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-40652

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of reference are for the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group.

The terms of reference, membership and minutes of the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Strategic Group’s meetings are published on the Scottish Government website: National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group - gov.scot.

Membership of the Group is drawn from organisations that deliver, support delivery, scrutinise or regulate child protection responses and frameworks in Scotland, alongside relevant academic and research bodies. The group has one independent member, Professor Alexis Jay, who was selected for her particular expertise and experience in the area of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Question reference: S6W-40801

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether biological sex determines legal sex for the purposes of the law.

Question reference: S6W-40806

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to reassure women that their rights under laws on single-sex spaces and services are protected.

Question reference: S6W-40802

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish updated guidance for all public authorities that is consistent with the Supreme Court judgment in the case, For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-40805

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how any delay in implementing laws on single-sex spaces and services is compatible with its equality objectives.

Question reference: S6W-40799

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not implemented updated guidance for all public authorities to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court judgment in the case, For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-40804

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received any legal advice regarding its obligations to implement laws on single-sex spaces and services.

Question reference: S6W-40803

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent further costs to the public purse as a result of tribunal cases in relation to non-compliance with the Supreme Court judgment in the case, For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-40800

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Equality and Human Rights Commission since April 2025.

Question reference: S6W-40595

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to Brand Scotland media in each of the last three years, and what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of this expenditure.

The Brand Scotland media spend can be found here Marketing spend - gov.scot

Effectiveness of Brand Scotland marketing is assessed throughout and at the conclusion of activity reviewing a combination of metrics and using an independent market research agency where relevant. Brand Scotland plays a key role in Scotland’s reputation and how it is perceived internationally which is critical to support Scotland’s economy. Since 2008, the Scottish Government has used the Anholt Nation Brands Index to assess and monitor how Scotland is perceived around the world. In 2024 Scotland had a score of 65.1 and rose one place in terms of its overall rank of 15th out of 50 nations indicating that Scotland’s reputation is strong and continues to grow. Full results can be found here The Anholt Nation Brands Index®: 2024 report for Scotland - gov.scot

Brand Scotland has been effective in reaching widespread international audiences e.g. in 2024-25 a BBC Worldwide media partnership that reached 29.5 million and organic social reached 23.5 million with total users of Scotland.org has growing from 1.39 million in 2023-24 to 1.89 million in 2024-25 and 89,249 total referrals to partners.

Brand tracking research by an independent market research agency in 2025 showed that 25% of people in the target markets of US, UK, France and Germany could recall Brand Scotland advertising. Amongst these campaign recognisers 88% claimed to have taken an action after seeing the campaign (e.g. 33% talking to friends and family, 33% researching visiting or going to Scotland on holiday and 28% talking to other people). The BBC’s in-house emotional engagement measurement tool found strong sentiment uplift after viewing of Brand Scotland films for 2024-25. 61% of viewers believed that ‘Scotland is a progressive nation’ after viewing the campaign, with a 45% uplift (compared to a control group of non-viewers of the campaign) in belief that ‘Scotland is innovative’.