Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-05231

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding support available to cultural institutions for energy efficiency measures, in light of reports that Dundee Rep, and other similar cultural bodies that operate as wholly owned trading subsidiaries, have been unable to access the SME loan and cashback scheme.

Question reference: S6O-05212

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting stability and growth in Scotland’s video games sector, including what engagement it has had with Rockstar Games, in light of reports of recent staff dismissals.

Question reference: S6W-41981

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the energy costs incurred by (a) it and (b) its public bodies in each of the past five years.

Question reference: S6F-04424

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 November 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Auditor General’s report, 2024/25 audit of the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts, which indicates a £1 billion underspend by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6O-05035

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of rising levels of knife crime in Dundee over the summer, how it is supporting Police Scotland and local partners to prevent and reduce incidents of violent crime.

Question reference: S6W-40582

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 30 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its fiscal sustainability delivery plan to “simplify the education and skills public body landscape”, which public bodies will be (a) merged and (b) closed; what the timeline is for this, and what financial savings will be made.

The Post-School Education and Skills Reform Programme includes work to simplify the funding body landscape. Subject to approval by the Scottish Parliament, the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill allows responsibility for securing and funding all apprenticeships to be consolidated at the Scottish Funding Council. Responsibility for funding further education student support is moving from the Scottish Funding Council to the Student Awards Agency Scotland administratively. These changes simplify roles and responsibilities, but nobody is being merged or closed. These changes will happen over financial year 2026-27.

The Scottish Government responded to the Stage 1 Report on the Bill, from the Education, Children and Young People Committee, on 19 September 2025. This included an update on the costs and savings for the Bill in Annex A of the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill - response to Stage 1 Report. Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans

Furthermore, the Education Reform programme is making good progress in improving the landscape of national education bodies. The passing of the Education (Scotland) Act 2025 provides a platform for the establishment of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and for Qualifications Scotland to replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The programme is ensuring that these are both more focused on their role in improvement for learners and able to function as efficiently as possible. This has included, for example, models which support increased use of shared services. Alongside this we are also working to ensure that a refocused Education Scotland is streamlined and focussed on curriculum improvement.

Question reference: S6W-40497

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, in what areas it plans for NHS boards to make savings in order to achieve its commitment to “Deliver NHS Board 3% recurring savings against core funding”.

The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.

Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider with the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).

The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer (AO). They are responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, this includes decisions regarding areas in which to make savings, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected.

Question reference: S6W-40491

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, whether any areas of NHS board spend will be protected from its commitment to “Deliver NHS Board 3% recurring savings against core funding”.

The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.

Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider within the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).

The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer, responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected. However, Scottish Government are consistently clear that NHS Board savings should be sensible, proportionate, and minimise the impact on frontline services.

Question reference: S6W-40492

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, what the total projected savings are from its commitment to “Deliver NHS Board 3% recurring savings against core funding”, in the financial year (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27, (c) 2027-28, (d) 2028-29 and (e) 2029-30.

Question reference: S6W-40054

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what active travel plans for the Western Gateway area of Dundee have been submitted to it by Dundee City Council, and when any decisions will be made on allocating funding.

Dundee City Council have submitted an application to Tier 2 of the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund for design funding to develop active travel options for the Western Gateway development area. These include a segregated cycle route, speed limit reduction measures, pedestrian and cycle crossings, modal filters, a cycle-friendly road project, and shared use paths.

Successful Active Travel Infrastructure Fund applications for 2025-26 for design are yet to be awarded.

Chamber and committees