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-41283

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support Glasgow City Council and Glasgow's 59 housing associations to establish a Common Housing Register to improve the efficiency of housing stock allocation in the city.

The responsibility for the management of allocating housing in the social rented sector lies with local authorities and housing associations. It is for them to determine the most effective way to manage allocation policy to balance the housing needs of their communities and addresses the relative needs of individuals.

The Scottish Government continues to see Common Housing Registers as a potentially useful way of simplifying and maximising access to social housing. Where local authorities and housing associations have determined that this is the best way to manage allocations in their local circumstances, we support this through information provided at Common Housing Register (CHR) - building a register: a practitioner's guide - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-41406

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) pause the withdrawal of the Family Protection Plan (FPP), in light of reports that members of credit unions across Scotland face the sudden loss of this long-standing insurance policy, which was brokered by CMutual and underwritten by Maiden Life Forsakrings AB (UK Branch), in order to help families cover funeral costs.

The Scottish Government has engaged with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Association of British Credit Unions Limited (ABCUL) to understand the implications of the withdrawal and the support being provided to current policyholders. We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that those affected receive clear information about their options.

The FCA has confirmed that the withdrawal of the Family Protection Plan is a commercial decision taken by Maiden Life. It is not within the FCA’s remit to require Maiden Life to continue to offer the plan. The focus of the FCA has been to ensure impacted credit union members are appropriately informed and have sufficient opportunity to consider their options and have encouraged the Credit Unions to take proactive steps to communicate clearly and promptly with their members about the termination of FPP. The FCA also confirmed that the notification period provided by Maiden Life exceeded that required by the policy.

Question reference: S6W-41413

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the latest economic inactivity rate in Scotland of 22.7% compares with the latest available rates in ITL 1 statistical regions of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and with all other 37 member states of the Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development (OECD).

The estimated economic inactivity rate for people aged 16 to 64 in Scotland was 22.7% in June to August 2025. This was lower than the estimated economic inactivity rates for Northern Ireland (26.9%) and Wales (25.0%), but higher than the estimated rate for England (20.5%). ONS publish OECD economic inactivity rate statistics covering the 38 OECD countries. The most recent data were published on 14 October 2025, covering the period to Q2 2025 (April – June).

The estimated economic inactivity rate for Scotland in April – June 2025 was 21.9%. Comparison with ONS’s published international data suggests that Scotland’s economic inactivity rate in Q2 2025 was lower than the estimated OECD average rate (25.9%).

Question reference: S6W-41295

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to encourage organisations to buy from Scotland's social enterprises.

The Scottish Government supports a range of activity to encourage organisations to buy from social enterprises.

Through funding for Social Enterprise Scotland, we support the Buy Social Scotland initiative which promotes responsible procurement and connects buyers with social enterprise suppliers. Over 48 organisations have signed the Buy Social Pledge, including local authorities and private sector firms. A national Supplier Catalogue, developed and regularly updated as part of the initiative, helps buyers identify and engage with social enterprise suppliers.

We also published the first SME and Third Sector Procurement Action Plan in April 2024 to reduce barriers and improve access to public procurement. A review of the impact of this plan was published in August 2025. Through Scottish Government funding, Public Contracts Scotland was updated to allow third sector organisations to self-identify, enabling contracting authorities to take a more targeted approach to procurement opportunities such as Quick Quotes. These changes have been promoted across the third sector and the wider Scottish public sector to encourage utilisation.

Question reference: S6W-41399

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the temporary barriers will be removed from the carriageway at the railway overbridge at Sword Street in Dennistoun.

Question reference: S6O-05153

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding reports of a lack of sufficient local school provision in Robroyston.

Question reference: S6W-41402

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its procurement of lifeline ferries, whether it will request that CMAL seek advice from the UK Government National Security Unit for Procurement regarding an assessment of any potential national security concerns in relation to any prospective non-UK based suppliers for the design and construction of lifeline ferries, including in relation to Northern Isles services.

Question reference: S6W-41398

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the temporary barriers will be removed from the carriageway at the railway overbridge at Whitevale Street in Dennistoun.

Question reference: S6W-41401

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct CMAL to disregard any tenders from Chinese shipbuilding firms, in light of reported concerns regarding unfair, market-distorting state support for Chinese shipbuilding firms, and the lack of a trade agreement between the UK and China as defined by section 89 of the Procurement Act 2023.

There is no policy or approach that excludes Chinese companies from bidding for work on Scottish Government led or funded projects. CMAL, as the Procuring Authority, considers bids for vessel contracts in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

We expect CMAL, as the Procuring Authority, to carry out appropriate due diligence, including financial and other checks on all of the companies they invite to tender

Question reference: S6W-41282

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider including a requirement for bids to include public equity stakes in any future offshore leasing rounds.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39996 on 3 September 2025, that the assessment process for seabed leasing for offshore wind and other marine renewable developments and the criteria that underpins that process, is a matter for Crown Estate Scotland.

Specific assessment criteria are developed in the run-up to the launch of leasing rounds.

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.