Parliamentary questions
Martin Whitfield
543 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of early learning centres have failed to meet minimum staffing levels since 2015.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.The Care Inspectorate report data publicly on their Data Store which may be able to assist with this question or alternatively the Care Inspectorate could be approached directly for a …
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many nursery buildings constructed since 2015 have failed to meet the standards set out in Space to Grow: Design guidance for early learning and childcare and out of school care settings.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Care Inspectorate report data publicly on their Data Store which may be able to assist with this question or alternatively the Care Inspectorate could be approached directly for a…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) nursery and (b) early learning settings have been (i) temporarily and (ii) permanently closed due to building safety concerns, since 2015.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The information requested is not held centrally. Building management responsibilities are a matter for the owners and managers to ensure the safety of their premises. Statutory requirements for the fitness of premises to be used for the provision of early lea…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many early learning settings have operated from (a) temporary and (b) modular buildings, since 2015
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The information requested is not held centrally. Decisions about where to locate an early learning and childcare (ELC) setting are the responsibility of the service provider. The Scottish Government does not routinely collect or hold information about the cha…
13 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of its current export and investment support policies.
5 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the reported lack of access to legal aid in rural regions.
28 Apr 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure greater access to affordable early years provision, in light of reports of the rising cost of childcare for families with children under the age of three.
26 Mar 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the reported rising childcare costs on families, particularly those on low and middle incomes, in light of recent research by the Coram Family and Childcare charity.
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic impact of youth work, and how it measures the effectiveness of youth work programmes in contributing to local and national economic development.
Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35311 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 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 · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35311 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that youth work initiatives are aligned with national economic priorities and strategies, such as the Young Person’s Guarantee.
Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35311 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of youth work on improving (a) mental health, (b) physical health and (c) wellbeing, and how it supports programmes that focus on promoting such work.
Answer · Graeme Dey: 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of youth work on addressing (a) substance abuse and (b) other health-related concerns, and how it supports programmes that focus on promoting such work.
Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35311 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 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 · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35311 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of youthwork on improving employability and skills development, and how itsupports programmes that focus on promoting such work.
Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35311 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it engages with youth workers to assess the effectiveness of its policies in this area on achieving positive economic outcomes.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable support provided to young people through high quality youth work. The Scottish Government regularly engages with Youth Scotland and YouthLink Scotland in connection with the grant funding provided to each organi…
27 Feb 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 · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35311 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work (a) it and (b) its agencies carry out with (i) local authorities and (ii) youth organisations to assess the economic value of youth work.
Answer · Graeme Dey: 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 Scottish Government re…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to local authorities to ensure the delivery of youth work services and programmes, and how it works with them to (a) ensure that youth work is integrated into broader economic and social development strategies, (b) measure and report on the impact of youth w…
Answer · Graeme Dey: 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.In Programme for Governmen…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that delegating the delivery of youth work to local authorities does not compromise the quality or consistency of services.
Answer · Graeme Dey: 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.The Scottish Government recogn…
27 Feb 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 · Graeme Dey: 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering any direct interventions or policy initiatives to supplement local authority-led youth work, particularly in areas where local authorities are considered under-resourced.
Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35328 on 13 March 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…
27 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it is making to fund secure care places for young people on remand beyond March 2025, in light of reports that no arrangement or funding has yet to be confirmed.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: In my statement to Parliament on 8 January 2025, I reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continuing to fund the placement of sentenced and remanded children in 2025-26, subject to Parliamentary approval of the Budget Bill.Approval is now being sough…
21 Jan 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Forces Children Scotland.
16 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to propose the scheduling of time for a ministerial statement on the interim report published by the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the interim report and thanks the Chair, Edel Harris, for her work. The Scottish Government is carefully considering these initial findings and looks forward to the publication of the final report in July 20…
16 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the publication and content of the interim report of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government welcomes the publication and thanks the Chair, Edel Harris for her work. The Scottish Government is now carefully considering these initial findings, including the areas the Chair considers may be capable of early action. A written res…
16 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take forward the recommendations made in the interim report of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the interim report of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment and thanks the chair, Edel Harris for her work. The Scottish Government is now carefully considering these initial findings, including…
16 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support the mental health and wellbeing of NHS physiotherapists, in light of reported concerns regarding staff morale and stress due to increased workloads and shortages.
Answer · Neil Gray: From 2024-25, Scottish Government are dedicating over £2.5 million annually to support health and social care staff wellbeing. This funding provides our workforce with access to psychological interventions and therapies, self-service resources through t…
16 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support the redesign of physiotherapy services in NHS Scotland, in light of reported current workforce constraints and financial pressures.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality healthcare, and it is for each individual NHS Board to decide how best to utilise funding, to meet local health needs. There were 3,538.7 WTE working in physiotherapy in …
16 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being implemented to improve the recruitment and retention of physiotherapists in NHS Scotland, and whether it has considered introducing incentives similar to those available in England.
Answer · Neil Gray: There were 3,538.7 WTE working in physiotherapy in NHS Scotland at the end of September 2024. This represents an increase of 27.5% or 762.8 WTE over the last ten years.The Scottish Government is committed to developing a sustainable health and social care sys…