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-03946

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken to ensure that freelance creative workers who have contracts with the public sector are paid promptly and within agreed timescales.

Question reference: S7W-03456

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether Ferguson Marine has ordered a new panel line from Pemamek and, if so, when it will be (a) installed and (b) commissioned for steel fabrication at the shipyard.

Question reference: S7W-03433

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution that Scotland’s civil nuclear sector could make to developing the next generation of skilled workers, including through apprenticeships and opportunities for young people.

The Scottish Government has not made a specific assessment of the sector’s future role in skills development.

We recognise that apprenticeships play a vital role in giving young people a pathway into a rewarding career and providing a way for employers to invest in their workforce and we are committed to expanding our modern and graduate apprenticeship offer.

Engineering and energy-related frameworks accounted for 7.5% of new apprenticeship starts and 15.7% of all Modern Apprenticeships in training during 2025–26.

The Scottish Government provided around £198 million to support around 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeships (MA), 5,000 new Foundation Apprenticeships and 1,500 new Graduate Apprenticeships in 2024-25. We have also committed to supporting more than 150,000 apprenticeship opportunities over the course of this Parliament and to introducing an Apprenticeship Accelerator Grant.

Question reference: S7W-03050

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific statutory powers it would rely upon to prevent the construction of a small modular reactor (SMR) or advanced modular reactor (AMR) with a generating capacity of less than 50MW, in light of such installations not requiring consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 from Scottish Ministers and being ordinarily determined by the local planning authority.

Question reference: S7W-03434

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the role that the 851 civil nuclear workers at Torness play in supporting Scotland’s energy security.

Question reference: S7W-03435

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential for new nuclear development at Torness to increase employment beyond the 851 civil nuclear jobs currently supported at the site.

Question reference: S7O-00363

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to embed the principle of subsidiarity into its proposed public sector reform.

Question reference: S7W-03347

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last visited Dalzell, what observation were made during the visit, and whether they will make a statement to Parliament on the future of steel plate production in Scotland before the October 2026 recess.

The former Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work visited the Dalzell steelworks on 8 August 2018.

Ivan McKee, Minister for Public Finance made a statement to Parliament on 11 September 2025 regarding GFG Alliance operations in Scotland, including Dalzell.

The priority of the Scottish Government is to see the plant operational and Ministers are committed to updating Parliament on developments.

Question reference: S7W-03342

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Dalzell’s role in UK and Scottish defence, shipbuilding and infrastructure supply chains, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the designation of the mill as a public-interest steel asset under the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Act 2026.

Question reference: S7W-03340

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its latest contingency analysis relating to Dalzell and Clydebridge to enable Parliament to scrutinise the options being considered.