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-02807

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what interim measures it is taking to support local authorities bring vacant and derelict buildings back into productive use while the statutory framework for Compulsory Sales Orders is being developed.

We have not committed to the development of a statutory framework for Compulsory Sale Orders. National Planning Framework 4 encourages, promotes and facilitates the reuse of brownfield, vacant and derelict land and empty buildings, to help reduce the need for greenfield development. Existing compulsory purchase powers can be used to help bring such land and buildings back into use. We will continue to monitor whether compulsory sale powers could provide any additional benefits beyond a reformed compulsory purchase system.

Question reference: S7W-02808

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the proposed operational framework for Compulsory Sales Orders will integrate with existing efforts to streamline Compulsory Purchase Orders to provide a comprehensive toolkit for urban regeneration.

Question reference: S7W-02648

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, following the departure of Dr Calum MacLeod, how many Land Commissioners currently serve on the board of the Scottish Land Commission; for what reason, in the context of public service reform, it has not yet recruited a replacement for Dr MacLeod, whether it plans the board to return to its full statutory complement of five Commissioners and, if (a) so, by what date it expects to do so and (b) not, (i) on what legal authority it is operating with fewer than five Commissioners and (ii) whether it will lay regulations under section 4(5) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 to alter the number of Commissioners.

I wrote to the Parliament’s Rural Affairs Committee on 3 September 2026 to notify them of my intention to bring forward a Scottish statutory instrument which, subject to Parliament’s consideration, will amend the number of Land Commissioners at the Scottish Land Commission from five to four. We expect the instrument to be laid in early October. The letter can be found on Parliament’s website: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-7/rural-affairs-committee/correspondence/2026/land-reform-scotland-act-2016-of-3-september

Following Dr Calum MacLeod's resignation earlier this year, there are currently four Land Commissioners serving as members of the Scottish Land Commission. The Tenant Farming Commissioner also serves as a member of the Commission.

Question reference: S7W-02804

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to introduce primary legislation to establish Compulsory Sales Orders, following the publication on 26 August 2026 of the summary of responses to its consultation on compulsory purchase reform and the analysis report of its consultation on compulsory sale and lease orders.

The Scottish Government’s ‘Compulsory Purchase Reform in Scotland’ consultation demonstrated support for reforming and modernising Scotland's compulsory purchase system and we have committed to legislate for the proposed reforms during this Parliament, as set out in the Programme for Government.

The consultation also included questions about compulsory sale orders, and while respondents expressed support in principle, some questioned whether this could offer additional advantages beyond a reformed compulsory purchase process, with uncertainty about efficacy, justification and practical operation. As part of continuous improvement, we will continue to monitor whether compulsory sale powers could provide any additional benefits beyond a reformed compulsory purchase system.

Question reference: S7W-03294

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the current operational status of the Liberty Steel Plate Mill at Dalzell, including whether rolling has restarted, on what date production last took place, how many tonnes have been rolled in 2026 to date, and how many staff are (a) on site, (b) on furlough or reduced hours, and (c) engaged only in care and maintenance.

Question reference: S7W-03303

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the current status of GFG Alliance’s consideration of a sale of Clydebridge, whether the site is being actively marketed, and whether it has discussed, or plans to discuss, any conditions related to environmental remediation, employment or future industrial use with any prospective purchaser.

Question reference: S7W-03301

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans are in place for Dalzell Plate Mill in the event that GFG Alliance is unable to fund feedstock, working capital or a sustained restart of operations, and whether those plans include consideration of public acquisition, a facilitated sale, or the site being placed under the control of an official receiver or a similar mechanism.

Question reference: S7W-03300

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money has been spent, directly or indirectly, supporting wages, site safety or care and maintenance at Dalzell and Clydebridge mills, in each year since 2024.

Question reference: S7W-03302

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Dalzell Plate Mill in Motherwell, whether it has received, considered or discussed any proposal from a third party, including Sir David Murray or any other potential operator, to acquire or operate the site, on what dates any such discussions took place, and what its current position is on facilitating such a transfer.

Question reference: S7W-03296

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the condition of the furnaces and rolling equipment at Liberty Steel Dalzell, including whether it has received any reports of underinvestment or maintenance backlogs that could prevent sustained production.