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: S6O-04372

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Scottish Funding Council regarding the University of Dundee.

Question reference: S6O-04355

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the justice secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding action to counter the reported proliferation of child sex abuse images online.

Question reference: S6O-04348

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to local authorities to maintain arts and cultural programmes.

Question reference: S6O-04357

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the establishment of the Emma Caldwell public inquiry.

Question reference: S6O-04370

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update its guidance on the use of mobile phones in classrooms.

Question reference: S6W-34606

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the supplementary to question S6O-04294 by Ivan McKee on 5 February 2025, what information it collects on net movement between Scotland and the rest of the UK, and by what metrics it is equipped to break down the figures of overall movement to and from Scotland and the rest of the UK.

As part of the Scottish Government’s work with HMRC to develop the evidence base analysis on intra-UK migration has been published by HMRC, showing movements by tax band and age band. This is available at:

Intra-UK migration of individuals: movements in numbers and income - GOV.UK

Both the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish official statistics on migration between Scotland and the rest of the UK. However, these aim to measure total migration (where the HMRC analysis considers only the subset of people who were taxpayers before and after moving). As these figures are not concerned with taxpayers specifically they do not contain information about incomes or tax bands.

Question reference: S6W-34577

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many GlobalScot representatives are located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and what events are planned there for 2025.

Scottish Enterprise confirmed there are 60 GlobalScots located in the UAE.

There are currently 4 events coming up within the year with one specific to GlobalScots. The 4 events that are planned for this year within UAE are:

Gulfood - the world's largest annual food and hospitality show (17-21 February 2025);
GlobalScot Middle East AGM (end of March 2025);
Scotland Week, which will include an Energy Trade Mission, Scottish Food and Drink showcase and some Capital Investment and Science & Tech related activity (planned for April 2025);
ADIPEC - Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (3-6 November 2025; focus on energy transition).

Question reference: S6W-34390

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the National Energy System Operator, (b) ScottishPower Energy Networks, (c) Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks and (d) the UK Government regarding the disparity in transmission impact assessment thresholds between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with Ofgem and NESO to ensure transmission infrastructure delivers for Scotland. This includes exploration of the TIA threshold, and consideration of the impact that this has on energy users in Scotland.

The most recent discussions on TIA thresholds took place with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks on 4 February 2025. Joint discussions with UK Government, National Energy System Operator and Scottish Government officials took place on 6 February 2025. Officials also plan to discuss this when they next meet with Scottish Power Energy Networks representatives on 11 March 2025.

Officials also attend NESO’s Connections Process Advisory Group and Connections Delivery Board meetings where the TIA threshold was discussed. Membership of these governance boards includes representatives from across industry, including TOs, together with Scottish, Welsh and UK Governments and Ofgem. Notes of these meetings can be found via NESO’s website: Search | National Energy System Operator.

Question reference: S6W-34391

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on Scotland's net zero targets of maintaining the current 200-kilowatt threshold for transmission impact assessments.

While, to date, the Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of the potential impact on Scotland’s net zero targets of maintaining the 200kW threshold for transmission impact assessments, it is aware of this issue. As detailed in responses to S6W-34389 and S6W-34390 on 19 February 2025, Scottish Government officials are engaging with stakeholders to develop an understanding of the issues the difference creates and to explore options which may mitigate any negative consequences.

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-34455

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government who (a) commissioned and (b) is paying for the Project Willow study on the future of the Grangemouth refinery.