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: S6W-42198

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on (a) the documents that have incorporated updates from the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan to date, (b) any further documents expected to include these updates and (c) the proposed publication dates for each.

The Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) was an important springboard for net zero skills planning.

Since its publication in 2020, significant progress has been made to further improve the evidence base, for instance with key reports such as the ‘Green Jobs in Scotland’ report (published in November 2022), the ‘Dynamic Skills Response to Supporting the Transition to Net Zero’ (published in November 2023), and the ‘A more dynamic, responsive skills system: decarbonisation of heat in domestic and commercial buildings’ report (published in December 2024).

In 2023, Ministers agreed not to publish a further standalone CESAP, opting instead to strategically align green skills policy and planning behind our wider net zero and economic growth priorities. It will also be a key consideration as we take forward work on Skills Planning.

The importance of skills and education in green sectors has been extensively recognised, including: the development of sectoral and site Just Transition Plans (various dates),the Green Industrial Strategy (September 2024), the recent Draft Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland (October 2025), the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 (November 2024), and the Draft Environment Strategy (July 2025), and the upcoming Climate Change Plan (expected in 2026).

The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to embedding green skills and creating green jobs across all its policies to support a just transition to net zero.

Question reference: S6W-42119

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding reports that Professor Alexis Jay's comments on grooming gang inquiries were misrepresented during a debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 16 September 2025, on what date Ministers or officials first reviewed concerns raised about the accuracy of comments made about her views.

Question reference: S6W-42503

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it plans to publish its response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 2 report, which was published on 20 November 2025.

We welcomed the publication of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 2 report on core decision-making and political governance on 20 November 2025.

Further to my statement to Parliament on that date, and following further consideration of the report, we can confirm today that the Scottish Government intends to publish its response before the dissolution of Parliament in 2026, in line with the timeframes set out by the Chair of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

The Scottish Government will now take the necessary time to engage with stakeholders, including through the dedicated Covid Inquiry Response Engagement Group. This group brings together members representing a broad range of stakeholder expertise, including organisations working with communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and those furthest from decision-making. Their participation ensures that the Scottish Government’s response reflects diverse perspectives and is grounded in real-world impact, while carefully considering the report’s findings and recommendations.

Question reference: S6W-42527

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a final update regarding Scottish Enterprise’s improvements to its human rights due diligence procedures, as outlined to Parliament by the Deputy First Minister on 25 June 2025.

Following a parliamentary debate on 26 February, a Motion (S6M-16571) was passed calling on Scottish Enterprise to review its human rights due diligence checks.

I updated Parliament (S6W-38968) on Scottish Enterprise’s review on 25 June. I confirmed that Scottish Enterprise had identified opportunities for improvements, which it committed to rolling out incrementally, over 2025-26.

I committed to providing a further update to Parliament, once Scottish Enterprise had developed its revised and detailed operational guidance, and asked that Scottish Government officials be kept abreast of that work.

On 28 November, Scottish Government officials received a formal update from Scottish Enterprise confirming that its updated human rights due diligence policy and procedure had been substantially finalised. Operationalisation of the revised human rights due diligence checks will now begin, on a phased basis. During the period of early implementation, these checks will be subject to further refinement. Scottish Enterprise outlined further detail of its improvements, which includes provisions to ensure human rights due diligence checks effectively address and adapt to emerging risks associated with customer relationships through:

An increase in the frequency of human rights due diligence checks, to every 12 months to maintain ongoing vigilance and responsiveness.
Removal of previous exemptions and broadening of the scope of human rights due diligence checks.
Enhanced online screening, supplemented by follow-up engagement with customers as necessary.
Introduction of targeted customer checks, including the requirement for a customer statement specifically addressing items and activities governed by the UK Strategic Export Controls regime.

Scottish Enterprise has indicated that work is continuing on the development of a new digital platform for customer onboarding, which is to be rolled out in 2026. This will provide a more comprehensive customer journey and workflow for managing and recording customer interactions and due diligence checks, including human rights due diligence checks.

Scottish Enterprise’s letter also confirmed that its internal Senior Review Group, established following its review, is now fully constituted and meeting weekly. The Group will provide strategic input and support operational decision-making.

I thank Scottish Enterprise for its work on developing these enhanced procedures, and towards implementing them fully in 2026.

Question reference: S6O-05314

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ongoing reduction to both provision and facilities at the Elmwood campus of Scotland’s Rural College in Cupar, what its position is on the future of the college's base in the North East Fife constituency.

Question reference: S6O-05312

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of an increase of 63 full-time equivalent teachers in 2025 compared with the previous year, how it will fulfil its commitment to recruit 3,500 new teachers before the end of the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6O-05313

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's public consultation on the proposed closure of Marionville Fire Station in Edinburgh.

Question reference: S6O-05307

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to community organisations that are seeking to take forward regeneration projects.

Question reference: S6O-05311

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm that it will not allocate any further funding to the extension of the tram network in Edinburgh.

Question reference: S6O-05309

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to further support the Programme for Scotland's Childminding Future beyond its current three-year cycle in order to continue to grow the number of childminders across Scotland.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

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