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: S6W-35892

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recently reported concerns raised by an MSP about Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme investments in Tesla shares, whether it (a) has undertaken a review of its ownership of Tesla vehicles and (b) will sell its fleet of 10 Tesla cars.

Question reference: S6W-35880

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its engagement with the UK Government on proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland, what its response is to reported criticisms that replacing automatic public inquiries with an “examination” process in cases where local authorities object may diminish local accountability in decision making.

Where a planning authority objects to an application made under the Electricity Act 1989 and that objection is not withdrawn, the Scottish Ministers must appoint a reporter to examine the application. Before determining whether to give consent, the Scottish Ministers must consider the objection and the reporter’s report.

The proposed reforms will instead introduce a more proportionate approach, tailored to individual development proposals and the circumstances relating to objections. This would align with established planning appeals processes in Scotland, and reduce the time taken to determine applications.

Question reference: S6W-36073

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it maintains a central register of recommendations made by sheriffs in fatal accident inquiry determinations, and, if so, how it ensures that these recommendations are tracked and reviewed.

Question reference: S6W-35888

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its engagement with the UK Government on proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland, how many electricity consents it has suspended, revoked or corrected in each of the last five years, and how it took account of any concerns about investor and community uncertainty in proposing to expand its powers to vary consents without an application.

Legislation does not currently allow for modifications, suspensions or revocations consents when errors in consents are found. Should any issues arise, an applicant must apply for a section 36 consent variation and go through the full variation process, including payment of a fee.

The number of section 36 variation applications consented in the past 5 years are as follows:

2024 – 5

2023 – 5

2022 – 4

2021 – 6

2020 – 1

I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35884 on 1 April 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-35883

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its engagement with the UK Government on proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland, how it will address reported concerns that statutory consultees may be placed under additional pressure from new time limits, potentially weakening their ability to provide robust input into proposed developments.

Question reference: S6W-35881

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its engagement with the UK Government on proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland, what its response is to the reported suggestion that accelerating the end-to-end electricity consenting process risks undermining thorough scrutiny of environmental impacts.

Question reference: S6W-36060

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many fatal accident inquiries have involved delays to the publication of the final inquiry report in each of the last five years, and what the reasons were for any such delays.

Question reference: S6O-04532

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Question reference: S6W-36042

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-35824

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the implementation of each of the 55 recommendations in the report, Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland, which was published on 25 August 2023, broken down by what (a) action it has taken in each case and (b) date each will be fully implemented, and what the reasons are for any delays.

A significant amount of work has been undertaken to date, to progress the implementation of the 55 recommendations made as part of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland, involving a wide range of stakeholders across the public and third sector. We continue to work with the NHS, Third Sector and private providers to identify and cost an appropriate model of community care for any future service reform and ensure that the voices of those with lived experience inform this work.

A report outlining how each of the 55 recommendations set out in the Independent Review have been closed or transitioned, and the rationale for that, will be provided to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee imminently and will be made available on both the Committee website and https://www.all-ears.nhs.scot/