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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 242 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-42898

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Futures Trust will report to the Scottish Ministers on alternative funding options, including revenue funded models for capital projects.

The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) undertakes a range of activities, working with partners across the public and private sectors to deliver infrastructure-led outcomes. The SFT is an infrastructure centre of expertise which provide independent advice. As an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, it does not report directly to Scottish Ministers, however it does provide technical expertise and analysis that informs official advice to Ministers.

Work is ongoing to improve the way infrastructure projects are delivered in Scotland. As part of this, we have asked SFT to lead on engagement with the market to explore whether alternative forms of finance could be used to deliver capital projects. SFT will work within the business case development timeframes set by Scottish Government.

Current fiscal framework constraints and tight limits on Scottish Government capital borrowing make revenue finance a necessity to build the infrastructure we need. We remain open-minded to pursuing different forms of revenue-funded models and will assess their suitability for infrastructure projects on a case-by-case basis.

Question reference: S6W-42897

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Futures Trust will report to the Scottish Ministers regarding available alternative forms of finance that could support health infrastructure investment.

The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) undertakes a range of activities, working with partners across the public and private sectors to deliver infrastructure-led outcomes.

The SFT is an infrastructure centre of expertise. As an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, the SFT operates at arm's length from the Government. Whilst it provides independent advice, the SFT does not report directly to Scottish Ministers, however it does provide technical expertise and analysis that informs official advice to Ministers.

The SFT will work within the business case development timeframes set by portfolios. Decisions in relation to the suitability of alternate forms of finance for specific infrastructure projects will be taken by Scottish Government on a case-by-case basis.

Question reference: S6W-42899

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will make a decision on the use of potential alternative funding options for capital projects.

Current fiscal framework constraints and tight limits on Scottish Government capital borrowing make consideration of alternative funding options, including private finance, a necessity to build the infrastructure we need.

We are always open to engaging with relevant stakeholders on alternative funding opportunities which would deliver best value.

We remain open-minded to pursuing different forms of alternative finance and will assess their suitability for infrastructure projects on a case-by-case basis.

Question reference: S6O-05430

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs last met with For Women Scotland to discuss the protection of women's sex-based rights.

Question reference: S6O-05413

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to respond to the housing emergency in Fife.

Question reference: S6O-05326

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the constitution secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential implications for Scotland’s relations with EU member states of the UK rejoining the Erasmus programme.

Question reference: S6W-41832

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason individuals who were aged 68, 69 or 70 on 1 September 2025 are not currently eligible for the shingles vaccine.

Decision-making on Scotland’s vaccination programme is guided by the independent, expert advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The shingles vaccination programme was introduced in Scotland in 2013 for those aged 70 years old. Individuals aged 71 to 79 years of age have also been offered the vaccine in a phased roll out of the programme since 2013.

The JCVI recently recommended expanding the age cohorts for the shingles vaccination programme to offer protection earlier. These changes took effect on 1 September 2023 in a phased implementation over a 10-year period starting with those turning 65 and 70 years of age. Individuals aged 68 and 69 in the third year of the expanded roll-out will be invited for vaccination after turning 70, as per the previous schedule.

Question reference: S6W-41831

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the consistency with which eligibility criteria for the shingles vaccine are applied across NHS boards.

The Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP) is a partnership between Public Health Scotland (PHS), Health Boards, and the Scottish Government. Its aim is to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of vaccination and immunisation services across Scotland.

Overall responsibility for SVIP is held by PHS who are responsible for operational oversight and programme support, including governance, service improvement, and communications for all vaccination programmes. The requested information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government and falls within the remit of PHS to provide a response.

Question reference: S6W-41830

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the shingles vaccine in reducing the risk of dementia.

The Scottish Government is guided by the expert clinical advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) who base its recommendations on rigorous appraisal of the best available scientific evidence and continually monitor vaccination programmes to ensure they remain clinically effective and cost-efficient.

In June 2025, the JCVI considered emerging evidence on whether shingles vaccination may reduce dementia risk and if this should influence JCVI advice for vaccinating individuals over 80.

Members agreed that this potential benefit was not currently quantifiable. The ongoing rollout of Shingrix vaccination in the UK could provide an opportunity to collect additional data and improve understanding of the potential link, and the UK Health Security Agency is actively exploring this.

Question reference: S6O-05193

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic benefits of the growth of aquaculture in Scotland.