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-38844

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Ofgem following the regulator’s announcement on 26 May 2025 that the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off will take a phased approach, starting from 30 June 2025, and what it anticipates the impact of this switch-off will be for consumers in Scotland who have not yet switched to a smart meter.

Responsibility for managing and resolving the RTS switch-off is fully reserved to the UK Parliament and is regulated by Ofgem. However, given the disproportionate impact on the people of Scotland, the Scottish Government is in daily contact with the UK Government and Ofgem to press them to take the necessary steps to protect consumers.

Households and businesses who have not yet upgraded should not face any unexpected disruption to their heating or hot water from 30 June. The Scottish Government understands that energy suppliers will contact all affected customers in advance of any phase out activity in an area, allowing sufficient time to book and receive a meter upgrade. We expect suppliers to deliver on their commitment to increase the number of upgrades significantly and quickly in Scotland. We will continue to do everything possible to raise awareness and hold those responsible to account through formal and informal channels, including the RTS Taskforce.

While we welcome the decision to take a phased approach to the switch-off, the announcement has come too late and with insufficient detail to reassure consumers who have not yet managed to secure a meter upgrade. We remain concerned about the potential impact on vulnerable consumers, communities, local authorities, and emergency responders, and the First Minister has now escalated these concerns to the Prime Minister. The Scottish Government, local authorities, and other devolved services must be provided with full details of the phase-out timetable detailing which local authority areas will be impacted and when.

Any consumers experiencing difficulties with their supplier can contact Advice Direct Scotland (ADS). Funded by the Scottish Government, ADS runs the free national energy advice service and can be contacted on 0808 196 8660 or at Energy Advice | Energy Advice | energyadvice.scot.

Question reference: S6W-38866

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that energy consent projects that it approves contribute to positive outcomes for biodiversity, as required by National Planning Framework 4.

Question reference: S6W-38867

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what the relevance of National Planning Framework 4 is in determining energy consents.

Question reference: S6W-38760

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent media coverage of a video showing discarded fish on the Scottish seabed, what due diligence it carries out regarding any fines or convictions for illegal discard prior to it providing any funding to any fishing companies or vessels.

Applicants to the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) are subject to scheme rules and eligibility criteria which include, where appropriate, assessment of any previous relevant offences and convictions. This is set out in detail in the MFS scheme guidance Marine and fisheries grants - gov.scot. The assessment of applications prior to funding award decisions includes liaison with Scottish Government Marine Directorate Compliance teams to consider any relevant fines and convictions.

Question reference: S6W-39118

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the preparation of an environmental policy strategy under section 47 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.

The Scottish Government has published a consultation on a draft Environment Strategy, building on the Vision and Outcomes document published in 2020, that will fulfil the requirements of section 47 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.

The draft Environment Strategy brings together our approach for creating a Scotland whose environment is healthy and robust and benefits everyone in Scotland. It sets out a holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in protecting our environment by tackling nature loss, climate change and pollution. It focuses on approaches that will improve the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s communities, promote social justice and strengthen our economy, helping us to become a fairer, more prosperous and resilient nation. In this way, it is designed to support the delivery of all four of the government’s priorities.

The consultation is available on Citizen Space at https://consult.gov.scot/environment-forestry/draft-environment-strategy/ and we encourage responses from all parts of society and from our business community. The consultation will close on 29 September.

Question reference: S6W-38657

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of its amendment to the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, to reduce the threshold at which provisions apply to land from 3,000 hectares to 1,000 hectares, on the (a) likely number of sales and transfers of land and (b) costs to rural businesses.

Amendment 38 to the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, agreed to by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee at Stage 2, lowered the threshold in relation to the land which community engagement obligations (the primary of these being the land management plans) may be imposed from 3,000 to 1,000 hectares. This aligns the thresholds for these provisions with those for the pre-notification and transfer test provisions, which relate to transfers of land. The threshold for pre-notification and transfer test provisions were already set at 1,000 hectares at Bill introduction.

To understand the impact of all the Bill's proposals on businesses, the Scottish Government conducted a Scottish firms impact test, involving engagement with landowners, land agents and representative organisations of land-based businesses. The assessment of the potential impacts of the Bill provisions applying to land over 1,000 hectares on a) transfers of land and b) costs for rural businesses can be found in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Question reference: S6W-38889

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what alternative projects it has planned to improve direct connectivity between the city of Glasgow and Glasgow Airport, in light of the cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) proposal, and what the timelines are for the delivery of any such projects.

The second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), which was published by the Scottish Government in December 2022 to inform future transport investment in Scotland, identifies the Clyde Metro as one of its recommendations.

The ongoing stage of development of Clyde Metro, known as the Case for Investment, is being led by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), supported by Glasgow City Council leading various workstreams alongside SPT, with Transport Scotland providing a project assurance role.

This key stage of the development process includes consideration of access improvements to Glasgow Airport and will inform decisions around network selection, phasing and implementation. The Case for Investment stage is well underway and is currently anticipated to be complete by mid-2027.

Further details on the Case for Investment stage can be obtained by contacting SPT directly at [email protected].

Question reference: S6W-38740

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what compliance monitoring by NatureScot in relation to grouse shooting licences (a) took place during the 2024 and (b) is planned for the 2025 shooting season.

Desk based compliance checks have been made on all grouse moor licences in respect of ensuring the area covered by the licence is appropriate and the relevant information has been provided by the applicant. Whilst no site visits have specifically been undertaken for compliance for grouse licensing so far, NatureScot staff have been on grouse moors and visited areas in which licences are in place in the course of other casework. NatureScot has produced staff guidance in relation to reporting wildlife crime encountered by its staff, so if any issues had been identified then this would have been progressed through notification to Police Scotland and the licensing teams.

NatureScot have information sharing protocols in place with Police Scotland regarding reported incidents of wildlife crime. They also work closely with other public agencies who have roles in inspection, regulation and enforcement, such as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Rural Payments Inspection Division, whereby any issues picked up will be reported to NatureScot.

NatureScot also monitors annual return information as part of their compliance monitoring. Each licence holder is required to submit details on the number of grouse shot under licence and information on how the licence holder and those operating under it have complied with the Code of Practice on Grouse Moor Management. The provision of this annual return data is a condition of licence and a key part of NatureScot’s compliance monitoring process.

For compliance monitoring for 2025, NatureScot will carry out site visits where intelligence suggests it would help understand any compliance issues.

Question reference: S6W-38753

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost was of repairs to the MV Caledonian Isles between 4 January 2024 and 12 June 2025.

Question reference: S6W-38939

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners released early in 2024 had convictions for (a) violent or antisocial behaviour and (b) crimes against women.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS have proactively shared the data analysis for those released early in 2024, and the full breakdown can be accessed on our website here Data, Research and Evidence | Scottish Prison Service.

The offence categories analysed were in line with the Index Offence Derivation which does not include crimes against women. Further information on recognised offence categories can be found here CellWise Data Construction - Scottish prison population statistics technical manual - gov.scot.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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