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.

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Question reference: S7W-03951

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of adults reported that rubbish or litter lying around was very or fairly common in their neighbourhood in each year for which data is available since 2016, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S7W-03802

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the A720 Sheriffhall roundabout project.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improvements at Sheriffhall Roundabout.

Following publication of the draft Orders and Environmental Statement, more than 2,700 objections were received, requiring a Public Local Inquiry.

The Inquiry Report is currently under consideration by my officials before advice is provided to and a decision made by Scottish Ministers on whether to complete the statutory process. I am of course keen to see progress made, however, it is essential that due process is followed.

Question reference: S7W-03898

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government in light of reports that 8,870 of the 26,160 crisis grant decisions made in the City of Edinburgh resulted in refusals last year, representing 34% of all decisions, and that the average award was £125, whether it considers the level of crisis grant provision to be sufficient to meet applicants' needs.

We are committed to using all the levers available to us to support those most in need and have maintained the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) budget at £41 million in 2026-27, providing vital support during difficult times.

There is a robust process in place for calculating SWF Crisis Grant awards, as per the statutory guidance. The Universal Credit Essentials Guarantee, advocated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Trussell Trust, has been used since 2025 to ensure that applicants are receiving an award amount that is suitable for their needs, leading to increased award values in many cases.

Question reference: S7W-03956

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of adults reported vandalism, graffiti or other deliberate damage to property as a neighbourhood problem in each year for which data is available since 2016, broken down by local authority area.

Scottish Household Survey results on percentage of adults reporting that vandalism, graffiti or other deliberate damage to property was very or fairly common in their neighbourhood, by year and by local authority area, are publicly available from https://www.gov.scot/publications/neighbourhoods-communities-2023-findings-scottish-household-survey/documents/ (see table 2.31 in the OpenDocument Spreadsheet).

Question reference: S7W-03965

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the range and availability of housing options suitable for older people, including what accessible housing, sheltered housing and supported accommodation there is, and what action it is taking to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet current and future demand.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting older people to live independently and safely in homes that meet their needs for as long as possible.

Through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, the Scottish Government provides a flexible grant system to support specialist housing provision identified as a local priority. The majority of homes delivered through the programme are built to Housing for Varying Needs standards, helping to ensure homes are accessible, adaptable and able to meet changing household needs over time.

Local authorities, as the statutory housing authority for their area, are responsible for assessing current and future housing need and demand and for setting out, through their Local Housing Strategies and Strategic Housing Investment Plans, how housing requirements will be met, including the provision of suitable housing options for older people.

Information on the total availability of accessible housing, sheltered housing and supported accommodation across all tenures and providers is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S7W-04002

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the interaction of building standards legislation with the commencement of section 41 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.

Section 41 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 is to be implemented through regulations made under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. The Scottish Government is taking forward the work necessary to develop those regulations, including consideration of the practical, technical and regulatory implications of introducing such requirements. This work is being progressed alongside other priorities within the building standards work programme.

Question reference: S7W-03896

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Edinburgh Food Project provided 2,896 food parcels in the Edinburgh Central constituency between September 2025 and September 2026, whether it remains committed to ending the need for food banks in Scotland and, if so, what action it is taking to deliver this commitment.

Question reference: S7W-03899

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that 35% of crisis grant applications resulted in refusals in 2025-26, what assessment it has made of whether crisis grant eligibility rules contribute to reliance on food banks.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people experiencing a crisis can access support through the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). Accordingly, SWF Crisis Grants provide a safety net for people facing an immediate risk to their health or safety. We have not identified evidence demonstrating a direct causal link between Crisis Grant eligibility criteria and reliance on food banks.

The most recent SWF data shows that the majority of Crisis Grant applications continue to result in awards, with grants helping households facing immediate financial crisis. Decisions are made by local authorities, who must apply the eligibility criteria set out in the SWF statutory guidance to ensure support is targeted at those in greatest need.

Question reference: S7W-04128

Asked by: Iris Duane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of living in temporary accommodation on the mental health of residents.

The Scottish Government recognises that living in temporary accommodation, particularly for prolonged periods, can have a negative impact on people's health and wellbeing. Through the work of the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group and engagement with local authorities and stakeholders, we have considered evidence on the impact of extended stays in temporary accommodation, including impacts on mental health.

To minimise harm, the Scottish Government’s focus is on reducing the need for temporary accommodation and the length of time households spend there. The best way to achieve that is by preventing homelessness in the first place and by increasing the supply of social and affordable homes. We are making available a record £926 million for affordable housing in 2026-27 as part of four years of funding certainty.

New homelessness prevention duties in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 will ensure named bodies (including health services) and local authorities intervene earlier to prevent homelessness. Our £50 million homelessness prevention fund over 10 years will help support this move to early intervention, including for people facing mental health challenges, before they reach crisis.

Where councils have reason to believe that people experiencing or at risk of homelessness need housing support services, including support with their mental health, they are required to conduct a housing support assessment.

Question reference: S7W-04388

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC) regarding when it plans to lay before Parliament any proposed rule changes to opt-out group proceedings (class action).