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-39869

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the requirements of section 30 of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, what measures have been put in place to ensure that a children’s hearing, pre-hearing panel, or court has regard to any risk of prejudice to the child’s welfare that a delay in proceedings would pose.

Section 30(1), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, on delay in children’s hearings and adoption and permanence proceedings, came into force on 22 June 2025:

The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 3 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025.

Section 30(2), relating to delay in cases under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (e.g. contact and residence) is not yet in force. It will be included in the next set of commencement regulations planned for October 2025. Since it is linked to the commencement of other provisions where there will be operational implications, there will be a 12 month lead-in period before the provisions in the next set of commencement regulations will come into force.

I refer the member to a meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on unimplemented legislation (including the 2020 Act) on 24 June 2025 regarding this commitment: Official Report (see columns 10 to 14).

Question reference: S6W-39868

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how many children have been affected by the reported delayed implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020.

There has been no formal assessment of how many children have been affected by delays in implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, but the Scottish Government recognises the need to implement the Act to ensure the best interests of children are at the centre of any family proceedings.

The Scottish Government remains committed to implementing the Act, and I refer the member to the recent meetings of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on unimplemented legislation where further commencement and implementation of the 2020 Act was discussed – on 10 December 2024 [see Official Report columns 11 to 15] and 24 June 2025 [see Official Report columns 10 to 14].

Question reference: S6W-39866

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will (a) provide an update on the implementation of the provisions of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 and (b) set out all provisions that have yet to be implemented, including the reasons why they have not been implemented to date.

I refer the member to the recent meetings of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on unimplemented legislation, including the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act), where updates on implementation of the Act were discussed – on 10 December 2024 [see Official Report columns 11 to 15] and 24 June 2025 [see Official Report columns 10 to 14].

The Scottish Government letter to the Committee on 11 March 2025 sets out the position on commencement and implementation of key provisions of the 2020 Act: Letter from the Minister for Victims and Community Safety.

Since that letter we have made a further set of commencement regulations: The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 3 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025 relating to section 1(2), on the views of the child being considered when parents are making major decisions; and section 30(1), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7), on delay in children’s hearings and adoption and permanence proceedings.

A number of other provisions are already in force or have already been commenced for certain purposes:

?The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 1 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2020

?The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2021

We plan to make a further set of commencement regulations in October 2025 of provisions set out in the letter to Committee. This commitment was made at the meeting of the Committee on unimplemented legislation on 24 June 2025.

Sections 4, 5, 7 and 8 of the 2020 Act are considerably amended by provisions in Part 3 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Bill, therefore commencement of those sections will follow enactment of the Bill. In addition, since we intend to regulate child contact services using powers in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, we won’t commence further provisions in section 10 of the 2020 Act at this time.

Question reference: S6W-39867

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether section 30(1) and (3) to (7) of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 came into force on 22 June 2025.

Question reference: S6W-40153

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angela Constance on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to add the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021.

Today the Scottish Ministers have laid a draft of a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) in Parliament which adds the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 ("the 2021 Act") and published a consultation paper seeking views on the draft instrument. The consultation can be viewed at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806430857.

The effect of the SSI is to add the characteristic of sex to the list of characteristics covered by the offence of stirring up hatred and the statutory aggravation concerning offences aggravated by prejudice. This will ensure that women and girls have the same protections as victims of hate crime targeted because of their religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, age, disability or variations in sex characteristics. The provision will also provide protection to men and boys.

There is a requirement in the 2021 Act for the draft SSI to be laid in Parliament for at least 40 days, excluding any period where the Parliament is in recess for more than 2 days. The consultation will run until 10 October 2025. The responses to the consultation will help inform consideration of the SSI to be laid in Parliament after the end of the consultation.

Question reference: S6O-04885

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its definition of what constitutes "substantial" damp and mould in a home, at what threshold such conditions are considered to require remedial action by social landlords.

Question reference: S6O-04883

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly downgrading fire station services across the country, including in Helensburgh.

Question reference: S6O-04884

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will deliver on its commitments in The Promise, in light of the publication, Education Outcomes for Looked After Children 2023/24, showing a decline in most key educational outcomes.

Question reference: S6O-04888

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the future award of any grants or loans to arts or public performance venues, whether it or any public authority, including Creative Scotland, will require applicants to observe and respect freedom of expression under the law in order to be eligible for financial support, and that failing to do so will require any funding provided to be repaid.

Question reference: S6O-04882

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what alternatives are being piloted to enable older patients to be cared for outside of hospitals.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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