- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting community-based facilities in the West Scotland region to preserve Scottish culture and heritage.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2023
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that its taxation policy, including in relation to businesses, will have on the strength of the economy.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2023
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to abolish NHS dental charges by the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 May 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2023
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support colleges and universities in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2023
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Qualifications Authority on the decision to revert to pre-COVID-19 pandemic arrangements for coursework and exams for the 2023-24 academic year.
Answer
Scottish Government is represented on the National Qualifications Group, and Scottish Ministers and officials were kept informed of the decision, and the rationale behind it, through regular meetings with SQA. I last discussed this with SQA when I met with the Chief Executive on 19 April.
SQA took this decision following engagement with the National Qualifications Group and wider education community, informed by extensive feedback gathered as part of their evaluation of the 2022 arrangements. All other parts of the UK have already returned to full course requirements.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many of its properties do not have single-sex restrooms.
Answer
All Scottish Government buildings offer gender-specific toilet facilities as well as accessible facilities which are gender-neutral. Five buildings also offer gender-neutral facilities in addition to gender-specific facilities.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it plans to introduce a domestic abuse register.
Answer
The Scottish Government are not currently considering any plans to introduce a domestic abuse register but remain open minded to consider any proposals that further our commitment to do more for victims of domestic abuse.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it taking to ensure that people enrolled in higher or further education institutions disclose any sexual assault charges.
Answer
The Equally Safe in Colleges and Universities Core Leadership Group, which I chair, has established a short-life working group to consider institutional enrolment and safeguarding processes, including with regard to students subject to criminal proceedings.
The short-life working group includes representatives from Police Scotland, Universities Scotland, Colleges Scotland, Rape Crisis Scotland and Emily Test.
The Scottish Government will continue to work at pace with stakeholders on this issue.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to reports that students at the University of Edinburgh who have experienced sexual assault have been warned against reporting incidents to the police.
Answer
It is imperative that all institutions support victims of sexual assault, and that victims feel comfortable in reporting incidents to their institutions and to the Police.
The Scottish Government has received assurances from the Principal of the University of Edinburgh that it is committed to tackling gender-based violence, and that it would not discourage a student from making a report to the Police. Further discussions with the institution are planned.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans on introducing a requirement for (a) Police Scotland, (b) the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and (c) the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to record the sex of people charged with or convicted of rape or attempted rape.
Answer
We have no plans to introduce such a requirement. It is a matter for those relevant public bodies collecting information on sex to establish the best approach in their individual institutional settings. In the case of those committing crime, this approach will rightly be shaped by how Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service operationalise both the wider legal context (where for example an arrested person is not legally required to answer questions on their sex or gender) and any associated guidance on collecting data about sex and gender.
The information Police Scotland record on the sex of people, which flows through to partners as any criminal proceedings are taken forward, has no impact on how cases are investigated or prosecuted. It will be based on how people present, unless an alternative gender is disclosed. In respect of the offences of rape and attempted rape, the law requires that there is penetration or attempted penetration of the complainer’s mouth, vagina or anus by the perpetrator’s penis, which includes a surgically constructed penis.