Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 46716 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-32624

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the written evidence provided by the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport to the Citizen Participation and Public Petition Committee on 21 October 2024 regarding petition PE1871 (Full review of mental health services), whether it can provide an update on the work of the Partnership Delivery Group in producing a framework for collaboration and a cross sector-owned action plan.

The Partnership Delivery Group (PDG) continues to work across organisational boundaries to identify and deliver support to individuals that can be delivered in a person centred and trauma informed way.

The PDG has worked together to support the Scottish Government to develop a Framework for Collaboration (FfC). Subject to publishing timescales, this Framework along with the PDG’s cross-sector Collaborative Commitment Action Plan will be published imminently.

Question reference: S6W-32543

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it has been working with Police Scotland to tackle the modification of vehicles for the concealment of illicit drugs.

We had previously promoted a Legislative Consent Memorandum in the Scottish Parliament in relation to the provisions in the previous UK Government’s Criminal Justice Bill creating an offence for importing, making, adapting, supplying or offering to supply a relevant article for use in serious crime. This offence would have included vehicle concealments as an article of serious crime but the legislation fell due to the change of administration.

My officials are continuing to engage with the Home Office on its legislative proposals. I hope that this offence will be taken forward in one of the bills that will be introduced in early 2025.

Police Scotland will be also be kept informed as soon as any legislation is developed.

Question reference: S6W-32499

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with representatives of (a) the justice, (b) the social work, (c) the education, (d) the health sector and (d) other professional sectors regarding dealing with the criminal exploitation of children, also broken down by what training it provides.

Question reference: S6W-32475

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms are in place to allow the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission to investigate evidence provided to it during a previously reviewed case.

The powers of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) to review alleged miscarriages of justice are provided for in the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (1995 Act).

There is no limitation within the 1995 Act on the SCCRC investigating evidence provided to it during a previously reviewed case with any decision to investigate evidence provided to it during a previously reviewed case being an independent matter for the SCCRC.

Question reference: S6W-32297

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the £40,000 threshold for the additional dwelling supplement.

No review has been undertaken of the threshold for the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) threshold since its introduction. The setting of the threshold for the ADS reflects that The Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) Act 2013 provides that land transactions with a chargeable consideration of less than £40,000 are not notifiable and that no tax return is thus required.

Question reference: S6O-04184

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on households experiencing fuel poverty in Scotland, particularly in rural and off-gas grid areas, what communication it has had with relevant third parties regarding the ending of the Radio Teleswitch Service.

The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is reserved, however the Scottish Government engages regularly with consumer organisations and fuel poverty charities on issues expected to arise from the upcoming switch-off.

I recently visited the Western Isles Citizens Advice Bureau to discuss the potentially devastating consequences on fuel poverty and access to energy if RTS meters are not upgraded on time, there and in many other communities. Consumers must not receive extortionately high or inaccurate bills or experience any interruption of supply.

To that end, I have written to the UK Government, and will seek further urgent engagement to ensure that Scottish communities are protected.

Question reference: S6O-04183

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to continue the Investing in Communities Fund into the 2025-26 financial year, in light of reported concerns that funding may not continue for supported community projects.

The draft Scottish Budget sets out our spending plans for 2025-26 to deliver progress for Scotland, and to improve the lives of the people of Scotland. It includes investment for regeneration of over £62 million to support communities most in need, which I can advise includes the Investing in Communities Fund supporting community-led projects across Scotland which are addressing poverty and disadvantage.

The draft Budget requires the support of Parliament before confirmation of funding for individual allocations can be provided. I would therefore urge all MSPs to support the budget to ensure that investment for community projects continues.

Question reference: S6W-32577

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to monitor the environmental impact of ScotRail services.

Question reference: S6W-32314

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many summary cases handled by the Aberdeen office of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) were closed without prosecution in the last reporting year.

The following table shows the number of criminal cases reported to the Procurator Fiscal Office, Aberdeen where either the decision was made for no action to be taken or was marked for action other than prosecution in court. (Count is by case). Direct measures are an appropriate and proportionate response to lower level offending.

Financial year marking applied	Initial No Action marking	Direct measure marking
2023-2024	1,608	2,937
These counts may include cases which may have proceeded as solemn if they had been prosecuted.

Question reference: S6W-32396

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the outcome of its review into its target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.

Work to finalise the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) Review is ongoing and at present no publication date has been set. The key purpose of the Review is to consider the responsiveness, impact, efficiency, value-for-money and deliverability of the AHSP. It is not a Review of the 110,000 affordable homes supply target. The Scottish Government remains committed to achievement of this target and we have increased the affordable housing budget by over £200m in 2025-26 to ensure we continue to deliver the homes Scotland needs.