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-36023

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will promote collaboration between the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council's Strategic Investment Model Stage 1 project on enabling (a) crew transfer and (b) service operation vessel fabrication with the analysis of future market opportunities for UK-built ships in offshore wind, which the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, in partnership with the National Shipbuilding Office and the Crown Estate, has appointed Cammell Laird to carry out.

Question reference: S6W-36003

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the conclusion of the Inspiring Scotland Leadership Framework on the operation of the Scottish Assembly for people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

The leadership framework provided the Scottish Assembly with significant investment over three years from 2022-23 to 2024-25 totalling £430,000. Funding was provided for a time limited project which has reached its natural conclusion.

The funding was provided to aid with the expansion of the Scottish Assembly and the delivery of the project aims of the leadership and engagement framework. The funding was not recurring and the expectation that the Scottish Assembly would explore alternative funding and income streams to ensure long term sustainability of the organisation was made clear in the terms and conditions of funding.

Question reference: S6W-35888

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its engagement with the UK Government on proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland, how many electricity consents it has suspended, revoked or corrected in each of the last five years, and how it took account of any concerns about investor and community uncertainty in proposing to expand its powers to vary consents without an application.

Legislation does not currently allow for modifications, suspensions or revocations consents when errors in consents are found. Should any issues arise, an applicant must apply for a section 36 consent variation and go through the full variation process, including payment of a fee.

The number of section 36 variation applications consented in the past 5 years are as follows:

2024 – 5

2023 – 5

2022 – 4

2021 – 6

2020 – 1

I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35884 on 1 April 2025. 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.

Question reference: S6W-35909

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a presumption in favour of underground energy infrastructure, where feasible.

Legislation and regulations relating to energy networks are reserved to the UK Government and regulated by Ofgem.

The Scottish Government does not develop energy infrastructure, nor does it manage any aspects of building energy infrastructure projects. All energy infrastructure projects are nevertheless subject to robust planning and consenting procedures.

Where new development proposals come forward, our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) ensures the impacts of proposals on communities and nature, including cumulative impacts, are important considerations in the decision-making process. NPF4 Policy 11 (energy) says that in the case of proposals for grid infrastructure consideration should be given to underground connections where possible. All applications are subject to site specific assessments, including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), where applicable.

Question reference: S6W-35883

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its engagement with the UK Government on proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland, how it will address reported concerns that statutory consultees may be placed under additional pressure from new time limits, potentially weakening their ability to provide robust input into proposed developments.

Question reference: S6W-35900

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address reported concerns that the cost of rail travel in the Highlands is disproportionately higher than that in urban areas, and what consideration it has given to supporting rail routes serving rural and remote communities to provide a viable alternative to car travel.

Eligible residents of the Highlands benefit from the Highland Railcard, which provides 50% off rail fares at any time of the day and is now available with ScotRail’s ‘Kids for a Quid’ offer.

Following the conclusion of Peak Fares Removal Pilot, ScotRail has introduced a 20% discount on all season tickets until 27 September 2025 and permanently improved the value for money of Flexipass tickets, which offer significant savings to passengers.

ScotRail will continue to develop fare initiatives to attract more passengers while providing savings and additional value to existing rail users.

Question reference: S6W-35881

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its engagement with the UK Government on proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland, what its response is to the reported suggestion that accelerating the end-to-end electricity consenting process risks undermining thorough scrutiny of environmental impacts.

Question reference: S6W-35764

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much will be spent on (a) the maintenance of and (b) staffing for the rural payments IT system in each of the next two years.

The expenditure of a) and b) in 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 is expected to be broadly similar to 2024-2025. In addition to rural payments systems this budget will be used to maintain and support a number of other IT systems such as the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), Estate Management Database (EMA), Drawing Office, Plant Health, Livestock Inspection System (LIS). These systems collectively assure eligibility for payments, support of inspections, responding to legislative requirements and supporting corporate systems.

ARE IT/Digital services support a range of other government departments, functions and agencies including NatureScot, Forestry, Estates Management, Plant Health and Livestock Inspections meaning our IT / Digital services support a wider range of stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-35756

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people have been recorded as moving into personal skills development, including employability, in each year for which data is available, also broken down by local authority.

The latest data showing the number of school leavers in each initial destination (three months after the end of the school year) by local authority and nationally for each year since 2009-10 can be found in Table L2.1a in the supplementary tables published alongside the Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, No. 7: 2025 edition. The supplementary tables with data on initial destinations are available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-for-attainment-and-initial-leaver-destinations-no-7-2025-edition/documents/.

The latest data showing the number of school leavers in each follow-up destination (nine months after the end of the school year) by local authority and nationally for each year since 2009-10 can be found in Table L2.2 in the supplementary tables published alongside the Summary statistics for Follow-Up Leaver Destinations, No. 6: 2024 Edition. The supplementary tables with data on follow-up destinations are available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-follow-up-leaver-destinations-no-6-2024-edition/documents/.

Question reference: S6W-35802

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the University of Stirling project, Football and Alcohol Scoping Study, and what its position is on what impact controlled, responsible alcohol sales inside football grounds could have on (a) levels of so-called binge drinking before matches, (b) matchday revenues and (c) the overall supporter experience.

The University of Stirling research was commissioned by the Scottish FA and SPFL. The Scottish Government has not undertaken any detailed analysis of the report to date. Our position remains that we have no plans at the current time to amend the legislation governing alcohol at football but we will consider any proposals put forward by the football authorities, and which we would expect to address the issues set out in the University of Stirling report.