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-00402

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently in receipt of Adult Disability Payment where anxiety is recorded as the principal qualifying condition, broken down by (a) age, (b) sex and (c) local authority area.

Social Security Scotland regularly publishes statistics on Adult Disability Payment statistics to 31 January 2026 - Social Security Scotland.

However, information on the number of people in receipt of Adult Disability Payment where anxiety is recorded as the principal qualifying condition, broken down by age, sex and local authority area, is not available. Published statistics provide data on primary disabling conditions at a broader level.

Latest figures, published on 17 March 2026, show that as of 31 January 2026, 88,315 people were recorded in the sub-category neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (F40–F48), which includes anxiety. Breakdowns by age, sex and local authority area are available for the overall caseload, but not for individual conditions or sub-categories.

Question reference: S7W-00121

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing national restrictions or limits on the use of tablets, iPads and other personal digital devices in primary schools and nursery settings.

In a Statement to Parliament yesterday, I confirmed the Scottish Government’s intention to change the law to facilitate phone free learning environments.

I confirmed we are beginning a consultation on phone free classrooms legislation within our first 100 days, and are working with education authorities to update guidance to encourage action from the start of the new school year in August, in advance of a change in the law. These commitments reflect the fact that personal devices can cause distraction and disruption and are not ordinarily used for learning. International evidence indicates that purposeful use of digital technology in education can enhance learning experiences. The level of impact depends on the nature of the task, the educational purpose it serves, and how well it is supported by effective pedagogy and professional judgement.

In schools, digital tools support structured activities such as research, writing, collaboration, creativity and accessibility. This is fundamentally different from the recreational or open-ended use often associated with personal devices at home. Decisions about when and how these tools are used are for local authorities and schools. Teachers use their professional judgement, taking account of the age and stage of learners, the wider needs of the child, and the need to balance digital activity with play, interaction and physical activity.

Question reference: S7W-00708

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its joint purchase with Fife Council of 26 homes from Torah Capital Limited and TC CAPS3 Limited across West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss and Denbeath, whether its £2 million contribution to the purchase is part of a new national policy of government-funded buyouts to prevent private sector evictions, or whether it is to be considered as a one-off emergency measure.

Question reference: S7W-00707

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its joint purchase with Fife Council of 26 homes from Torah Capital Limited and TC CAPS3 Limited across West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss and Denbeath, and in light of a Fife councillor reportedly describing this intervention as "stepping in at the right time", what specific criteria it plans to use to decide whether it will intervene in future cases where private tenants face mass eviction.

Question reference: S7W-00706

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its joint purchase with Fife Council of 26 homes from Torah Capital Limited and TC CAPS3 Limited across West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss and Denbeath, how it quantified the social value of maintaining established communities and preventing potentially distressing uncertainty against the pure economic cost of the purchase.

Question reference: S7W-00704

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 June 2026

Question reference: S7W-00709

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its joint purchase with Fife Council of 26 homes from Torah Capital Limited and TC CAPS3 Limited across West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss and Denbeath, whether it will provide information on how its £2 million contribution was determined, and whether there are further funds available to support other communities potentially facing similar threats to their housing security in Fife or elsewhere in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-00705

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its joint purchase with Fife Council of 26 homes from Torah Capital Limited and TC CAPS3 Limited across West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss and Denbeath, how does the purchase price compare with the price Torah Capital Limited and TC CAPS3 Limited paid to Wemyss Estates in September 2025.

Question reference: S7W-00703

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its joint purchase with Fife Council of 26 homes from Torah Capital Limited and TC CAPS3 Limited across West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss and Denbeath, what assessment it has made of the number of additional households that could have been supported through existing national housing programs using the £2 million that was diverted to this emergency intervention.

Question reference: S7W-00406

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will proceed with an appeal against the proposed Category A-listed status of HMP Barlinnie, and what impact assessment has been undertaken regarding any effect on prison redevelopment plans.

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

SPS welcome and value the continued interest in HMP Barlinnie and we recognise its historic significance, however we believe that a more proportionate and selective approach is required for the site’s viability long-term.

Working in partnership with the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), SPS has utilised existing funding to lodge an appeal via Montagu Evans. Following any outcome, we will then be in a more informed position to assess the impact of the final decision, including consideration of any potential financial costs and any options for redevelopment of the site.