- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the evidence given by the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on 14 January 2025 regarding the 52-week target timescale for determining section 36 applications for offshore wind projects under the Electricity Act 1989, how many live applications remain on track to be determined within that timescale.
Answer
The 52-week ambition discussed in Committee evidence relates to onshore wind farm applications under the Onshore Wind Sector Deal. The position for offshore wind projects is different and is set out below.
Best efforts are made to meet determination timeline of 12 months from initial application, excluding time taken to receive and consult upon Additional Information, as required under the EIA regulations. We are clear that more complex applications may take longer. Of the current live offshore windfarm applications, 10 of 13 are currently projected to be determined within 12 months, excluding time to receive and consult upon Additional Information and resolution of other complexities.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the evidence given by the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on 14 January 2025 regarding the 52-week target timescale for determining section 36 applications for offshore wind projects under the Electricity Act 1989, how many applications have been determined in that timescale, and what the average determination time was for applications that exceeded it.
Answer
The 52-week ambition discussed in Committee evidence relates to onshore wind farm applications under the Onshore Wind Sector Deal. The position for offshore wind projects is different and is set out below.
The average determination timeline for the 15 offshore windfarm applications determined by Scottish Ministers since 2015 is 11 months excluding any time taken to receive and consult upon Additional Information, as required under the EIA regulations. The average determination time for applications that exceeded 12 months was 17 months, excluding any time taken to receive and consult upon Additional Information.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Consumer Scotland's briefing, An equitable postal service for the islands, what steps it is taking to improve engagement between postal operators and island communities.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomes the Consumer Scotland report An equitable postal service for the islands. We have long sought, within our limited devolved powers, to instigate change and ensure that every part of Scotland has access to fair and equitable postal and parcel delivery services.
However, Royal Mail and postal services are reserved matters, and it will be for the UK Government to take the necessary steps to improve engagement between postal operators and island communities.
On 25 August 2026, following the publication of the Consumer Scotland report, I wrote to UK Government ministers offering to meet and discuss the challenges faced by island communities. I have also requested that the UK Government convene Royal Mail, Post Office Ltd, Ofcom, parcel delivery companies, and consumer and community organisations to make urgent and necessary progress on postal services and parcel delivery regulation.
- Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed closure of Kingsway Care Centre, Dundee, is being considered as a Major Service Change.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that people living with dementia and other complex mental health conditions receive high-quality, compassionate and person-centred care that meets their needs and supports them to live with dignity.
The decision of whether a service change constitutes a Major Service Change lies with NHS boards and Integration Joint Boards, using the Healthcare Improvement Scotland guidance, with the option for Healthcare Improvement Scotland to provide a view.
- Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm which companies have been subject to and failed human rights due diligence checks since Scottish Enterprise’s revised human rights due diligence checks came into force, including on what basis Barclays reportedly passed the due diligence process.
Answer
As noted in response to S7W-01512 on 31 July 2026, Scottish Government officials remained in close contact with Scottish Enterprise throughout its review of its human rights due diligence checks, exchanging and providing relevant advice and views where appropriate. This included in relation to Scottish Government’s own guidance which sets out recommendations on how we, our executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies should undertake appropriate due diligence on companies, including their human rights record, before entering into an "investment relationship" with them.
It is however for the accountable officer of each agency and non-departmental public body to ensure that their organisation complies with guidance issued by Scottish ministers, including in decisions on which companies comply with human rights due diligence checks.
Decisions regarding the disclosure of information held by Scottish Enterprise, including in relation to its updated human right due diligence checks, are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Scottish Enterprise regarding the publication of its Human Rights Due Diligence procedure, following previous indications that the agency planned to publish this guidance.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01513 on 31 July 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government since January 2026 regarding procurement rules and their impact on bus manufacturing and bus procurement in Scotland.
Answer
In March 2026, the First Minister made clear his view that there remained significant issues around procurement arrangements affecting Scottish bus manufacturing, which need to be resolved by the UK Government. In addition, at meetings between Scottish and UK Government officials in January and March 2026, officials from Department for Business and Trade shared information about their plans to produce a bus demand pipeline publication and referenced UK policy in relation to social value.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the draft report from workstream one of the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Data Short Life Working Group, Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation data captured within Joint Investigative Interviews, dated 22 June 2026, which states that, in 2024-25, there were at least 5,087 sexual crimes involving a victim under the age of 18 recorded by Police Scotland compared with 155 children on the Child Protection Register with a child sexual abuse concern and 20 with a child sexual exploitation concern, what its assessment is of the difference between these figures.
Answer
The Scottish Government are continuously looking to improve local and national data and evidence around child protection. We acknowledge that national data on child sexual abuse and exploitation is limited, which is why we set up the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Data Short Life Working Group to take forward focused work in this area. Part of that focus is to improve consistency in reporting the scale and nature of child sexual abuse and exploitation across the whole of Scotland.
There are a number of reasons why the number of police recorded sexual crimes, with a victim under the age of 18 are higher than the number of children on the Child Protection Register with a child sexual abuse or child sexual exploitation concern. These include the fact that police recorded crime is a count of crimes, not victims. One incident could involve multiple crimes or a child can be a repeat victim, with multiple crimes occurring throughout the year. Recorded crime data is reported by date recorded by the police, not when the crime occurred. We know that 13% of these crimes occurred before the implementation of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 in December 2010. We also know a proportion of these crimes are cyber enabled, in such cases, the victim can be an undercover police officer or vigilante group. Previous analysis suggests an estimated 1,490 Sexual crimes recorded in 2024-25 were both cyber-crimes and had a victim under the age of 18.
Child protection registration statistics are a relatively poor proxy for the number of children being supported by statutory services due to child sexual abuse or child sexual exploitation concern. Registrations across all categories have been declining for some time and many children may be known to services, where sexual abuse may have been identified as a concern, but their cases are registered under another category— particularly when the child has experienced multiple forms of harm. Additionally, many children who have been sexually abused may not require a child protection plan(and therefore registration), as they are well protected by parents or carers, or are supported through other processes.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether Alexander Dennis has provided the evidence of sufficient orders required to access the £4.1 million furlough support package announced in September 2025.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03096 on 24 September 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government since 1 January 2026 regarding the impact of imported buses on the competitiveness of bus manufacturing in Scotland.
Answer
The previous Cabinet Secretary for Transport acknowledged the importance of considering the opportunity to support the developing capability for domestic bus manufacturing at the July 2025 meeting of the UK Bus Expert Manufacturing Panel, which had its final meeting in March 2026. In addition, at meetings between Scottish and UK Government officials in January and March 2026, officials from Department for Business and Trade shared information about their plans to produce a bus demand pipeline publication and referenced UK policy in relation to social value.
