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: S6O-05274

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to amend tax thresholds in the next Scottish Budget.

Question reference: S6W-41896

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Minister for Business and Employment has in ensuring transparency and accountability in any public sector support for floating offshore wind developments.

Scottish public sector support for floating offshore wind projects is provided primarily through the Scottish National Investment Bank and Enterprise Agencies, who must ensure that all projects are subject to robust appraisal, in accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, with decisions taken under their approved schemes of delegated authority and funding decisions made public. Public sector delivery partners consider benefits including employment impacts when evaluating investment decisions. The respective Accountable Officers (AOs) are directly accountable to Parliament for the propriety, regularity and value for money of any support provided.

Question reference: S6W-41982

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 2 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position regarding the reported community request to introduce an entry fee for non-residents at the Calanais Standing Stones Visitor Centre, to support the site's long-term care.

The Scottish Government has granted ministerial approval for the introduction of charging for access to Calanais Standing Stones.

This decision follows a community consultation exercise and will ensure a sustainable income for the site management, ongoing conservation work and help support the local economy. The income generated will also be essential to sustaining the adjoining Calanais Visitor Centre which has key investment from the Scottish and UK Government jointly funded Islands Growth Deal as part of the Outer Hebrides Destination Development programme. Importantly the local community will retain free access.

Question reference: S6W-42062

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of possession of an offensive weapon, as per the definition in the Scottish Crime Recording Standard: Crime Recording and Counting Rules, and received a (a) custodial and (b) non-custodial sentence, in each year since 2021.

The figures are provided in the following tables.

Custodial

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of possession of an offensive weapon, and received a custodial sentence:

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Possession of an offensive weapon – Total custodial	114	108	95

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

Non-custodial sentence

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of possession of an offensive weapon, and received a non-custodial sentence:

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Possession of an offensive weapon – Total non-custodial	275	397	428

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

Question reference: S6W-42063

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of cruelty and unnatural treatment of children, as per the definition in the Scottish Crime Recording Standard: Crime Recording and Counting Rules, and received a (a) custodial and (b) non-custodial sentence, in each year since 2021.

The figures are provided in the following tables.

Custodial

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of cruelty and unnatural treatment of children, and received a custodial sentence:

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Cruelty (neglecting & causing) to & unnatural treatment of children – Total custodial	2	11	11

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

Non-custodial sentence

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of cruelty and unnatural treatment of children, and received a non-custodial sentence:

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Cruelty (neglecting & causing) to & unnatural treatment of children – Total non-custodial	71	90	153

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

Question reference: S6W-41899

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Business and Employment has (a) commissioned or (b) reviewed any analysis of the potential impact of floating offshore wind activity on other marine-related businesses and employment.

Ministers and officials consider a broad range of evidence of the potential impact of offshore wind activity on other marine-related sectors, including through the established and rigorous planning, licensing and consenting processes for offshore wind developments.

The Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy, which is currently being updated, is underpinned by comprehensive impact assessments that identify opportunities and constraints for development. These assessments are informed by the latest scientific evidence and extensive stakeholder engagement, including input from other marine related sectors.

Offshore wind developers provide detailed environmental and socio-economic assessments as part of applications for marine licences and consents. These are reviewed by officials and inform recommendations to relevant Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-42065

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of sexual crimes, as per the definition in the Scottish Crime Recording Standard: Crime Recording and Counting Rules, and received a (a) custodial and (b) non-custodial sentence, in each year since 2021.

The figures are provided in the following tables.

Custodial

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of sexual crimes, and received a custodial sentence

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Sexual crimes – Total custodial	251	441	462

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

non-custodial sentence

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of sexual crimes, and received a non-custodial sentence:

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Sexual crimes – Total non-custodial	590	842	953

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

Question reference: S6W-41897

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Business and Employment has received any analysis on the net employment impact of floating offshore wind developments, including any potential displacement of existing jobs.

Ministers and officials consider a broad range of evidence to assess the economic opportunities and constraints of offshore wind development. This includes analysis as set out in the Offshore Wind Focus paper and the Social and Economic Impact Assessment for the draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy.

Together these sources provide the Scottish Government with an overarching understanding of the economic and employment impacts of offshore wind development, informing ministerial advice and decision-making across relevant portfolios.

Offshore wind developers also provide detailed environmental and socio-economic assessments as part of applications for marine licences and consents. These are reviewed by officials and inform recommendations to relevant Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-41898

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Minister for Business and Employment takes to ensure that any claims regarding job creation from floating offshore wind projects are independently verified.

A comprehensive social and economic impact assessment was carried out as part of the process to update our Sectoral Marine Plan. This assessment included a strategic analysis of potential employment opportunities arising from the ScotWind and INTOG leasing rounds.

The work was undertaken by external contractors and independently verified through a rigorous quality assurance process. It was further scrutinized through cross-sector stakeholder engagement and a public consultation to ensure transparency and credibility.

The Scottish Government applies rigorous quality assurance to analytical work it undertakes internally or commissions externally.

Question reference: S6W-42067

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of the production manufacture or cultivation of drugs and possession with intent to supply, as per the definition in the Scottish Crime Recording Standard: Crime Recording and Counting Rules, and received a (a) custodial and (b) non-custodial sentence, in each year since 2021.

The figures are provided in the following tables.

Custodial

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of the production manufacture or cultivation of drugs and possession with intent to supply, and received a custodial sentence:

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Production, manufacture or cultivation of drugs -Total custodial	19	39	26
Supply, possession w.i. to supply etc of drugs – Total custodial	240	313	362

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

Non-custodial sentence

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of the production manufacture or cultivation of drugs and possession with intent to supply, and received a non-custodial sentence:

Details	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
Production, manufacture or cultivation of drugs – Total non-custodial	132	190	191
Supply, possession w.i. to supply etc of drugs – Total non-custodial	413	613	897

Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database