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-02502

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 10 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is, regarding any impact on Scotland, on the statement by the Director General for Rail Services at the UK Department for Transport, Alex Hynes, to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee that “by having bi-mode trains you inadvertently weaken the business case for further electrification”.

Question reference: S7W-02504

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will evaluate municipal procurement and heritage conservation policies in other countries, including Dublin's historic cast-iron street furniture framework, Paris's standards for historic street furniture, Washington DC's historic lighting requirements and Vienna's heritage preservation policies, to inform any strategy for sustaining Scotland's architectural iron foundry sector and traditional manufacturing skills.

The Scottish Government provides support for the historic environment through our sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, our lead public body that investigates, cares for and promotes Scotland’s historic environment. Historic Environment Scotland actively engages with a variety of international stakeholders, enabling the exchange of knowledge and expertise that can help inform historic environment policy and practice in Scotland.

While there is currently no specific plan to evaluate local government procurement practices in relation to heritage and conservation policies, procurement can and should be an enabler of public sector policies. Where relevant to the local governmental body, this can include policies and good practice set by Historic Environmental Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-03050

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific statutory powers it would rely upon to prevent the construction of a small modular reactor (SMR) or advanced modular reactor (AMR) with a generating capacity of less than 50MW, in light of such installations not requiring consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 from Scottish Ministers and being ordinarily determined by the local planning authority.

Question reference: S7W-02655

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities to ensure that alternative regeneration models, such as partnerships with registered social landlords or housing associations/trusts/cooperatives, are fully exhausted before granting consent for the demolition of a listed building on the grounds of private commercial unviability.

Question reference: S7W-02657

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what constitutes "adequate marketing" under Historic Environment Scotland’s guidelines before a listed building can be demolished on the grounds that its retention is not economically viable; and whether it considers a failure to actively market a site for facade retention or alternative development models for several years as meeting this evidentiary threshold.

Interpretation and application of Historic Environment Scotland’s non-statutory guidance is a matter for Historic Environment Scotland. Decisions on whether sufficient evidence has been provided in support of an application, including evidence relating to marketing and economic viability, are considered on a case-by-case basis by the decision maker having regard to the circumstances of the application.

Question reference: S7W-02654

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to determine when the proposed demolition of a listed building transitions from a localised planning dispute to a "significant issue for planning policy" warranting a ministerial call-in under section 46(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

Ministers consider the need for call-in on a case-by-case basis, taking account of the specific individual circumstances. They use their powers under section 46(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 sparingly, recognising the important role of local planning authorities in decision making. As set out in the Ministerial statement on call-in, Ministers will generally consider intervention only where there may be some important issue at stake which should be determined at the national level.

Question reference: S7W-02656

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk of "demolition by neglect" across the historic built environment, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that developers are not financially rewarded for allowing listed buildings to deteriorate while awaiting planning consent for complete demolition.

The Scottish Government considers that Legislation currently in place provides appropriate powers to help protect the historic environment while also ensuring public safety. Responsibility for the maintenance and repair of buildings rests with owners, and planning authorities have a range of powers available to help secure the preservation of listed buildings. Proposals to demolish listed buildings are subject to statutory controls and are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Question reference: S7W-02658

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the enforcement of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Policy 7 (Historic assets and places), specifically in circumstances where a developer cites private commercial targets, such as a 20% Profit on Cost (PoC) margin, as the primary justification for the demolition of a listed building rather than structural impossibility.

Question reference: S7W-02487

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to amending the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 to grant permitted development rights for shopfront alterations that strictly comply with a local authority’s formally adopted heritage design code.

Question reference: S7W-02488

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to integrate the material and architectural standards developed under the Traditional Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme (TSIG) into the statutory guidance supporting National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

We have no plans to integrate the standards developed under the Traditional Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme (TSIG) into national guidance supporting National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

NPF4 supports the vibrancy and vitality of our towns and town centres and encourages ‘Distinctive Places’ which includes supporting local architectural styles.

Expectations on shopfront design, colour and materials are best addressed at the local level, to reflect and reinforce local styles and the character of individual places. Planning authorities have the ability to take this forward through local guidance.