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-01070

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to improve the oversight and regulation for construction projects delivered using the design and build procurement route, to ensure that build quality is not compromised should the initial requirements not adequately ensure that the anticipated specifications are adhered to.

The Scottish Government’s Client Guide to Construction Projects provides detailed guidance for public bodies on the conduct of all construction projects including design and build. It reinforces the importance of embedding the delivery of quality in construction projects from the very start and recognises the critical role of clients in creating the systems and culture that underpin it. It is supplemented by construction policy notes which include guidance for oversight and site inspection in design and build projects. These are mandated for all projects which fall within the scope of the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).

The Scottish Government also continue to encourage all public sector bodies to use the Client Guide and the associated Construction Capability Assessment Tool in order to ensure their organisation is prepared for and aligned with all the requirements of their chosen procurement route.

The Scottish Government will continue to review and develop the Client Guide to Construction Projects and strengthen its visibility and impact

Question reference: S7W-01072

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the current number of social rental dwellings is as a share of the total number of dwellings, and how this share compares to other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) states.

The Scottish Government routinely publish data for Scotland on the number of social rented dwellings as a share of the total number of dwellings on an annual basis, and it is available Housing statistics: Stock by tenure tables. The latest data shows that 23% of the total housing stock are social housing (2024), it has been 23% since 2014.

The collation of equivalent data across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) states can be found here on tab ’Figure PH4.2.1’. The data is available from 2022 or latest year available. The OECD average is 7% in 2022, further data is available for other countries/areas can be found in Table 1 below.

From the information provided by the OECD, there are differences in definitions of social housing, as well as country level differences in collecting data on social housing, and time periods to consider when making comparisons – all of which might make these comparisons not like for like. For example, the Netherlands included some private rented housing below market rent in their data return to the OECD, whereas the Scotland data only includes housing owned by a housing association or a local authority.

Table 1: Number of social rental dwellings as a share of the total number of dwellings, 2022 or latest year available, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Area	% of total housing stock	Year
Netherlands	34.1	2021
Austria	23.6	2019
Denmark	21.3	2022
United Kingdom (England)	16.4	2022
France	14.0	2018
Ireland	12.7	2016
Iceland	11.1	2016
Finland	10.9	2021
Korea	8.9	2018
Switzerland	8.0	2013
EU	8.0	-
OECD	7.1	-
Poland	6.6	2020
Slovenia	4.7	2018
Belgium	4.2	2018
Norway	4.1	2022
New Zealand	3.8	2020
United States	3.6	2019
Czechia	3.6	2021
Canada	3.5	2022
Australia	3.2	2021
Japan	3.1	2018
Hungary	2.6	2018
Germany	2.6	2021
Slovak republic	2.5	2021
Italy	2.4	2022
Latvia	1.9	2016
Israel	1.8	2023
Spain	1.1	2019
Estonia	1.1	2017
Portugal	1.1	2021
Lithuania	0.8	2020
Colombia	0.0	2019

Question reference: S7W-01416

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission a modern traffic circulation plan for Greater Glasgow that focuses on reducing traffic, particularly in residential neighbourhoods, and maximising access to jobs and key services, while prioritising sustainable modes of transport, and whether such a plan will inform decisions on the permanent repair, removal or replacement of the M8 Woodside Viaducts.

Question reference: S7W-00873

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it became aware that the Grangemouth refinery was a bottom quartile-performing refinery on the Solomon Associates Energy Intensity Index, and what measures it proposed to address this.

The Scottish Government has a long established relationship with Petroineos, and our engagement has centred on progressing transition options for the asset and site, in particular following the onset of Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions which further intensified challenges associated with the refinery’s operational efficiency and commercial performance. These challenges were explained publicly by the refinery’s owner in the lead up to and following its closure. This engagement has resulted in a number of Scottish Government co-funded feasibility studies from 2021 onwards, culminating in the Project Willow study.

It is regrettable that, with the exception of the Project Willow study, the UK Government did not come to the table alongside the Scottish Government and the company to consider transition options for the asset in the years leading up to its closure.

The closure of the Grangemouth refinery is a matter of deep regret for the Scottish Government, despite Labour promising during the 2024 General Election campaign to save it from closure. I am also disappointed that, to date, not a penny of the National Wealth Fund’s £200 million Grangemouth allocation has been spent despite numerous pleas from this Government to do so.

Question reference: S7W-00998

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government by what date Transport Scotland will approve the opening of the new M80 overbridge at Robroyston.

Question reference: S7W-00840

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work carried out by Creative Scotland to support the reopening of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) at 350 Sauchiehall Street, in Glasgow.

The insolvency of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) is an ongoing legal process. The Scottish Government appreciates the challenges that this has created for the staff affected and for Glasgow’s cultural community more broadly.

The Scottish Government’s preference is to see 350 Sauchiehall Street re-open as an important asset to both Glasgow’s and Scotland’s culture and creative sector.

Creative Scotland, as owner of the building, continues to work on an open process for its future with the intention to sell the building as a cultural asset.

Question reference: S7W-00742

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graham Simpson (on behalf of the SPCB) on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will ensure that there is a basic late lunch hot food option available to purchase between 2.30 pm and 5.00 pm on sitting days.

Catering service provision across the Parliament provides a robust offer around parliamentary business. Service timings for lunch in the Garden Level Restaurant are based on levels of demand, ensuring efficient use of resources in line with parliamentary requirements. Alternative options are available after 2.30pm at the Coffee Bar where a hot sandwich option can be ordered and in the Public Café where hot food options including soup, baked potatoes and a range of sandwiches (including hot) are on offer until 5pm. Hot food is also available from 4pm in Queensberry House Lounge.

Question reference: S7W-00871

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether design work has been carried out on quad-tracking the railway between Hyndland East Junction and Kelvinhaugh Junction.

Question reference: S7W-00869

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether designs have been prepared for track doubling of single track sections of the Highland Main Line.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27087 on 7 May 2024.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Highland Main Line improvements were delivered further to the Strategic Transport Projects Review 1 (STPR1) published by Transport Scotland in 2009.

The Scottish Government does not hold any recent information related to design work, that the Member is seeking.

Question reference: S7W-00870

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether design work has been carried out for the electrification of the Maryhill Line.

The option to electrify the Maryhill Line has been previously been considered as part of wider reviews of Scotland’s railway infrastructure to identify routes that could benefit from electrification. Assessments that were previously undertaken in the 2010’s identified that the required works would require a number of overbridge reconstructions and track lowers throughout the route.

While electrification of the Maryhill Line does not form part of the current rail investment programme, it remains an option for future delivery alongside a number of other potentially valuable schemes.