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-04534

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Ivan McKee on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what calculation it has made of the total salary and pension costs for public sector staff engaged in redeployment processes.

Question reference: S7W-04536

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Ivan McKee on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many core civil servants on the priority movers list were (a) successfully redeployed, (b) granted voluntary severance, (c) made compulsorily redundant and (d) still awaiting redeployment, in each financial year from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Question reference: S7W-04529

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-03020 by Jim Fairlie on 22 September 2026, what its position is on the paper by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, Report on the welfare of isolated populations of feral animals.

Question reference: S7W-04522

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports, including in The Herald on 16 October 2026, that it has produced a draft plan, Transforming Elective Orthopaedic Care in Scotland 2026-2031, what consultation has taken place with frontline theatre staff and trade unions on the proposals, including those regarding six-day working and extended theatre days, and what further engagement is planned.

The document referred to in media reports contains initial capacity planning proposals and is not a final delivery plan.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on any specific consultation undertaken regarding six-day working or extended theatre days as part of the development of these preliminary proposals.

Further engagement with clinicians, staff, trade unions, patients and other stakeholders would be undertaken should detailed implementation proposals be developed.

Question reference: S7W-04412

Asked by: Kristopher Leask, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm if applicants are required to apply more than one energy efficiency measure in order to qualify for the Rural Home Energy Grant uplift.

The rural uplifts offered through the HES Grant and Loan apply to both renewable heating and eligible energy efficiency improvements. They increase the grant available for renewable heating such as heat pumps from £7,500 to £9,000, and the same for energy efficiency improvements, resulting in a maximum grant including rural uplift of £18,000.

For energy efficiency improvements, grant funding is limited to 75% of eligible improvement costs and maximum grant amounts apply to individual measures. The rural uplift increases the overall grant funding cap available to eligible applicants but does not increase the grant limits for individual measures.

In practice, because of these maximum grant levels, applicants would need to undertake more than one eligible energy efficiency improvement to access the additional funding available through the uplift. Individual measure grant limits are available in the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan - Terms and Conditions.

Question reference: S7W-04323

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the accessibility of information and support regarding the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing information in a variety of different formats to ensure that all clients are fully informed about the Accessible Vehicle and Equipment Scheme and how they can access it. We will work with stakeholders and disabled people to inform any future improvements to our communications.

The Scottish Government has worked with Motability Operations to inform its customer communications and more information about its customer offer can be found on Motability’s website, including information on how to apply for additional essential mileage support.

Question reference: S7W-04304

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the environmental implications and consumer transparency issues associated with the use of poultry-derived processed animal protein in salmon feed by salmon producers, particularly in light of the commitment in its Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture to use 100% responsibly sourced marine and vegetable ingredients in finfish feeds.

The Scottish Government has not conducted its own assessment of the environmental implications or consumer transparency issues associated with the use of poultry-derived processed animal protein in salmon feed.

However, the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Cluster (SAIC) has funded research in this area, including work to compare the environmental footprint of alternative feed ingredients and to explore consumer attitudes towards the use of poultry-derived PAP in aquaculture feeds: New case study: exploring poultry by-products as sustainable salmon feed ingredients

Introducing avian protein products into salmon diets could reduce dependence on imported fishmeal and soy and support a circular economy. The Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture supports innovation which facilitates opportunities for a highly resource efficient and productive industry to responsibly maximise value from the production process.

While some Norwegian salmon producers have begun using poultry processed animal protein as an alternative to fish meal, this has not yet been adopted in the Scottish sector. Scottish feed producers must ensure full traceability through supplier documentation, including Certificates of Analysis, traceability certificates and third-party certifications.

Question reference: S7W-04287

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to a First Minister's Question regarding police welfare checks on 6 October 2026, whether it will provide further details of the new resource that it has committed to provide to support community-based mental health services, including information regarding budget, delivery mechanisms and geographical reach of the resource.

Our Programme for Government reinforces our prevention-first approach and includes a commitment to expand provision of walk-in mental health hubs across Scotland. To support this, in June 2026 we announced £400,000 of funding for SAMH to help develop its network of Nook mental wellbeing hubs across Scotland.

This builds on our wider investment of more than £194 million for community-based mental health and wellbeing support since 2020. That funding has helped people to access support closer to home and supported work to reduce the risk of mental health difficulties escalating into crisis. It includes funding for a range of walk-in services, such as The Lighthouse and The Neuk in Perth, and Shirley's Space in Aberdeenshire.

As we take forward our commitment, we will continue to work with partners to ensure people receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time. We continue to invest in and expand Scotland’s 24/7 mental health emergency support services including NHS 24, Mental Health Paramedic Response Units and Distress Brief Intervention.

Future investment will reflect local need and existing provision, while building approaches that are delivering positive outcomes for communities across Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-04284

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on neurodivergent women, and what arrangements are in place within NHS Lothian to support neurodivergent women experiencing menopause.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that women know what to expect from perimenopause and menopause, what the symptoms are, and what can help manage those symptoms. Menopause continues to be a focus in Phase Two of our Women’s Health Plan.

We expect NHS services to seek to meet the individual needs of patients, including those with neurodevelopmental conditions.

NHS Lothian provides a range of online resources to support neurodivergent individuals, including women and girls, which can be found here: https://services.nhslothian.scot/neurodiversity/supports-and-resources/

Question reference: S7W-04300

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing interim legislative measures, including a statutory right to charge, to facilitate the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in existing residential developments where title conditions or real burdens present barriers to such installation, including where they (a) require unanimous consent or impose unachievable majority thresholds for alterations to common property, (b) prohibit the erection of structures on communal amenity ground or in car parks or (c) prevent the granting of leases or operational rights to third-party charge point operators, and what steps it is taking to ensure parity between existing and new-build developments in relation to EV charging infrastructure.

The Scottish Government recognises that title conditions, real burdens and common property arrangements can present challenges to the installation of EV charging infrastructure in some existing residential developments.

We keep the legislative framework under review and continue to engage with stakeholders to better understand barriers to the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. The Scottish Government has not brought forward proposals for a statutory right to charge or other interim legislation of the type described.

Building regulations already require EV charging infrastructure provision in new buildings and certain major renovations, and we will continue to consider what further measures may be required to support access to charging infrastructure in existing developments.