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-39183

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor and enforce the return to use of the reported 43,000 long-term empty properties.

Question reference: S6W-39191

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the reason why hundreds of police officers are reportedly having to work second jobs.

Question reference: S6W-39106

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 8 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the launch of the GOV.UK app, whether it has plans to develop a Scottish Government mobile app.

Question reference: S6W-39189

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic losses to Scottish farming from the bluetongue virus (BTV-3) movement restrictions.

Question reference: S6W-38679

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns of the Scottish Police Federation that public inquiries are having a "detrimental impact" on policing.

As Public Inquiries are independent of Ministers, it is for the Chair to direct how an Inquiry carries out its duties whilst being mindful of their responsibilities under section 17(3) of the Inquiries Act 2005 to avoid unnecessary costs.

The operation of Police Scotland, including decisions on the allocation of resources and the deployment of officers and staff, is for the Chief Constable, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. This includes the allocation of budget and staff to support the work of Public Inquiries.

Question reference: S6W-38665

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is appropriate that the First Minister has appointed 16 special advisers, and how this compares to the number of special advisers appointed by former First Ministers.

Special Advisers are appointed by the First Minister to provide important assistance to Scottish Ministers on the development of policy and its presentation. Their appointment is designed to reinforce the political impartiality of the permanent Civil Service by providing Ministers with a separate channel for political advice and assistance.

In 2024-25, the number and total cost of Special Advisers reduced in comparison to the previous year.

The Scottish Government has published a list of current Special Advisers online. These details, as well as lists of former Special Advisers, can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/special-advisers/.

Question reference: S6W-39156

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many jobs in Scotland are reliant on the naval shipbuilding programme.

Question reference: S6W-39169

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the value for money of the reported £3.8 million that it spent on its net zero marketing campaign.

Question reference: S6W-39153

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what due diligence it undertook prior to it reportedly approving £300,000 of public funding for the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Question reference: S6W-39133

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any terms for enhanced benefits that were requested by unions representing its civil service as part of any agreement on increased office attendance.