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-38432

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many S4 pupils left school in the last academic year without any qualification at SCQF Level 5 or above.

In 2023-24 the vast majority (95.8%) of young people who left school at S4 achieved qualifications or units under the All SCQF measure. Less than 43.0% of S4 leavers left school without obtaining at least one qualification at SCQF Level 5 or above. However, many of these young people did leave with qualifications. Of the 3,476 S4 school leavers in 2023-24 without an SCQF Level 5 or above, 2,828 left with a qualification at SCQF Level 3 or 4 (81.4%), 48 left with other qualifications or units, 262 left with units only and 338 left with no qualifications or units (9.7%).

It is important to recognise that many of these young people will have gone on to apprenticeships, to study at college or otherwise remain in education or training, reflecting the strengths of our approach, in creating and supporting a range of pathways and qualifications for young people in Scotland. This is reflected in the statistical evidence which shows consistently high initial and follow-up positive destinations for young people leaving school. For example, the Follow-up Destination Statistics published on the 17th June show that 93.1% of school leavers were in a positive destination. This is the second highest figure since 2009/10.

Question reference: S6W-39158

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the cost to Scotland’s economy of poor mobile connectivity.

Telecommunications policy, which includes mobile connectivity, is currently reserved to the UK Government. Whilst the Scottish Government has not conducted any analysis on the economic impacts of poor mobile connectivity, we do recognise the social and economic importance of high-quality and reliable mobile services, particularly for our rural and island areas. Through our Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) programme, we have invested £28.75 million to deliver and activate 55 mobile masts in areas that previously had no coverage.

Question reference: S6W-38983

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the fuel usage over the last three years of all vessels operating on (a) CalMac and (b) NorthLink ferry services, broken down by vessel.

A table has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre under (Bib Number 65938) that provides a breakdown, by vessel, of the fuel usage over the last 3 years on the CalMac service.

The fuel usage over the last three years, by vessels operating on NorthLink Ferry services, is detailed below. For clarity, CY05 ended June 2025. However, the figures have still to be reconciled, and are therefore not available.

MV Hrossey MV Hjaltland MV Hildasay MV Hellier MV Hamnavore

CY2 July 2021 - June 2023 9058.94 9212,99 3795.80 3611.50 3756.20

CY3 July 2022 - June 2023 9,023.20 8840,6 3660.34 3916.90 4046.10

CY4 July 2023 - June 2024 8674.60 8678 3710.60 3591.50 3732.20

Question reference: S6W-38832

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how much waste generated by the Scottish Parliament will be transported to England once the Scottish Government's landfill ban comes into effect at the end of 2025, and what excess carbon dioxide will be generated as a result.

Currently no waste generated by the Scottish Parliament is sent to landfill. General waste is sent to the Viridor Energy Recovery Centre in Dunbar and food waste is sent to the Anaerobic digestion centre at Millerhill. Other materials such as paper and glass are recycled. We expect this to remain the same when the Scottish Government's landfill ban comes into effect at the end of 2025. Carbon emissions from all waste processing including recycling are included in our Sustainable Development Annual Report.

Question reference: S6W-37253

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any implications for community safety in Scotland, whether the Minister for Business raised the issue of alleged "secret Chinese police stations" on his recent trip to China.

During my visit, I raised concerns about China’s human rights record.

Any foreign country that operates within Scotland, must abide by Scottish law. The Scottish Government fully supports individuals’ rights to freedom of expression, which is an extremely important principle.

Investigations into infringements of law and civil rights are a matter for law enforcement agencies. As a matter of long-standing policy we will not comment on the detail of security.

Question reference: S6W-38947

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether an estimated £6 billion annual cost for a minimum income guarantee would be fiscally sustainable.

We thank the independent Expert Group for their dedication and expertise in drawing together a proposal for a Minimum Income Guarantee in Scotland. We will take time to consider their recommendations and the research that was published alongside, in light of current fiscal context, and respond in due course.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that finances remain on a sustainable trajectory. We will continue to take forward our programme of work for doing this, which was outlined in the publication of the 2025 Medium-Term Financial Strategy and Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan.

Question reference: S6W-38930

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic impact on Falkirk, Larbert and the surrounding region of the reported decision by Alexander Dennis to cease bus manufacturing.

Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) is a significant employer in Scotland and its operations at Falkirk and Larbert support a highly valuable supply chain. That is why the Scottish Government is working with the company to explore every possible option to retain bus manufacturing and safeguard employment.

Economic analysis undertaken by the Scottish Government in June 2025 suggests that the economic impact of closure of ADL’s sites in Larbert and Falkirk, including direct and indirect jobs, would be in the region of £30 to £50 million annually to the Scottish economy. Other analysis produced by Scottish Enterprise in May 2025 estimates the total annual economic impact as being £63 million before considering any reemployment impacts. This includes an estimate of the impact of employee spending (£8 million) which is not included within the Scottish Government estimates.

Question reference: S6W-38948

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will rule out using income generated from any new or increased taxation to fund a minimum income guarantee.

We have no plans to change tax policy in Scotland to finance a Minimum Income Guarantee. As part of Scotland's Tax Strategy, the Scottish Government has committed to exploring the reforms needed to continue to deliver sustainable and growing tax revenues in the future.

The independent Minimum Income Guarantee Expert Group commissioned a range of research to support their recommendations. We thank them for this work and will take the time to respond in due course.

Question reference: S6W-38936

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Alexander Dennis and NFI Group regarding the company's reported proposed relocation of manufacturing to England.

Question reference: S6W-38931

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the full terms of all grants and funding arrangements made to Alexander Dennis since 2010.