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: S4O-03579

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the trends are in the number of children in Gaelic-medium education.

Question reference: S4O-03567

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it monitors how the educational outcomes for looked-after children in kinship care placements compares with those of children in residential or foster care.

Question reference: S4O-03430

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 6 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how independence would improve employment opportunities for young people receiving the national minimum wage.

Question reference: S4O-03391

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what issues were discussed at the last meeting of the British-Irish Council.

Question reference: S4O-03264

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what funding support Creative Scotland has provided to organisations in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley in the last year.

Question reference: S4O-03131

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the food and drink industries in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley.

Question reference: S4O-03109

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details on how the industry led talent academy model to be developed as part of its planned £6.6 million investment in the Skills Investment Plan will support software engineering.

Question reference: S4W-19744

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 27 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports science engagement in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley.

The Scottish Government provides funding for several organisations and initiatives that encourage people of all ages across Scotland to engage with science. In 2013-14 this includes:

Free or subsidised travel costs for Ayrshire school groups to visit Glasgow Science Centre. This has benefitted around 250 primary pupils so far this financial year, in three schools in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley.

SCDI’s Young Engineers and Science Clubs network, which is engaging with every primary school in East Ayrshire.

Edinburgh International Science Festival’s outreach programme, Generation Science, available to primary schools across Scotland. This year’s tour began in January and visits are confirmed for four schools so far in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley.

Other activities funded by the Scottish Government are available to any secondary school requesting them. These include visits from the Institute of Physics’ Lab in a Lorry and participation in the Engineering Development Trust’s Go4SET initiative.

Any organisation not already in receipt of science engagement funding may apply for a Talking Science grant, for events aimed at a public audience. The next application deadline is 1pm on 4 March 2014. Further details are on the Scottish Government website:

Officials are in contact with the organisers of this year’s inaugural Ayrshire Science and Engineering Festival in March. The Scottish Government will explore the possibility of supporting this event in future alongside other science festivals receiving funding.

Question reference: S4O-02951

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Ayrshire and Arran and what matters were discussed.

Question reference: S4O-02872

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with service providers and local authorities to improve mobile phone coverage across the country.