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-14430

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 9 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many students faced homelessness at some point in 2022, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. While the Scottish Government does collect statistics on homelessness, these do not include specific information relating to student homelessness.

A full review of the homelessness data collections aimed at bringing these up to date, improve consistency and better meet user needs is ongoing. As part of this, the appropriateness and feasibility of gathering information on student status will be fully and carefully considered.

Question reference: S6W-14306

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to proposals from Midlothian Council to remove free musical instrument lessons for some pupils.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the removal of fees associated with instrumental music tuition so income is not a barrier to children and young people taking up an instrument. Access to instrumental music tuition is for local authorities to determine depending on local circumstances and priorities.

Councils are autonomous and it is their responsibility to agree their annual budgets taking into account their statutory duties and national and local priorities.

Question reference: S6W-14519

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact in Scotland of increased fuel bills.

Question reference: S6W-14517

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact in Scotland of the changes to the Energy Bills Discount Scheme due to take effect in March 2023.

The significant cut by the UK Government in support for businesses with their energy costs beyond March is very concerning, particularly for the more vulnerable sectors.

Scottish ministers wrote to the UK Government at the end of last year to express our disappointment at the lack of opportunity we were given to engage in the review of the Energy Bills Relief Scheme, and to stress that any continued support should be aimed at those businesses and sectors who need it the most.

We will continue to work with stakeholders to analyse the impact of this reduced level in support upon businesses and to raise our concerns with the UK Government at every opportunity.

Question reference: S6W-14172

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which routes will see peak fare rail prices removed as part of the trial from April 2023.

Question reference: S6W-14281

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to make a decision on whether to establish a public inquiry into the 2014 and 2018 Glasgow School of Art fires, in light of the correspondence with the Scottish Parliament's Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, in 2022, and the reported ongoing concerns about the works to restore the iconic Mackintosh building.

Question reference: S6W-14173

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which routes will not see peak fare rail prices removed as part of the trial from April 2023.

Question reference: S6W-14221

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the remit is of its data reconciliation project, as outlined in its publication, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland: statistics – December 2022.

In November the Scottish Government began a data reconciliation project with the aim of gathering detailed case-level updates on the progress and outcomes of property checks by Local Authorities for the Expressions of Interest from volunteer hosts. This data was collected ahead of the launch of the Scottish Government’s Offers of Accommodation scheme and is intended to provide a baseline data set for the property matching app being developed. The returns will be analysed and published in the monthly Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland statistics series, as part of our commitment to data transparency.

Question reference: S6W-14213

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next publish statistics in relation to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-13837

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13629 by Neil Gray on 12 January 2023, when it expects to provide the update mentioned in the response, and whether this will be by the end of January 2023.