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-03299

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

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support arrangements or financial liabilities it still has in place relating to Dalzell, Clydebridge or other GFG Alliance companies in Scotland, and what the maximum possible cost to the public purse would be in each case.

The Scottish Government has no financial support arrangements or financial liabilities relating to (a) Liberty Steel as owners of Dalzell and Clydebridge or (b) to other GFG Alliance companies in Scotland.

There an accounting provision relating to the Lochaber guarantee which is disclosed in the Consolidated Accounts of the Scottish Government. The Government's potential exposure to default payments has been valued at £130m as at 31 March 2025.

Question reference: S7W-03304

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

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on using public acquisition, a public-interest transfer or a joint vehicle with the UK Government to secure the long-term future of Dalzell Plate Mill in Motherwell, in light of reports that the UK Government will take British Steel and Speciality Steel UK into public ownership.

Question reference: S7W-03294

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 28 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-03298

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding Scottish Enterprise's working-capital loan to Liberty Steel Dalzell, what the outstanding balance is of the loan, when repayments under the loan were originally due, what repayments have been received to date, and whether any discussions have taken place regarding the restructuring of, or the writing off of, any part of the loan.

Question reference: S7W-03296

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 28 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.

Question reference: S7W-03339

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific support or interim financial relief it will provide to congregations and dioceses experiencing significant VAT shortfalls on active conservation projects following the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, including Carntyne and Cranhill Parish Church and listed churches within the Archdiocese of Glasgow.

Question reference: S7W-03337

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish a dedicated and long-term capital fund to address the growing number of historic church closures across Scotland, and what steps it is taking to ensure that funding for places of worship does not reduce the grant allocations available for other built environment and heritage projects managed by Historic Environment Scotland.

The Scotland’s Places of Worship Fund will operate as a pilot until March 2027. The pilot will provide evidence on demand, impact and delivery arrangements to help inform any future decisions on longer-term support for Scotland’s places of worship. The Scottish Government intends to continue supporting the sector to ensure that Scottish Places of Worship are not disadvantaged by the UK Government decision to end the UK-wide provision.

Decisions regarding the future use of places of worship are matters for the relevant faith bodies.

Regarding the Scotland’s Places of Worship Fund, this is separate from Historic Environment Scotland’s existing grant programmes.

Question reference: S7W-03297

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on whether Liberty Steel Dalzell is currently fulfilling its contract with Navantia, to supply plate for the Fleet Solid Support ships, including what tonnage has been delivered, what the agreed delivery timetable is, and what assessment it has made of any potential risks to that timetable.

Question reference: S7O-00325

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that CMAL will no longer publish the names or locations of shipyards bidding for the MV Lord of The Isles replacement contract or any future vessel tenders.

Question reference: S7W-02647

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether a pilot programme for automated vending machines dispensing sterile injecting equipment and other harm reduction supplies could be authorised under existing legal exceptions agreed with the Lord Advocate, or whether additional guidance for Police Scotland would be needed to support individuals accessing supplies from these machines.

We remain committed to exploring any evidence-based harm reduction measure which will help us to reduce drug-related harms and save lives. If a local area identified an automated vending machine as a measure which would benefit their area, Scottish Government officials would be happy to work with them on the feasibility and logistics of implementing it. Needle exchange vending machines have already been used in Scotland by Hillcrest Futures in four of their Edinburgh and Glasgow services.