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-36781

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider greater community control over established wind turbines to ensure that they are turned off to avoid instances of any negative health impacts from issues such as shadow flicker and low frequency noise emissions.

Question reference: S6W-36602

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the provision of additional financial support for housing decarbonisation.

The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the UK Government about heat decarbonisation. For example, we continue to press the UK Government to align delivery of the Energy Company Obligation and Great British Insulation Schemes with Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies.

While heat and energy efficiency are devolved, however, we need to see further and urgent action by the UK Government in reserved areas. These actions, which include market reforms designed to make electricity cheaper to use than gas, will be vital to ensure that the transition is fair and affordable.

Question reference: S6W-36567

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with NHS (a) boards, (b) frontline staff and (c) patients regarding the latest satisfaction survey.

Through our work on NHS renewal we are continuing to collect views through a series of engagements with a wide range of stakeholders. This builds on the feedback and understanding gained through the Health and Care Experience Survey and other channels. We are translating this into action and transformation through our ongoing work with NHS Boards, supporting staff to help deliver against the recently published Operational Improvement Plan, and building through the forthcoming population health framework and health and social care renewal framework

Question reference: S6W-36529

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with international firms operating in Scotland regarding expanding domestic supply chains.

The Scottish Government along with Scottish Development International and Enterprise Agencies are actively engaged with business and international firms operating in Scotland to expand the domestic supply chains. For instance, Scottish Enterprise works with more than 350 foreign owned businesses to support their growth which includes encouraging the benefits of engaging with local supply chain companies.

This is achieved by building on the strength of Scotland’s innovation ecosystem, which supports technology development and skills across a wide range of manufacturing sectors, leveraging the knowledge and expertise of industry bodies, partners and Scotland’s academic institutions. This approach will enable our manufacturing sector to take advantage of emerging market opportunities, such as offshore wind, hydrogen and future industries in which Scotland has the potential to excel.

Question reference: S6W-36392

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Marine Conservation Society 2024 report, State of our Beaches, which records that drinks-related litter was found on 95% of the beaches surveyed.

The Scottish Government thanks the Marine Conservation Society and all the many volunteers for their excellent work in monitoring beach litter and cleaning our shores. Citizen science is valued, and in combination with data from our scientists and our wider international monitoring programme, it is useful in helping us prioritise policy development to effectively reduce marine litter.

Drinks related litter on our shores is entirely avoidable, and that is why we remain committed to the delivery of a successful Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single-use drinks containers. This scheme is expected to increase recycling rates for these containers to at least 90% and reduce litter on our beaches while supporting the growth of a more circular economy.

We are working closely with industry and the other UK government to launch a DRS in October 2027.

Question reference: S6W-36403

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30798 by Gillian Martin on 7 November 2024, where the annual reports required under section 52 of the Flood Risk Management Act (2009), can be accessed.

Flood risk management implementation reports are available on the Scottish Government's website. Some reports have been completed for single years and some for multiple years.

Relevant links are provided below:

Report for years 2015-2018: Implementation of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009: report to the Scottish Parliament - gov.scot
Report for 2019: Implementation of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009: report to the Scottish Parliament - 2019 - gov.scot
Report for 2020: Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 implementation: report to the Scottish Parliament - 2020 - gov.scot

A report covering the period 2021 to 2024 is under development.

Local authorities also produce regular mid cycle and end of cycle reports on the delivery of actions in the Flood Risk Management Plans.

Question reference: S6W-37000

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in engaging with officials from the Senedd with regard to the Welsh Government's commitment to phase out greyhound racing.

Question reference: S6W-36817

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the 2025-26 social care budget will be used to support essential frontline services, as opposed to administrative overheads or bureaucracy.

The 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration – exceeding our commitment to increase funding by 25% by almost £350 million.

However, While the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, it is for local authorities and health boards to work with the Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) to ensure that social care support services are in place to provide people with the appropriate support.

Decisions on how best to deliver services to local communities are ultimately for integration authorities and locally elected representatives to make.

Question reference: S6W-36794

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the board's reported financial situation, what its position is on how NHS Grampian will repay its reported loan from it of £92.2 million.

NHS Grampian are escalated to Level 3 of the NHS Support and Intervention Escalation Framework for financial management and position and the Board continue to receive tailored support from the Scottish Government.

Outstanding brokerage must be repaid to Scottish Government once an NHS Board has returned to financial sustainability. At present, Scottish Government are working with NHS Grampian to secure a credible path to balance, and outstanding brokerage will be recovered once this has been achieved

Question reference: S6W-36707

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will (a) publish its review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 and (b) outline its next steps to improve the welfare of dogs.

The Review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers)(Scotland) Act 2020 was published on 4 April. In that review we committed to consult on prohibiting the use of remote control static pulse training collars. We are currently working to regulate the activities of the canine facility sector. We are also developing a Code of Practice that will ensure the transparent and safe transfer of ownership of any puppy and dog, as required under the Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2025.