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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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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 4 May 2021
  6. Session 6: 13 May 2021 to 8 April 2026
  7. Current session: 14 May 2026 to 3 October 2026
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Displaying 1453 questions Show Answers

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Question reference: S7W-03174

  • Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
  • Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanism is in place for heritage restoration proposals, including the restoration of Holyrood Abbey, to be formally assessed and submitted to the Scotland Legacy Group for consideration.

Question reference: S7W-03433

  • Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
  • Current Status: Answer expected on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution that Scotland’s civil nuclear sector could make to developing the next generation of skilled workers, including through apprenticeships and opportunities for young people.

Question reference: S7O-00250

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will develop a memorandum of understanding with MSP staff trade unions concerning the matters for which it is responsible.

Question reference: S7W-02579

  • Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
  • Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the European Commission's approval of revised ship-financing arrangements in Spain following changes to the Spanish Tax Lease system, what financial mechanisms it has considered to help commercial shipyards in Scotland compete with European and international competitors that receive state support.

Question reference: S7W-02580

  • Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
  • Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential for the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) to provide refund guarantees or patient capital to Scottish shipyards to explicitly facilitate the use of cross-border, multi-party tax lease structures, such as the revised ship-financing arrangements in Spain following changes to the Spanish Tax Lease system.

Question reference: S7W-02581

  • Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
  • Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland or Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has evaluated the feasibility of procuring future vessels, including zero-emission ferries, through international tax lease structures such as the Agrupación de Interés Económico (AIE) in Spain to reduce final purchase prices while maintaining shipbuilding in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02582

  • Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
  • Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with commercial financial institutions regarding the use of international tax leasing frameworks to help offset the research, development and manufacturing costs associated with the construction of alternative propulsion and zero-emission vessels.

Question reference: S7O-00273

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to endangered and critically endangered heritage crafts.  

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.

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.