselves homeless. However, it should only ever be temporary. Our commitment to invest £50 million over this parliamentary term to end homelessness builds on the £37.5 million we have already provided to local authorities to implement plans for rapid rehousing and Housing First and prioritise settled accommodation for all.

Both the pandemic and Brexit have created challenges for social landlords in repair, maintenance and allocation of stock which is leading to longer waits for new permanent homes. My officials are in regular contact with Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership who are working hard to address these challenges and move people as quickly as possible into appropriate settled accommodation.

We have established a working group to develop a legally enforceable temporary accommodation standards framework. The group will bring forward concrete proposals in 2022 which will help ensure that temporary accommodation is of a good standard and well regulated, and that time spent in it is limited.