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: S7F-00054

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00052

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00053

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7W-03431

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland to be currently (a) operational, (b) fully operational, (c) established and (d) independent, and for each classification, what definition it uses to make that assessment.

The Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) is currently hosted by the University of Strathclyde, working in partnership with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER).

AROS operates independently of the Scottish Government in relation to decisions concerning its workplan and activities. Arrangements relating to the hosting of AROS are governed by the contract between the Scottish Government and the hosting body.

The Scottish Government considers AROS to be an established organisation in the sense that it is fully operational and delivering an agreed programme of work. However, it is not currently constituted as a separate legal entity.

Question reference: S7W-02078

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01537 by Stephen Gethins on 23 July 2026, which did not address the point raised regarding the £10 million Scottish Heating Oil Support Scheme fund, where any unallocated funds are currently held and what its plans are for such funds when the scheme closes in September 2026, including where any remaining funds will be held thereafter.

The overall budget, including funding for the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, is managed across the Scottish Government and, as happens every year, any overall funding changes required to support expenditure are confirmed as part of budget revisions.

The Scottish Government has recently announced that the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme is to be extended into winter, ensuring the most vulnerable households are supported throughout winter as prices remain volatile.

The funding will be made available for the scheme during this period.

The Scottish Public Finance Manual is issued by the Scottish Ministers to provide guidance on the proper handling and reporting of public funds, including information on Grants, such as the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, and on “clawback” from any unspent funds once the scheme ends.

The Scottish Public Finance Manual is published on the Scottish Government’s website and can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-public-finance-manual/

Alongside the extension of the scheme, I would encourage households that use heating oil or LPG to contact Home Energy Scotland for free and impartial advice on reducing energy bills, improving energy efficiency and exploring clean heating options. Advisers can help households identify the support available to them and navigate funding schemes for home energy improvements.

Question reference: S7W-03440

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a costed delivery plan and timetable for extending funded early learning and childcare (ELC) to children under three.

As set out in the Programme for Government in early September, we will publish and consult on a blueprint for a transformed childcare offer in 2027, focussing on what matters most to families. Given the scale of our ambition to transform childcare, it is only right we take the time to develop that blueprint and we will publish it for consultation next year. Decisions on future delivery and costs will be considered through the appropriate parliamentary and budgetary processes.

Question reference: S7W-03213

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will allocate to repurposing homes that have been left derelict, abandoned or unused, in response to evidence provided by the Scottish Empty Homes partnership suggesting that there are 2,630 unused homes that have been empty for six months or more in Fife.

Question reference: S7W-03381

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in improving and increasing toilet facilities and access to toilets for train drivers in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-03365

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that a gap exists in the availability of grant schemes for electric vehicle chargepoint installation for homeowners in non-rural areas, in light of the Scottish Domestic Chargepoint Scheme being limited to rural areas and the UK Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant Scheme excluding homeowners.

Question reference: S7W-03340

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its latest contingency analysis relating to Dalzell and Clydebridge to enable Parliament to scrutinise the options being considered.