Parliamentary questions
Pam Gosal
490 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to establish effective disciplinary procedures across school estates, including emphasis on the concepts of respect and consequence, and how these procedures will be standardised and enforced.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Each school should have a relationships and behaviour policy setting out clear expectations of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, and the responses which staff can utilise. Staff should respond to behaviour in line with this policy. The existing Scottish …
19 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives it plans to challenge any gender stereotyping in schooling, with a specific focus on increasing the participation of women and girls in STEM subjects, and how it will implement these.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Improving gender balance and tackling inequity within STEM learning and careers is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s STEM Education and Training Strategy. To support schools challenge long-established stereotypes, a range of resources have been …
19 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consult on holding a social media age-use ban similar to that introduced in Australia, and whether it has carried out an analysis of the potential benefits and challenges of such a measure.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: We recognise that online platforms, including social media, can have both positive and negative impacts on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing and that support must be in place to help children use social media in a healthy and balan…
19 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that (a) it and (b) local authorities are accountable for ensuring that all qualified teachers who wish to work in the profession can find suitable employment opportunities, and what mechanisms it plans to introduce to monitor and report on employment practices for tea…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Individual Local Authorities, as employers, are responsible for managing teaching vacancies and providing job opportunities across Scotland.Teaching vacancies are advertised across Scotland, throughout the year, through a process of fair and open recruitment.…
19 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to develop a strategic workforce plan that ensures fair and sustainable employment for teachers while addressing the current challenges faced by teachers in their employment conditions.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government undertakes a detailed annual workforce planning process to determine intake targets for Initial Teacher Education (ITE), based on data from the annual Summary statistics for schools in Scotland and following consultation with the Teach…
19 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review teacher employment practices to address any misuse of short-term and supply contracts, and how it will ensure fair, stable and sustainable employment conditions for teachers.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: It is for individual local authorities, as employers, to manage their own practices regarding the employment of teachers and provision of individual employment contracts.In December 2024 the Scottish Government reached an agreement with local government to re…
17 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update its guidance on the use of mobile phones in classrooms.
17 Feb 2025 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government’s plans to update the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967.
29 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to outline a comprehensive plan for reforming public debt collection practices, including the consideration of debt amnesties for families affected by housing arrears.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Government recognises the financial pressures that many households are experiencing, including debts to public sector bodies. However, it is important to be clear on the role and responsibilities of all partners in relation to public sector debt and …
29 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress made towards the affordable housing supply targets outlined in the Housing to 2040 strategy.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government's ambition is for everyone to have a safe, good quality and affordable home that meets their needs in the place where they want to be. Housing to 2040 remains our key overarching long-term strategy that sets out a vision and roadmap to…
29 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the steps taken to fully implement the recommendations of the Expert Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group, particularly in relation to reducing the number of households with children in temporary accommodation and the duration of their stay.
Answer · Paul McLennan: We are taking decisive action to reduce the number of households with children in temporary accommodation. Increasing affordable and social housing supply is the best way to do this and the reinstated budget of £768 million for 2025-26 will enable the d…
29 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to increase the number of social homes available for both construction and purchase.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The budget for 2025-26 proposes planned investment of £768 million in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, an increase of more than £200m compared to the 2024-25 published budget. This will help tackle the housing emergency while contributing …
29 Jan 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported guidance issued by Rape Crisis Scotland, and its definition of the word "woman".
24 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been convicted of domestic abuse in the last 12 months; of these, how many were reoffenders of domestic abuse, and on how many previous occasions each reoffender had committed this crime.
Answer · Angela Constance: The latest data published on the Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services Criminal Disposals Dashboard, shows that during the last past 12 months (January 2024 to December 2024), 1,067 people were convicted of at least one offence under the Domestic Ab…
24 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the prisoners released early under emergency legislation in the last year had previous convictions for domestic abuse, irrespective of whether their current sentence was being served for a separate matter.
Answer · Angela Constance: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The regulations for the Emergency Early Release process conducted in June-July 2024 included an exclusion for any individual serving a sentence for a conviction for domestic abuse (or a…
22 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Verity House Agreement, whether it plans to introduce (a) legislation on the principles and (b) an annual review to ensure adherence to its core principles.
Answer · Shona Robison: (a) It was never envisaged that the Verity House Agreement principles themselves would be introduced in legislation. However, much of the language used in the Verity House Agreement was heavily drawn upon from the European Charter of Local Self-Government. Th…
22 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to convene a national convention with local government representatives to collaboratively address the processes and measures required to establish a balanced budget.
Answer · Shona Robison: As independent corporate bodies with their own powers and responsibilities, individual local authorities are statutorily required to produce a balanced budget, taking account of local needs and priorities in the process.The 2025-26 Scottish Budget will delive…
8 Jan 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the state of local government finance.
7 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02268 by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 January 2025, what work it has carried out with partners to deliver greater advocacy for children who are victims of sexual exploitation, including as part of the decision-making processes on this issue.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32827 on 16 January 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-committ…
7 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02268 by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 January 2025, what models of safeguarding in terms of policy and practice are being embedded across sectors involving children to respond to the risks and vulnerabilities children face with regard to se…
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32827 on 16 January 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-committ…
7 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02268 by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 January 2025, what action in response to child sexual exploitation it has taken to support the care sector in eradicating victim-blaming attitudes and language by (a) delivering training, (b) supporting…
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32827 on 16 January 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-committ…
7 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02268 by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 January 2025, what research it has carried out into the scale and nature of child sexual exploitation, and how it has supported researchers by facilitating multiagency co-operation in the delivery of this re…
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Scottish Government agrees that research needs to be carried out in order to improve our collective understanding of all forms of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation. As such, we are continuously looking to improve local and national data and evidence…
6 Jan 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in tackling child sexual abuse, in light of reported calls for a full UK national inquiry into child sexual abuse by grooming gangs.
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the Scottish Women's AidFund to Leave to victim-survivors of financial abuse.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government received the final evaluation of the fund to leave pilot from Scottish Women’s Aid in August 2024. The fund to leave provided financial support to women to leave an abusive relationship, including to women experiencing financial …
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to develop debt recoverypolicies that recognise the impact of domestic and economic abuse and prevent victims from being pursued for coerced debt in their name, as a resultof abuse.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: We are committed to tackling all forms of violence against women and girls, including economic abuse, which as a tactic of coercive control and abuse can have lifelong impacts on victims.It is the responsibility of individual public bodies to develop debt-rec…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to roll out specialist, trauma-informed money advice and support for victim-survivors of financial abuse.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: We are committed to tackling all forms of violence against women and girls, including financial abuse, which, as a tactic of coercive control and abuse, can have lifelong impacts on victims.Through our Delivering Equally Safe fund, we are providing approximat…
29 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness andunderstanding of economic abuse, specifically in relation to women with abusivepartners.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: We are committed to tackling all forms of violence against women and girls, including economic abuse, which as a tactic of coercive control and abuse can have lifelong impacts on victims.Through our Delivering Equally Safe fund, we are providing approximately…
20 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to expand the eligibility criteria for the No One Left Behind programme.
Answer · Tom Arthur: There are no plans to expand the eligibility criteria for our No One Left Behind approach as it already delivers an all-age, place-based employability support system that tackles inequalities in Scotland’s labour market.No One Left Behind is the approac…
20 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people supported through the No One Left Behind programme have been able to secure long-term employment within six months, in each financial year since 2019-20.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not collect data on the time-period in which people enter employment following support from the No One Left Behind Programme. However, the Scottish Government does collect data on the number of people entering employment and those…
20 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated towards the No One Left Behind programme in each financial year since 2019-20.
Answer · Tom Arthur: YEARBUDGET (£ MILLION)2019-20209.1782020-202119.5282021-202280.7782022-202359.4332023-202482.6832024-202575.200TOTAL326.800