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-39928

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its reported failure to provide 24/7 access to thrombectomy treatment breaches its stated commitment to equitable health access.

Question reference: S6W-39679

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce drug testing of public waste water to better map so-called "hot spots".

In April 2025, the Centre of Expertise for Waters published research into the feasibility of wastewater monitoring for psychoactive substances in Scotland. The research publication is available here: https://www.crew.ac.uk/publications/review-psychoactive-substances-wastewater-monitoring-approaches-and-recommendations

While the research found that there were potential benefits of wastewater monitoring, and recommended piloting this in Scotland, there is further consideration required to understand how this would inform our future policy and enhance existing public health surveillance systems. The Scottish Government is working with Public Health Scotland to consider these issues as part of our wider work to extend our surveillance abilities.

Question reference: S6W-40119

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38946 by Natalie Don-Innes on 11 July 2025, what further policy development it is carrying out as a result of the meeting between its and UK Government officials to discuss Baroness Casey's audit.

Question reference: S6W-39754

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry and Land Scotland conducted any value for money assessments before proceeding with the purchase of the Glen Prosen estate; if so, what the outcome was of any such assessments, and what impact they had on the decision to purchase the estate.

Question reference: S6W-39838

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to City of Sanctuary UK in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-39839

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on which public sector organisations, including colleges and universities, have received Sanctuary Awards from City of Sanctuary UK in the last five years.

Question reference: S6O-04887

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central 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 discussions it has had with local authorities regarding solutions to the housing emergency.

Question reference: S6W-39687

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned into the effects of nitazenes and their prevalence in Scotland.

No specific research has been commissioned into the effects of nitazenes and their prevalence in Scotland. However we do draw on the international evidence base through our public health surveillance system. Since the first detection of these substances in Scotland in 2021, Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland (PHS) have worked closely to monitor the prevalence of these substances and to provide regular updates and alerts to those using drugs and those working in drug treatment services.

PHS publishes on a quarterly basis, accessible, up-to-date information on services, harms and emerging drug trends, via the Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) early warning system. This includes a range of information relating to nitazenes and can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/population-health/improving-scotlands-health/drugs/surveillance/rapid-action-drug-alerts-and-response-radar.

Question reference: S6W-39688

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 01 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many community safety or outreach patrols it funded in 2024-25 to support drug users.

Scottish Government provide funding to local areas to allocate as appropriate based on local need. Decisions about the need for community safety or outreach patrols will be for local areas to take.

Details of 2024-25 ADP funding and activity are set out in the annual funding letter which you can access here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/alcohol-drug-partnership-adp-letters-2024-25/

In addition, details of the National Drugs Mission funds, administered by the Corra Foundation support a range of projects are also available here: https://www.corra.scot/funding/grant-holder-data/

Question reference: S6W-39743

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the figures by KPMG, which reported that there was a 31% fall in job vacancies in Scotland in the three months to May 2025.