Meeting of the Parliament

General Questions Michelle Thomson S6O-04234 1. To ask the Scottish Government how the additional £34 million allocated to Culture and Heritage in its draft Budget will assist in the preservation of any small, yet key, Scottish heritage sites under threat of closure, such as Kinneil Museum in the Falkirk East constituency. Clare Haughey S6O-04235 2. To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support South Lanarkshire Council as part of the local government settlement for 2025-26. Kenneth Gibson S6O-04236 3. To ask the Scottish Government how much it anticipates will be paid in this financial year in PFI and PPP unitary charge payments across the public sector. Ben Macpherson S6O-04237 4. To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting and investing in youth work. Finlay Carson S6O-04238 5. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve road safety on key routes. Foysol Choudhury S6O-04239 6. To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its provision of funding for humanitarian aid in Gaza, whether it will provide an update on what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding recent developments in Gaza. Evelyn Tweed S6O-04240 7. To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting community efforts to preserve built heritage, ancient monuments and archaeological sites. Miles Briggs S6O-04241 8. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the remit of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry remains appropriate. followed by First Minister's Questions Russell Findlay S6F-03722 1. Question to be taken in Chamber. Anas Sarwar S6F-03723 2. Question to be taken in Chamber. Lorna Slater S6F-03724 3. Question to be taken in Chamber. Christine Grahame S6F-03735 4. To ask the First Minister, in light of the inauguration of Donald Trump as US President, and the reported prospect of import tariffs, what sectors of Scottish business it anticipates may be most affected. Meghan Gallacher S6F-03736 5. To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to address concerns regarding waiting times in A&E departments, following reports of a mother having to wait 50 hours for medical care at University Hospital Wishaw. Pauline McNeill S6F-03730 6. To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government plans to make creating sexually explicit “deepfake” images and videos a crime. followed by Members' Business — S6M-15413 Michelle Thomson: Promoting the Role of Women in Scotland's Journey to Net Zero That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the importance of women in business as Scotland strives to achieve net zero targets; understands that there is a need to stimulate more innovation and entrepreneurship amongst STEM-based sectors to contribute directly to building capacity in Scotland, including in the Falkirk East constituency, and recognises that the wider business sectors also have a role to play in achieving net zero; welcomes the July 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report, and particularly the analysis provided by Glasgow, Edinburgh and Strathclyde universities regarding female entrepreneurship in Scotland; celebrates the finding that women are starting and running new businesses at virtually the same rate as men for the first time in Scotland, and that, globally, the female to male gap in entrepreneurship rates is narrowing, and believes that Scotland is leading the way by this measure; considers, therefore, that women entrepreneurs and business leaders will be a vital resource in leading Scotland's economy towards growth and net zero, but believes that, post-school, the number of females entering STEM-related education, employment or business start-ups remains weak; understands that a 2023 report by Women’s Enterprise Scotland expressed concern that approximately 60% of women-led businesses are somewhat disengaged from achieving net zero, either because of a lack of confidence or a belief that it does not apply to their operations; further understands that a fear of failure is a key cultural barrier to further developing entrepreneurial activity in Scotland at a time when innovation and entrepreneurship will, it believes, be vital to meeting the challenge of achieving net zero, and notes the calls for both effective representation of women in all net zero policy forums and further research into the contribution of women directly in STEM-based businesses and wider business sector activity as net zero is pursued.