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 42701 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-36455

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether current rules for obtaining powers of attorney are sufficient in preventing any abuse of such powers.

The Scottish Government (SG) has acknowledged that, while the current system for granting Powers of Attorney (PoAs) generally functions well, certain elements require improving and updating.

In January SG published analysis of responses to a consultation on proposals for reform of the Adults with Incapacity Act, including PoAs.

SG are now considering those responses and working towards modernising the AWI Act, taking forward recommendations from the Scottish Mental Health Law Review.

Question reference: S6W-36454

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) regarding powers of attorney.

Question reference: S6W-36425

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement its enterprise agencies plan with Anduril Industries regarding it locating in Scotland its proposed factory and research and development site.

Question reference: S6W-36544

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is, in light of reports that native oyster numbers within the Loch Sween Marine Protected Area have significantly declined.

Question reference: S6W-36243

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with industry and business stakeholders to understand and address reported concerns regarding cross-border online alcohol sales, including how these might impact on its policy on minimum unit pricing.

The Scottish Government, through the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, provides the overarching legal framework within which alcohol can be sold and supplied in Scotland. The 2005 Act makes provision for the licensing of premises in Scotland where alcohol is sold online and despatched from Scottish premises. Minimum unit pricing does not apply to alcohol sales which are despatched from outside Scotland directly to a buyer within Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware of concerns raised about cross-border online alcohol sales in Scotland.

Officials have engaged with industry and business stakeholders, including the Scottish Grocers Federation and alcohol licensing stakeholders, on these matters to better understand these concerns. Additionally, through Scottish Enterprise, my officials have sought direct engagement with online retailers.

We will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to keep the potential impact of this developing market under review and to better understand the interaction between devolved and reserved matters in this area.

Question reference: S6W-36242

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of (a) the level of such sales and (b) their potential impact on (i) public health and (ii) its policy on minimum unit pricing, what its position is on whether the current data collected regarding cross-border online alcohol sales is sufficient, and what consideration it has given to the collection of more detailed data.

The Public Health Scotland evaluation of MUP found some evidence of cross-border purchasing, but its extent was observed to be minimal. The evaluation also found online sales to be relatively minor at a population level.

Public Health Scotland holds alcohol retail sales data for both the on-trade and off-trade, which includes all electronic point of sale data for the main supermarkets and a representative sample of smaller retailers and independent stores. Detailed information on cross-border online alcohol sales is not available and such information is likely to be commercially confidential and would require businesses to supply this on a voluntary basis.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to make any changes to the collection of online alcohol sales data.

Question reference: S6W-36412

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to launch its consultation on the regulation of private (a) first aid event cover companies and (b) ambulance providers, in light of its previous commitments and the reported significant first aid demands of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The Scottish Government is committed to implementing further regulation of independent healthcare, through a phased approach to ensure that Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) has the capacity and appropriate staff in place to regulate the independent sector effectively.

The Scottish Government plans to engage with HIS and other relevant stakeholders during 2025-26 to ensure the proportionate scope of regulation of the private ambulance and the first aid sector. We anticipate completing the engagement with stakeholders prior to the Scottish parliamentary elections in 2026.

Once scoping is complete, a public consultation will be brought forward detailing proposals for regulation of the sector.

Question reference: S6W-36415

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18113 by Jenni Minto on 5 June 2023, whether it has conducted any further engagement with (a) Healthcare Improvement Scotland and (b) other stakeholders regarding concerns in relation to the regulation of private first aid companies, including in the context of large-scale sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games.

Question reference: S6W-36373

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action its ministers and government agencies have taken to investigate the reported number of patients exposed to stilbestrol.

Question reference: S6W-36453

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the current law around lasting powers of attorney.

Lasting Powers of Attorney is an English term which refers to two separate legal documents – one for property and financial affairs, and one for health and welfare. In Scotland, the equivalent arrangement is called a Power of Attorney (PoA), which can combine continuing (financial) and welfare powers into a single document.

Last year the Scottish Government published a consultation seeking views on proposed changes to the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. The consultation opened on 25 July 2024 and closed on 17 October 2024. Part 2 of the consultation related to changes to continuing and welfare powers of attorney. The Scottish Government published analysis of consultation responses on 25 January 2025.