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: S7W-04080

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alyn Smith on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it will make of any potential impact on the sustainability of the college sector before determining future funding arrangements in its 2027-28 Budget.

The fiscal environment remains extremely challenging and decisions on future funding will be taken as part of the Budget process, with spending directed towards the delivery of the First Minister's priorities.

We are working with the Scottish Funding Council and the sector to strengthen financial sustainability and provide greater flexibility, while also supporting the College Sector of the Future workstream. These measures will improve the sustainability of the sector.

Question reference: S7W-03717

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to preventing vape shops from operating in listed, historic or other architecturally significant buildings, in light of the potential fire risk associated with the storage and charging of lithium-ion batteries and the vulnerability of historic buildings to fire.

Question reference: S7W-04463

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a target replacement cycle for MRI scanners across NHS Scotland, and how many scanners are currently operating beyond that target age.

Question reference: S7W-04470

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of disparities in remuneration between judicial office holders in the Scottish Tribunals and their counterparts in equivalent tribunals elsewhere in the UK, including reported differences in daily fee rates of between £80 and £213 and holiday pay rates of 12.07% compared with approximately 15% elsewhere, particularly where judicial office holders serving in devolved and reserved tribunals work alongside one another in Scotland, and whether it will consider reviewing these arrangements to achieve parity.

Question reference: S7W-04462

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether workforce planning for geriatric medicine is sufficient to deliver the objectives set out in its policies for older people.

Question reference: S7W-04467

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the current terms and conditions of judicial office holders in the Scottish Tribunals on morale, recruitment and retention, including how these compare with equivalent appointments in reserved tribunals and the courts, and whether it will commit to a comprehensive review of these arrangements and engage directly with GMB Scotland regarding potential improvements.

Question reference: S7W-04461

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of NHS Scotland hospital bed days were occupied by patients aged (a) 65 and over, (b) 75 and over and (c) 85 and over, in the latest year for which information is available.

Question reference: S7W-04469

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns raised by GMB Scotland that judicial office holders in the Scottish Tribunals do not have access to the same pension arrangements as their counterparts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including retrospective entitlements dating to 2000 for legal members and 2012 for non-legal members, what action it is taking to address this disparity, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding achieving parity in judicial pension provision.

Question reference: S7W-04460

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the implications of Scotland's ageing population for (a) hospital bed occupancy and (b) demand for consultant geriatricians.

Question reference: S7W-04458

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many consultant geriatricians are currently employed by NHS Scotland, broken down by NHS board, and what assessment it has made of whether current staffing levels are sufficient to meet projected demand arising from Scotland's ageing population.