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

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Question reference: S7W-03428

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the Nuclear Industry Association's Jobs Map 2026, which indicate that nuclear workers in Scotland have to travel out of Scotland to take up opportunities created by new nuclear projects in other parts of the UK.

Question reference: S7W-03749

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings representatives of Transport Scotland have held (a) with external stakeholders and (b) internally, regarding Argyll and Bute Council’s Oban Harbour Revision Order since it was submitted in November 2023.

Question reference: S7W-03770

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken a cumulative impact assessment of the proposed restructuring of NHS Scotland and the Motability Scheme's reduction of the standard annual mileage allowance for new car leases, including any potential effect on disabled people in the Highlands and Islands region who may be required to travel longer distances to access specialist healthcare services and whose ability to make such journeys may be affected by the reduced mileage allowance.

Question reference: S7W-03771

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on disabled people living in rural and remote communities of the Motability Scheme's decision to reduce the standard annual mileage allowance for new car leases from 20,000 miles to 10,000 miles.

Question reference: S7W-03362

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to identify language skills gaps in the tourism sector, particularly in the Highlands and Islands, and what action it is taking to remedy any such gaps.

The Scottish Government is providing national leadership for skills planning while supporting regions to identify and respond to their own workforce and skills priorities in line with national objectives. Strengthening regional skills planning is a core part of wider reform, recognising the important role of regional partners in providing labour market insight and informing skills provision across key sectors.

Addressing workforce and skills challenges within tourism and hospitality remains a priority. We continue to work collaboratively with the sector through the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group and the Tourism and Hospitality Skills Group to support actions that help employers attract, develop and retain the workforce they need.

Through our ongoing engagement with industry and regional partners, we continue to consider the skills needs of the tourism workforce and the barriers that employers face in accessing the skills required to support visitors and grow the sector.

Question reference: S7W-03363

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action VisitScotland is taking to promote Scottish cruise tourism in international markets, including in the US and Germany.

Question reference: S7W-03361

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage and support tourism businesses, particularly in the Highlands and Islands, to develop foreign language skills among their staff.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of skills development across the tourism and hospitality sector, including skills needed to support international visitors.

Skills Development Scotland has developed the Tourism and Hospitality Toolkit, Tourism & Hospitality Toolkit | Home, which encourages employers and employees to engage with training and development opportunities across the sector. These resources are available to tourism businesses across Scotland, including in the Highland and Islands.

More broadly, the Scottish Government continues to work with industry and skill partners to address workforce and skills challenges across the tourism and hospitality sector.

Question reference: S7W-03360

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing with VisitBritain to ensure that Scotland's cruise destinations and experiences are promoted abroad.

VisitScotland works closely with cruise industry partners, including Cruise Scotland, port authorities, local authorities and destination organisations, to understand the opportunities and challenges facing individual cruise destinations across Scotland.

VisitScotland promotes Scotland's cruise offering through its international consumer and travel trade activity in key markets, including the United States and Germany, highlighting the range of destinations, attractions and experiences available to cruise visitors. It also works closely with VisitBritain to ensure Scottish destinations, tourism products and visitor experiences are represented in international marketing and travel trade activity, and collaborates on market insight, research and knowledge sharing to support the growth of Scotland's visitor economy.

Question reference: S7W-03591

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Cabinet meetings have been classified as "Travelling Cabinets" and held at locations outwith Edinburgh since May 2024, broken down by venue, and what the total cost associated with each meeting was.

Question reference: S7W-03712

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to introduce a Shetland Energy Act, or similar legislation for all of Scotland’s islands, during this session of Parliament.