Alexander Stewart

18 Mar 2026 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its commitment is to a sustainable funding package for Forth Valley College to ensure its long-term future.

11 Mar 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason, despite an increase in the number of businesses pledging to pay the real Living Wage, the percentage of people actually being paid the real Living Wage or more has been decreasing for three consecutive years. 

3 Mar 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to promote culture and the arts. 

13 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support the Central Scotland "Safe Drive Stay Alive" campaign, in light of reported concerns regarding its future funding.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Road safety is a priority for The Scottish Government and we recognise the important work that delivery partners undertake.Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2030 (the Framework) sets out a vision for Scotland to have the best road safety performance in the …

10 Feb 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether offenders convicted of serious violent offences could be eligible for release after serving around 30% of their custodial sentence under the proposed changes to automatic release points. 

20 Jan 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the availability of permanent teaching posts for newly qualified teachers.

19 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what urgent action can be put in place to protect budgets for children’s speech and language therapy services in NHS Forth Valley in 2026.

Answer · Neil Gray: In 2025-26, NHS Boards have received increased investment in their baseline funding, with NHS Forth Valley receiving over £751 million.This represents increased investment of £92.9 million from 2024-25, including additional funding for pay and vit…

16 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to maintain and increase teacher numbers.

19 Nov 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its just transition plan for the Mossmorran petrochemical site.

18 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many payments were made by Social Security Scotland to people not normally resident in Scotland in 2024-25, broken down by the total amount paid for each benefit.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social Security Scotland does not publish information on payments made to people not normally resident in Scotland. The total amount paid by benefit is published in Official Statistics publications and is available on our website About statistics - Social Sec…

6 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a potential £3.5 million budget shortfall at Forth Valley College, concerns regarding the loss of the Alloa Campus, and college budgets reducing by 20% in real terms over the last five years, whether it will provide further details of what it is doing to (a)…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Cabinet Secretary and I met the Principal of Forth Valley College and the Scottish Funding Council on 29 October to discuss progress, next steps and how the Scottish Government can help. I have subsequently visited Alloa Campus on 18th November.The SFC co…

30 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the number of people waiting for a social care assessment has risen by 32% in a year, that Age UK Scotland has stated that the government is “simply ignoring the collapse of social care in Scotland”, and that the National Care Service Advisory Board …

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government remains committed to developing a sustainable health and social care system that ensures people get the right care, at the right time, in the right place.The 2025-26 budget includes over £15 billion for the Local Government Settl…

30 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recent £176,000 fine issued to ExxonMobil following its flaring emission breach guilty plea, and in light of reports that the many years of flaring have had a devastating impact on the physical and mental health of local residents, what assurances it …

Answer · Gillian Martin: In common with the general approach to the collection of financial penalties imposed by the Scottish Courts, the funds from this fine will go into the Scottish Consolidated Fund for use within the overall Scottish administration.It should be noted that, under…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27536 by Tom Arthur on 28 May 2024, what information it has regarding how many landowners with a voluntary wayleave in place in Scotland in each of the last five years have issued the utility company with a notice to remove, also broken down by how…

Answer · Gillian Martin: Details are as follows regarding how many notices to remove have been issued by landowners with a voluntary wayleave in place in the last five years:Year20212022202320242025Notices to remove issued7121349Regarding compliance with notices to remove, it is comm…

2 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27536 by Tom Arthur on 28 May 2024, what information it has regarding how many applications have been made in each of the last five years by (a) Scottish Power Distribution Ltd and (b) other utility companies for necessary wayleaves in Scotland, and…

Answer · Gillian Martin: Details are as follows regarding applications from Scottish Power for necessary wayleaves in the last five years:Year20212022202320242025Necessary wayleave applications254341Necessary wayleaves granted93110Details are as follows regarding applications from ot…

22 Sep 2025 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that more than 1,000 Scottish charities are closing every year.

15 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether its current above-inflation public sector pay deals have appropriate contingencies in place, in light of the recent rise in the Consumer Price Index and reported concerns regarding inflation.

11 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what urgent action is planned to respond to the waiting times for neurodiversity assessments in the NHS Forth Valley area.

Answer · Tom Arthur: I recognise that the significant increase in adults seeking ADHD and autism assessments across Scotland is creating challenges for services, while also acknowledging that a diagnosis can be important to people.The Scottish Government is aware of a range of is…

8 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure freedom of expression is respected at cultural venues.

4 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported proposed closure of the Alloa campus of Forth Valley College in 2026, and reported concerns regarding skills shortages and a 17% real-terms reduction to college funding, what action it will take to secure the future of the campus, in order to retain its students…

Answer · Graeme Dey: As colleges operate independently of Government, it is for them to decide on operational matters such as their campus footprint, taking into account the needs of the people, region and communities they serve.The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) continuously mon…

3 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a support scheme for businesses to manage, or move on, unsold stock before disposal becomes restricted under the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, to support and accelerate economic growth across the circular fashion and sustainable textiles sectors.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 states that Scottish Ministers may, by regulations, make provision prohibiting or restricting the disposal of unsold consumer goods if they consider it appropriate to do. The policy design will be informed by evidence …

26 Aug 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly spending over £1 million every week on agency staff, in light of it having announced plans to reduce corporate costs.

13 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38059 by Jenni Minto on 9 June 2025, what assessment it has made of whether the subgroup analysis of the 11-18-year-olds from Scotland who participate in the annual ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey is robust with regards to individuals’ (a) years…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey is an annual survey of a representative sample (by age and gender) of 11–18-year-olds across Great Britain, which has been running since 2013. The Scottish Government began purchasing a booster sample since 2024 to achi…

13 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38059 by Jenni Minto on 9 June 2025, whether it can provide details of the total number of 11- to 18-year-olds from Scotland who participate in the annual ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey, and what assessment it has made of whether this sample is repre…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey is an annual survey of a representative sample (by age and gender) of 11–18-year-olds across Great Britain, which has been running since 2013.The total number of participants aged 11 to 18 from Scotland in 2025 was 856.…

17 Jun 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the new guidance on behaviour in schools addresses pupil-on-staff violence.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Violence towards pupils or staff is unacceptable.The new consequences guidance, which has been co-created with headteachers and educational experts, is clear that the safety of pupils and staff must always be a priority for attention.The guidance provides ill…

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that staff from Stirling Council’sinstrumental music service were called to an urgent meeting on 3 June 2025 tobe told that education officers are seeking £200,000 of efficiency savings fromthe service in this financial year, and further to Stirling Counc…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government has supported councils to eradicate unfair music tuition charges, investing £51.3 million in the policy since 2021. The most recent Instrumental Music Services Survey confirmed that more than 61,000 pupils participated in instrum…

27 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported challenges in diagnosing brain tumours, whether it will commit to the creation of an optimal timed diagnostic pathway for brain tumours in the next cancer action plan.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38143 on 13 June 2025.Following extensive stakeholder engagement and data review, we published the first optimal cancer diagnostic pathways on lung, head & neck and colorectal cancers. Prioritisation of the…

27 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of reports that over 70% of brain cancer patients are diagnosed in an emergency setting, which is the highest of any cancer type.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government recognises that diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging as symptoms are wide-ranging and often vague, contributing to presentations in emergency settings. We continue to work with primary care to improve the earlier diagnosis of brain c…

27 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of serious assaults committed by teenagers has increased in the past five years.

23 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to obtain robust data to track and identify emerging trends in Scotland regarding children’s use of (a) tobacco, (b) e-cigarettes and (c) nicotine pouches, in light of the reported 21,559 S2 and S4 pupils who answered questions about smoking and vaping in the Scot…

Answer · Jenni Minto: Our Tobacco and Vaping Framework: Roadmap to 2034 committed to tracking and reporting progress towards our 2034 target. This included work to develop further indicators, building on existing baseline data (taken from the Scottish Health Survey and the Health …