Parliamentary questions
Martin Whitfield
543 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of youth work on improving young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41190 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports youth work programmes that focus on promoting physical health and wellbeing among young people.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. This work contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority to eradicate child poverty and tackle inequality.Each education authority is re…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it evaluates any impact of youth work programmes on young people’s (a) employability and (b) skills development.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41190 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that youth work services are accessible in areas of economic deprivation.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what partnerships exist between government bodies, local authorities and youth organisations to assess the economic value of youth work.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41190 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it collaborates with local authorities to ensure that youth work is integrated into broader economic and social development strategies.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41194 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the delegation of the delivery of youth work to local authorities does not compromise the quality or consistency of services across Scotland.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a dedicated strategy for enhancing youth work provision in rural and island communities to help stimulate local economies.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable youth work provided to young people in rural and Island communities.Each education authority is responsible for securing Community Learning and Development (CLD) in their area under the Community Learning and De…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role local authorities play in assessing and reporting on the economic outcomes of youth work initiatives in their areas.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41190 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to local authorities to ensure the delivery of youth work services across Scotland.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. This work contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority of eradicating child poverty and tackling inequality.The Requirements for Commu…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what central support mechanisms it has in place to assist local authorities in the effective deployment of youth work programmes, and how any such mechanisms are monitored.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the effectiveness of youth work programmes in contributing to (a) local and (b) national economic development.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. This work contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority of eradicating child poverty and tackling inequality.An independent review of C…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic impact of youth work across Scotland.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41190 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering any direct interventions or policy initiatives to supplement council-led youth work, particularly in any areas where local authorities are under-resourced.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41191 on 7 November 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-committe…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered using youth work to help the development of its post-COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery strategy, and, if so, what action has been taken, and what the outcome has been.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. This work contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority of eradicating child poverty and tackling inequality.Youth work falls within th…
8 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to review the financial model for supporting private and independent providers of childcare, in particular the provision of sustainable rates, and what its position is on whether its financial modelling remains valid.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Scottish Government and COSLA are continuing to progress the longer-term reforms to the sustainable rates setting process as set out in the 2023 joint Sustainable Rates Review. The joint 2025-26 sustainable rates guidance, published 20 February 2025, refl…
6 Oct 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet the interim and final child poverty reduction targets, in light of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s finding in its report, Poverty in Scotland 2025, that current levels remain largely unchanged since 2021.
1 Oct 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on youth workprovision of its budget decisions, in light of the most recent YouthLinkScotland survey indicating that the majority of young people accessing youthwork do so through the voluntary sector.
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with the UK Government regarding the UK–US nuclear power partnership.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has no plans to engage with the UK Government regarding the UK-US nuclear power partnership, as we do not support the building of any nuclear power stations under current technologies.
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned on the potential role of small modular reactors in Scotland’s future energy mix.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40569 on 29 September 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-commit…
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the contribution of the nuclear power sector to the economy of East Lothian in the last five years.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government recognises the significant contribution Torness nuclear power station has made to Scotland’s energy system and to the East Lothian economy over several decades.A Scottish Government commissioned report, Electricity system securit…
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the reported decision by some EU member states to reverse their previous policy and expand nuclear power, and what assessment it has made of any implications of this for Scotland’s energy policy.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government position remains - new nuclear under current technologies, which includes small modular reactors, is very expensive and takes decades to deliver, creating a legacy of radioactive waste which is difficult and costly to manage. Instead, …
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk to Scotland’s energy security if Torness nuclear power station closes before new baseload capacity is available.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40567 on 29 September 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-commit…
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of other parts of the UK reportedly pursuing new nuclear power projects, what calculation it has carried out of the potential economic impact on Scotland of it not doing so.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40561 on 29 September 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-commit…
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since 2021 its ministers have met the Nuclear Industry Association, and what (a) issues were discussed and (b) the outcomes were.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Since 2021, the Scottish Government and Ministers have not met with the Nuclear Industry Association.
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether ministers have met (a) Rolls-Royce SMR, (b) Westinghouse and (c) other international nuclear power developers to discuss potential investment in Scotland, and, if so, what the outcome was.
Answer · Gillian Martin: There is no record of the Scottish Government having met with Rolls Royce SMR, Westinghouse or any other international nuclear power developers to discuss potential investment in Scotland, as we do not support the building of any nuclear power stations under …
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has made of the number of supply-chain contracts that Scotland-based firms could be awarded if new nuclear power capacity was developed in the country.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40561 on 29 September 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-commit…
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what economic modelling it has carried out regarding the potential contribution of new nuclear power generation in Scotland to GDP growth.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has not itself carried out any economic modelling regarding the economic impact of nuclear in Scotland. The Scottish Government position remains that new nuclear under current technologies is very expensive and takes decades to deliver…
10 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has updated the drafting guidelines on bills since the United Nations Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 was passed to ensure that subsequent legislation is in the scope of the convention.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Supreme Court judgment in the References on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill and the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill on section 28(7) of the Scotland Act 199…
10 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with outdoor education centres and schools regarding the financial and staffing implications of the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill.