Stephen Kerr

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any inflationary impact of the NHS pay deal.

Answer · Neil Gray: Forecasts for the Scottish economy, including inflation, are produced by the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission. Their most recent forecasts were published on 29 May (https://fiscalcommission.scot/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Scotlands-Economic-And-Fiscal-F…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what productivity measures it will introduce alongside the NHS pay deal.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Agenda for Change pay deal focuses on rewarding staff such as nurses, midwives, paramedics, porters and others for the dedication and effort they provide to NHS Scotland. Delivering a renewed and stronger NHS is a key commitment for the Scottish Governmen…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any link between teacher assessed grades and the reported increase in university drop-out rates.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Information on university retention rates is published by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in the statistics publication “Report on Widening Access”. There is no breakdown by those with teacher assessed grades. The latest published data on reten…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS pay deal will affect resource allocation to frontline services.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government recognise that workforce and pay costs driven by a period of prolonged high inflation are now contributing to significant budget pressures across health and social care, the wider Scottish Government budget and the whole of the public …

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessments it has made of non-compliance with the Equality Act 2010 of its own policies and guidance.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government has met with the EHRC and we will continue to engage as they update the Code of Practice.The Scottish Government has already begun work on implementation. We have established a Short Life Working Group to ensure support and consistency…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported statement by the chief executive of Centrica that the shift to net zero will not "materially" reduce electricity prices.

Answer · Gillian Martin: There are many factors that influence the price consumers pay for electricity. It is essential that we deliver net zero and build a secure energy system, but people in Scotland must see the benefit from that in their energy bills. The Scottish Government has …

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what capital investment it has made to reduce water leakage since 2016.

Answer · Gillian Martin: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, and the Scottish Government does not hold this information, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:Scottish Water is investing some £36m every year to reduce leakage and this investme…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what urgent steps it is taking to reduce the waiting time for NHS hearing aid replacements, to bring it in line with the national 18-week treatment target.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government does not capture patients on waiting lists for hearing aid replacements specifically and it is the responsibility of Health Boards to manage these lists appropriately.Scottish Government officials meet monthly with Health Boards to rev…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money has been spent on bonuses for Scottish Water executives in the past five years.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Remuneration of executive members, including bonus incentives, is published in Scottish Water’s annual report and accounts which are routinely laid before Parliament and available online at Annual Reports - Scottish Water.

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported long waiting times for NHS hearing aid replacements, what consideration it has given to offering patients access to alternative providers.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government remains committed to the 2021 manifesto commitment to deliver a new community hearing service. We recognise the difficulties facing the audiology sector, as highlighted by the 2023 report on the Independent Review of Audiology. Given 8…

20 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the current average waiting times for hearing aid replacements, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Audiology is considered a clinical priority area and the Scottish Government remains committed to its vision for an integrated and community-based hearing service in Scotland.The Scottish Government does not capture patients on waiting lists for hearing aid r…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of non-UKnationals in receipt of payments from Social Security Scotland in each of thelast three years.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social Security Scotland does not publish statistics on the number of non-UK nationals in receipt of payments.Social Security Scotland only captures the nationality of clients where we require that information to progress an application. It will not capture t…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many apprenticeships were started by young people aged 16-24 in each of the last five years.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Skills Development Scotland publish the number of Modern Apprenticeships starts aged 16-24 in their statistics release available here – https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/publications-statistics/statistics/modern-apprenticeships.SDS also publis…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what the main causes of anti-social behaviour are. 

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government recognise that antisocial behaviour is complex and no single factor can explain why some people or groups are at higher risk of committing acts of antisocial behaviour. Our Vision for Justice in Scotland commits to tackling underlying …

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many reported knife crime incidents were recorded in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the total number of reported knife crime incidents as the data we receive from Police Scotland is a simple count of the number and type of crimes and offences recorded. We do not in general hold further det…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of how many barber shops in Scotland are linked to money laundering, and what steps are being taken to tackle any such incidences of financial crime.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has not made an estimate of the number of barber shops linked to money laundering. Money laundering is investigated by Police Scotland working with partners including the National Crime Agency and His Majesty’s Revenue and Custom…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36742 by Paul MacLennan on 25 April 2025, for what reason it does not require Registered Social Landlords to consider immigration status when allocating social housing.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Local authorities are public bodies and can only place certain people on their allocation schemes or waiting lists for housing, this is set out in legislation, and immigration status is a consideration. There is however no legislation requiring Registered Soc…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many laptops it has purchased since 1 March 2020, broken down by the brand of laptop, and what the total cost was of these purchases. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Scottish Government centrally purchased 25,000 Chromebooks at a cost of £6m in 2020-21. A further 47,000 devices were centrally funded at this time but purchased locally. Decisions on device types were taken by each authority in line with their needs, a…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates it will cost to update, when necessary, the laptops, Chromebooks and tablets given to every school child in Scotland. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Local authorities are responsible for the management of their own digital assets and will have processes and financing in place to deal with the repair or replacement of devices as required. We do not hold this information centrally.

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many free bikes have been given to school pupils since May 2021.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The total number of free bikes distributed to school aged children in Scotland since May 2021 is 13,244. This includes bikes distributed under the Free Bikes for School Children pilot programme between August 2021 and March 2023, the Free Bikes Partnership fr…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many free (a) laptops and (b) Chromebooks or tablets have been given to schoolchildren since May 2021.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: In December 2022, local authorities reported that around 280,000 devices had been distributed to learners. This figure contains the 72,000 Scottish Government funded device from the pandemic alongside those purchased through local investment. We do not hold a…

18 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the (a) provision and (b) maintenance and servicing of free bikes, since May 2021.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: From May 2021 to date, £9,419,808 has been spent on the provision, maintenance and servicing of free bikes. This figure includes the cost of accessories such as locks, lights and helmets, and includes the total cost of the project associated with free b…

16 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37224 by Ivan McKee on 13 May 2025, what the average occupancy rate has been over the last five years for its offices at (a) 10 Commerce Street (Fraserburgh Fishery Office), (b) 28 Cunzie Street (Anstruther Fishery Office),&…

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government does not have all the information requested because it does not retain data in relation to office usage for a period of time greater than 24 months. Furthermore, the Scottish Government can only provide data on those buildings where it…

15 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any oversight over the total level of bonuses paid out by the Scottish National Investment Bank.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37757 on 30 May 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/w…

15 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that £865,000 of bonuses were paid out to Scottish National Investment Bank staff, what its position is on whether this represents value for money.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The approach to pay for staff at the Scottish National Investment Bank aligns with other UK development banks and reflects the need to attract and retain staff with the necessary skills, experience and expertise from the financial services sector.The Bank now…

13 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the impact of its Scottish income tax policy on the median income in Scotland, in light of this estimated to be £29,750 in 2025-26, based on its current policy.

13 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided (a) directly and (b) indirectly to Refugee Festival Scotland in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Refugee Festival Scotland is coordinated by Scottish Refugee Council. The Festival did not run in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Direct FundingThe Scottish Government did not provide any direct funding for Refugee Festival Scotland between 20…

13 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training courses have been delivered by Total Politics Group in each of its directorates in each of the last five years, and how much each of these cost.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government spend with Total Politics Group in each of the last 5 financial years is detailed in the following tables. For FY2024-25 the spend has been broken down by Directorate.Financial YearTotal spendApril 20-March 21£-April 21-March 22&…

13 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it spent £2,609.78 on belongto.org on 12 March 2025.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Ireland Scotland Joint Bilateral Review 2021-25, co-produced by both Scottish and Irish governments, recognises the strong cultural and people-to-people links between the two countries and commits to strengthening these.The funding from the Scottish Gover…

13 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which institutions and organisations bid to host the Anti Racism Observatory for Scotland, and who made the decision that it would be based at the University of Strathclyde.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Four organisations submitted a tender to host the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland:1.Edinburgh Innovations Ltd and University of Edinburgh2.Impact Funding Partners3.University Court University of Glasgow4.University of StrathclydeThe bids were evaluated i…