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-03358

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether a location for its proposed walk-in GP clinic in Elgin has been confirmed, and, if so, whether it will provide further details.

Question reference: S7W-03357

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that any existing services will be reduced at the site selected by NHS Grampian for the proposed walk-in GP clinic in Elgin.

The GP-led walk-in services are intended to complement existing core services and provide an alternative route to care for patients. NHS Grampian is responsible for the operational management of the walk-in services in Grampian, including all decisions about the location and model of the services. The services have been designed by health boards, taking into account the needs of their populations, and reflecting local issues and circumstances.

Question reference: S7W-03359

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether a shortlist of locations for its proposed walk-in GP clinic in Elgin has been confirmed, and, if so, whether it will provide further details.

Question reference: S7W-03200

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S7W-00376 by Jenny Gilruth on 9 June 2026, whether it will provide an update on when it will establish a Better Surfaces Fund, and for what reason it was not mentioned in the latest Programme for Government.

As funding for the Better Surfaces Fund was not factored into the 2026 Scottish Spending Review, the funding approach and profile to deliver this multi-year commitment will be considered as part of the 2027-28 Scottish Budget.

As with all areas of Local Government funding, substantive details around funding allocations and accountability will be considered through the joint COSLA and Scottish Government Settlement and Distribution Group (SDG) prior to recommendations being provided to COSLA Leaders and Scottish Ministers.

The Programme for Government includes commitments to address the issue of potholes, improve key road links in rural areas and support progress on the Clyde Metro proposals.

Question reference: S7W-03353

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with HM Treasury regarding the early repayment arrangements for historic Public Works Loan Board loans, and whether it considers that these arrangements provide value for money in cases local authorities could reduce their long-term financing costs through refinancing.

The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 provides local authorities with the freedom and responsibility to determine their own borrowing, capital financing and treasury management arrangements within the statutory framework established by Parliament.

Local authorities are required to have regard to the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities and the Treasury Management Code, which require borrowing and capital investment decisions to be affordable, prudent and sustainable and supported by an approved Treasury Management Strategy. Within this framework, responsibility for borrowing, debt management and treasury decisions rests with individual local authorities.

Scottish Ministers do not have a role in directing or approving local authorities' borrowing strategies, treasury management decisions or debt restructuring proposals. It is therefore for each authority to determine whether the early repayment, refinancing or restructuring of existing borrowing represents an affordable and value-for-money option in light of its own financial circumstances and long-term financial strategy.

Local authorities continue to have access to borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) and other approved sources of finance and are best placed to assess whether changes to their debt portfolio would reduce financing costs, manage financial risk effectively and deliver value for money for local taxpayers. This reflects the fundamental principle of the prudential framework that borrowing and debt management decisions should be taken locally by elected members, supported by professional financial advice and informed by the authority's own assessment of affordability, prudence and sustainability.

Question reference: S7W-03199

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment on the potential impact of its £2 bus fare cap policy on ScotRail.

Question reference: S7O-00323

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of its plans, including preparation of the Business Case and a timetable, to dual the A96.

Question reference: S7W-03336

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator regarding its ongoing inquiry into the John Muir Trust, and when it expects the inquiry to conclude.

Question reference: S7W-03184

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the fishing industry regarding compensation for the impacts of offshore wind developments, and what the outcomes of any such discussions were.

The Scottish Government has held discussions with representatives from the fishing and offshore wind sectors regarding potential options for addressing the impacts of offshore wind development on fishers. These discussions have taken place through the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council's Barriers to Deployment (SOWEC-B2D) subgroup, with the most recent workshop held on 5 May 2026.

In addition, the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy met with the Scottish Fishermen's Federation on 9 September 2026, when the impacts of offshore wind development on the fishing sector were discussed.

The SOWEC-B2D workshops are the primary forum for progressing this work. Scottish Government officials are currently scoping potential options with input from both sectors. These options will be refined through further engagement with industry before being presented to Ministers for consideration.

Question reference: S7W-03024

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on restricting the deployment of gill nets to depths of less than 200 metres in order to protect deep-sea ecosystems.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of protecting vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems from the impacts of fishing activities. Existing legislation already includes a range of measures to manage fishing activity in deep waters, including restrictions applying to certain bottom-contacting fishing gears in deep-water areas and a prohibition on bottom fishing below 800 metres.

The Scottish Government is also progressing work to identify and protect areas in offshore waters between 400 and 800 metres where Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) are known or likely to occur. This includes considering the potential impacts of bottom-contact fishing gears, including bottom-set gillnets. We are considering advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and will engage with stakeholders before bringing forward any proposals.

Any proposal to further restrict the deployment of gill nets to depths of less than 200 metres would require careful consideration of the available scientific evidence, including the likely environmental benefits for deep-sea habitats and species, alongside the potential socio-economic impacts on fishing businesses and coastal communities.

The Scottish Government keeps fisheries and marine conservation measures under review and will continue to work with scientists, stakeholders and the fishing industry to ensure decisions are informed by the best available evidence and support the sustainable management of Scotland's seas.