Part of Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 29 October 2025.
Davy Russell
Labour
The right technology and computer skills will be crucial to the future success of Scotland’s economy. That is true for South Lanarkshire, which hosts a great deal of infrastructure that supports the use of artificial intelligence. However, if we mirror the national trend across Scotland, we see that there has been a decline in the number of secondary computing science teachers in South Lanarkshire over the past five years. What is the Scottish Government doing to reverse that worrying and damaging trend?
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.
