Stephen Kerr

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to improve accountability and performance management within the civil service, and whether it is reviewing dismissal procedures for any underperformance.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Performance management procedures in place for Senior Civil Servants and for Civil Servants at delegated grades, are regularly reviewed and include procedure in relation to management of poor performance and dismissal.While workforce and terms and conditions …

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to reduce the size of the civil service workforce, and, if so, what the anticipated impact would be on (a) government efficiency and (b) service delivery.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Budget has established the total operating cost for the next financial year and workforce plans will be adjusted accordingly, with an expectation that there will be reductions in the workforce.The Scottish Government continually monitors the cost of its o…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any review of workforce planning within the Scottish civil service to ensure that staffing levels are appropriate and offer value for money to taxpayers.

Answer · Shona Robison: Our workforce plans remain under regular review as we deploy the workforce in line with Ministerial priorities, providing public services as efficiently and effectively as possible, and operating within the direction set out in the Budget.Since 2022 enhanced …

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the efficiency and productivity of the Scottish civil service workforce, in light of its reported expansion over the last decade.

Answer · Shona Robison: The core Scottish Government has grown its workforce in the last decade in order to respond to newly devolved powers, such as Social Security, the impact of exiting the European Union, and the Covid-19 pandemic.Since March 2022 the core Scottish Government ha…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that any increasing social security costs could reduce the funding available for other public services such as health and education.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social security is an investment in the people of Scotland. Our priority is to ensure that people receive the support to which they are entitled and that in doing so they are treated with dignity, fairness and respect. The Scottish Government are investing ar…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of its Budget is projected to be allocated to social security by the end of the decade, and whether it anticipates any need for future tax increases to cover any rising costs.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Based on the latest Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts, it is estimated that the budget allocated to Social Security will be 14.8% of the Scottish Government’s total Resource Budget by 2029-30. The proportion of the budget which the Scottish Governmen…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it anticipates it will spend on disability-related benefits by 2030, and what steps it is taking to ensure the sustainability of Scotland’s devolved social security system.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Based on the latest Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts, the Scottish Government anticipates to spend around £7.1 billion on disability-related benefits in 2029-30.Of the £7.1 billion, around £6.7 billion (94% of the total) will be covered …

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering reviewing the reported cap on domestic university student numbers, in light of Scotland's universities' reported reliance on international fees to compensate for any shortfalls in government funding.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Through the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) annual allocations process, universities are allocated funding for the provision of funded undergraduate places for eligible Scottish domiciled students. It is then for the universities themselves to decide h…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the reported budget constraints at (a) the University of Edinburgh and (b) other institutions could (i) lead to job losses and (ii) damage Scotland’s international reputation for higher education.

Answer · Graeme Dey: While universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own strategic and operational decision making, the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council will continue to offer support to individual institutions, including Edinburgh, as…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted of the long-term viability of its free university tuition policy, in light of the reported financial pressures being experienced by universities.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government is resolutely committed to free tuition, and the position that access to university should remain based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay. This commitment to free tuition also means that, unlike elsewhere in the UK, Sc…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its current funding model for higher education is sustainable, in light of reports of universities’ increasing financial deficits.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government recognises the pivotal role played by Scotland’s world-class universities in our economy and wider society. Ministers listened closely to the sector in the development of this year’s budget and are investing over £1.1…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of reports that the University of Edinburgh is planning £140 million of cuts, and what impact it anticipates this could have on (a) students, (b) staff and (c) research output.

Answer · Graeme Dey: While the University of Edinburgh is an autonomous institution with responsibility for its own strategic and operational decision making, the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council will continue to offer support to individual universities, including…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the recently announced £100 million of apprenticeship funding by (a) sector and (b) region.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Scottish Government are unable to provide this information at present.The recently announced £102 million apprenticeship funding for 2025-26 represents a projection of the funding Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will spend to support 25,500 new Modern…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the focus on skills shortage sectors will have on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to take on apprentices in non-priority areas.

Answer · Graeme Dey: My letter of strategic guidance for Skills Development Scotland in 2025-26 places an emphasis on the delivery of apprenticeships in the sectors that are most vital to Scotland’s economy and society. These include those that support the transition to Net…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific support is being provided to apprentices and training providers in rural areas, where access to placements may be more challenging.

Answer · Graeme Dey: We are committed to promoting apprenticeship opportunities in island and rural communities to encourage inclusive growth.As part of this effort we provide a rural uplift for Modern Apprenticeship delivery, offering increased payments to training providers to …

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the recently announced apprenticeship funding compares with previous years in real terms, taking into account inflation and cost increases.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The recently announced £102 million apprenticeship funding for 2025-26 represents a projection of the funding Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will spend to support 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeship (MA) starts and 2,500 Foundation Apprenticeship (FA) s…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it determines which sectors are prioritised for apprenticeship funding, and what assessment criteria are used.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6O-02021 on 16 March 2023 All answers to Oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Official Report: search what was said in Par…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the reported 700,000 homes deemed not fit for habitation are publicly owned, and what steps are being taken to ensure that local authorities and housing associations upgrade substandard properties.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Of the 700,000 reported homes that failed the tolerable standard in 2023, 244,000 were social homes. This means that 8% of social homes failed the tolerable standard.Social landlords are required, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, to keep houses they let…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the causes behind the reported increase in homes falling below the tolerable standard since 2018.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The cause behind the reported increase in homes falling below the tolerable standard since 2018 is due to the introduction of the fire and smoke alarm, and carbon monoxide criteria in 2022.The legal duty to take action on houses that do not meet the tolerable…

10 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported increase in homes deemed not fit for habitation, from 54,000 in 2018 to 729,000 in 2023.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The overall condition of housing in Scotland has been steadily improving over the years, driven by existing standards. The Scottish Government is committed to tackling disrepair and driving a culture in which good maintenance is given a high priority.The incr…

10 Mar 2025 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide a list of all organisations and groups that have exhibited at the Scottish Parliament, broken down by how many times each has exhibited, and which MSP sponsored the exhibition, since May 2021.  

Answer · Christine Grahame (on behalf of the SPCB): The list below includes all organisations and individuals that have exhibited at the Scottish Parliament as part of the Member-sponsored exhibitions programme, including the number of times they have done so, this session:#MEAction Scotland - Ben Macpherson M…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what items were covered under the heading "Catering; Bar Equipment and Accessories" in the information provided under freedom of information (FOI) release FOI/202500450646 (Scottish Government office equipment spend).

Answer · Ivan McKee: FOI/202500450646 contained the spend category, Catering; Bar Equipment and Accessories. The following items are within this category -Items for sample processing (knives, potato peelers, chopping boards, scoops, mills)Protective clothing (disposable aprons/la…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network since 2021.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Communities Climate Action Network has received the following funding from the Scottish Government since 2021:2021-22: £67,0002022-23: £88,8002023-24: £135,7872024-25: £80,000In addition to their core grant they received f…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the third sector early intervention fund.

Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The third sector plays a critical role in the Scottish Government’s ambition to improve outcomes for children, young people, families and adult learners particularly given the ongoing cost of living crisis. Since 2016, the Children, Young People and Fam…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been provided to the Scottish Refugee Council over the past five years; for what purpose, and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of this funding.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: To support work with refugees, people seeking asylum and local communities, the Scottish Government provides funding to organisations such as the Scottish Refugee Council to ensure that all people seeking refugee protection in Scotland are welcome, where wome…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been made available to the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations, and what the objectives associated with that funding were, for each of the last five financial years.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Please see the following table outlining the funding made available to the Association of Chief Officers or Scottish Voluntary Organisations and the objectives associated with that funding for each of the last five financial years.Financial YearGrant name/amo…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the payments made to the Australian Council for Educational Research in financial year 2023-24 were for.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Australian Council for Educational Research International UK (ACER UK) were awarded a contract to support the Scottish Government, in consultation with its partner country Governments, to provide a needs analysis in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda to inform the des…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has made available to the British Council Pakistan over the past five years and what this funding was for.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Scotland’s partnership with Pakistan is long-standing, with a highly active diaspora, and Pakistan being the 4th largest international student community in our own universities. Our commitment for the Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and G…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a breakdown of all local government funding allocations since 2013-14, including real-terms reductions.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local Government funding allocations are routinely published in Local Government Finance Circulars. The allocations in question are available at:2013-14 - Circular 2/20132014-15 - Circular 2/20142015-16 - Circular 2/20152016-17 - Circular 1/20162017-18 - Circ…

4 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that local authorities have experienced a cumulative £7.8 billion reduction in core funding since 2013-14.

Answer · Shona Robison: Comparing the figures published in Local Government Finance Circular 2/2013 with those in Local Government Finance Circular 1/2025, the total Local Government finance settlement has increased by over £5 billion or 49.7% since 2013-14, that’s a rea…