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-00038

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00036

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00040

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7W-02656

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk of "demolition by neglect" across the historic built environment, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that developers are not financially rewarded for allowing listed buildings to deteriorate while awaiting planning consent for complete demolition.

The Scottish Government considers that Legislation currently in place provides appropriate powers to help protect the historic environment while also ensuring public safety. Responsibility for the maintenance and repair of buildings rests with owners, and planning authorities have a range of powers available to help secure the preservation of listed buildings. Proposals to demolish listed buildings are subject to statutory controls and are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Question reference: S7W-02498

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers there to be any conflict between the operation of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 and the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 in cases involving dangerous listed buildings, and, if so, what action it plans to take to ensure that public safety measures do not unnecessarily result in the loss of historic buildings.

The Scottish Government does not consider there to be a conflict between the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 and the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. The two Acts serve different purposes and operate alongside one another, with the former providing protections for the historic environment and the latter providing powers for local authorities to address risks to public safety.

Question reference: S7W-02463

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding action taken under the general anti-avoidance rule that was established by the Revenue Scotland and Tax Powers Act 2014, (a) how many times Revenue Scotland has taken action, (b) how many schemes have been challenged (i) successfully and (ii) unsuccessfully, and (c) what the total value of the schemes has been.

Question reference: S7W-02503

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing national planning policy, similar to the Edinburgh Design Guidance published by the City of Edinburgh Council in September 2025, to encourage or require the use of traditionally designed cast-iron architectural street furniture in designated conservation areas, and whether it has assessed the potential impact of such a policy on Scotland's domestic foundry sector.

We have no plans to introduce national planning policy relating to cast-iron street furniture in Conservation Areas, and have not carried out an assessment of how any such policy would impact on Scotland's domestic foundry sector.

National Planning Framework 4 states that Local Development Plans should identify, protect and enhance valued historic assets and places.

Location specific design guidance, for example, relating to Conservation Areas, is best addressed at the local level, to reflect the character of individual places. Planning authorities have the ability to take this forward through local guidance.

Question reference: S7W-02487

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to amending the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 to grant permitted development rights for shopfront alterations that strictly comply with a local authority’s formally adopted heritage design code.

Question reference: S7W-02488

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to integrate the material and architectural standards developed under the Traditional Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme (TSIG) into the statutory guidance supporting National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

We have no plans to integrate the standards developed under the Traditional Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme (TSIG) into national guidance supporting National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

NPF4 supports the vibrancy and vitality of our towns and town centres and encourages ‘Distinctive Places’ which includes supporting local architectural styles.

Expectations on shopfront design, colour and materials are best addressed at the local level, to reflect and reinforce local styles and the character of individual places. Planning authorities have the ability to take this forward through local guidance.

Question reference: S7W-02447

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its answer to question S7W-01392 by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026, which indicated that the Vision 3 GP clinical system is currently the only GP clinical system available through the national framework for the replacement of EMIS PCS in Scotland, what work is being undertaken to identify alternative suppliers and avoid single-supplier dependency in future IT provision for GP practices.