Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 29 January 2025.
Graham Simpson
Conservative
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is undertaking to reopen historic sites that are managed by Historic Environment Scotland over the coming months. (S6O-04250)
Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party
Questions regarding the day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including queries relating to the timeline of site reopenings, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland. I have asked its chief executive to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.
I know that the member shares my interest in traditional skills, including stonemasonry, and no doubt we will both want to support HES in that regard.
Graham Simpson
Conservative
The Cabinet secretary is absolutely right to mention traditional skills, because a lack of traditional skills such as stonemasonry has been part of the problem that we face in getting some of those sites open.
I discussed the issue with HES when I visited its excellent skills centre in Stirling last week. I know that skills are not part of the cabinet secretary's remit, but he appears to agree with me that they are important, so I wonder whether he could raise it with colleagues in Government.
I will also just be cheeky and ask that a list of sites that will be open for the spring be published on HES’s website, and that indicative dates be given for the others.
Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party
It is worth putting on record that the Scottish Government recently made changes to allow Historic Environment Scotland more financial freedoms in relation to its commercial income.
I am keen to support Historic Environment Scotland in a number of ways, which I discussed with the chief executive only a few weeks ago. That included skills such as stonemasonry. I am sure that she and HES colleagues will look closely at the suggestions that have been made about the website.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
