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-03297

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 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: S7W-03304

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 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-03299

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 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.

Question reference: S7W-03298

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 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-02802

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on developing a statutory framework for mandatory five-yearly building inspections for tenement properties.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that tenement buildings are properly maintained. The five-yearly building inspections survey was one of the recommendations of the Scottish Parliament’s Working Group on tenement maintenance.

The Scottish Government has committed to reform the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004 to better meet the needs of relevant owners and tenants to enable repairs, maintenance and enhancement of such properties.

My officials are currently undertaking further scoping work. I will be happy to update on progress once this work has concluded.

Question reference: S7W-02799

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding its commitment in the Tenement Condition: Workplan for 2021 to integrate detailed tenement condition assessments into the existing Home Report framework.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Cost of Living Crisis resulted in the planned actions from the Tenement Condition: Workplan for 2021 not being completed.

However, we have since progressed recommendations of the Scottish Parliament Working Group on tenement maintenance by instructing the Scottish Law Commission (SLC) to undertake a law reform project on mandatory owners associations for tenement properties.

Officials are now undertaking further scoping work following receipt of the SLC report and recommendations and other relevant information on the current arrangements to common repairs in tenements in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02803

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the view expressed by Under One Roof and The MCS Foundation in their report Building Reserve Funds – a Workable Model for Scotland, that compulsory owners' associations will only be fully effective if implemented concurrently with mandatory reserve funds and five-yearly building condition inspections, and what its timeline is for introducing a comprehensive legislative package that delivers all three reforms.

The Scottish Parliament’s Working Group on tenement maintenance made recommendations for the creation of compulsory Owners' Associations, Building Reserve Funds and 5-yearly Building Surveys.

Views expressed by Under One Roof and The MCS Foundation that all Working Group recommendations need to be implemented are being considered by my officials in the work they are undertaking to fully consider options available in reforming the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004. I will be happy to provide an update when the current scoping work has been completed.

The Scottish Government is committed to taking action to deliver the changes needed to support owners and ensure common property is protected and preserved for the benefit of future generations.

Question reference: S7W-02800

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to formally respond to the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Tenement Law: Compulsory Owners' Associations, which was published in December 2025, and whether it plans to introduce legislation during the current parliamentary session to establish compulsory owners' associations on a statutory basis.

I am grateful to the Scottish Law Commission for its detailed report and recommendations. The Scottish Government recognises the important of ensuring that tenement buildings are properly maintained, and that owners are supported to plan for and fund repairs.

Policy officials are currently undertaking further scoping work, including reviewing the SLC report, giving sufficient time to explore issues as well as engaging with key stakeholders in order to develop proposals.

As you will be aware, tenement maintenance was a manifesto commitment during the 2026 Parliamentary Election and we have committed to reform the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004.

Question reference: S7W-02801

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the proposals for building reserve funds set out in the report by Under One Roof and The MCS Foundation, Building Reserve Funds – a Workable Model for Scotland, and what steps it is taking to introduce mandatory reserve funds to help address the reported backlog of historic tenement repairs.

Owners of tenement properties have a shared responsibility to maintain the tenement. However, we know that tenement properties with multiple owners often struggle to organise and finance shared repairs, maintenance and enhancement works.

The Scottish Government welcomes the report by Under One Roof and The MCS Foundation. We know there are challenges involved in setting up such a scheme, a range of additional measures would be required to encourage coordinating and paying for repairs.

Policy officials are currently undertaking scoping work, which includes looking at this issue, giving sufficient time to explore many other issues, engage with key stakeholders and develop proposals.

Question reference: S7W-02741

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what public information it has published regarding the production, advertising, selling and consumption of herbal smoking products.

The Scottish Government published the herbal smoking products, heated tobacco devices, vaping and nicotine products - display restrictions: partial business and regulatory impact assessment (BRIA). This sets out our initial assessment of the business and regulatory impact of proposals to regulate the display of herbal smoking products, vaping products, nicotine products, and heated tobacco devices. The partial BRIA relates to the display element of the 4-nations consultation "Tobacco and Vapes: packaging, appearance and display", which includes questions and information on herbal smoking products. The UK Government published consultation stage impact assessments alongside this consultation which relate to herbal smoking products.

The Scottish Government published statutory guidance on age verification, which relates to the sale of herbal smoking products and the changes to age of sale of these products, which come into force on 29 October 2026. The Scottish Government also worked with the 4-nations on guidance relating to the sale of herbal smoking products.

The UK Government published a statement on Ending the advertising and sponsorship of vaping and nicotine products from 1 June 2027, through provisions in the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Act. This includes herbal smoking products and cigarette papers.