General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 2 October 2025.
Gordon MacDonald
Scottish National Party
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of the steps that it is taking to support innovation and entrepreneurship in Scotland. (S6O-05013)
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
We are fully committed to our support of innovation and entrepreneurship. During the recent national innovation week, we reaffirmed our commitment to supporting innovators by announcing a £5 million package for Scotland’s high-growth clusters, and we launched a new national programme to help businesses to adopt artificial intelligence. In addition, we are investing a record £30 million in various initiatives to support entrepreneurs. Through all those interventions, we aim to become one of Europe’s fastest-growing start-up economies.
Gordon MacDonald
Scottish National Party
Will the Deputy First Minister provide a breakdown of the allocation of and expected outcomes from the ecosystem fund in 2025-26, particularly in regard to the supported projects and their impact on regional economies?
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
The ecosystem fund is our programme to support organisations that strengthen the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem by delivering projects that create the conditions for Scottish start-ups to thrive. Since 2021, the fund has invested £3.4 million across 100 innovative projects. The most recent round was launched in April, and, this year, we have awarded £800,000 to 28 projects from 317 applications, which demonstrates continued strong demand.
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.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
