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-43238

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment it has carried out regarding the ending of the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief for sporting rights on (a) shootings and (b) deer forests.

Question reference: S6W-43240

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out regarding what the estimated cost to local valuation boards will be of collecting revenue following the phasing out of the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief for sporting rights.

Local valuation boards have no role in collecting non-domestic rates.

The collection of non-domestic rates, including annual billing and the administration of reliefs such as the Small Business Bonus Scheme, is the responsibility of Local Authorities. Non-domestic rates bills are issued to all rated non-domestic properties, whether or not they are in receipt of relief. All non-domestic rates collected by a local authority from properties in their area are ultimately retained by them and have an important role in funding public services.

Question reference: S6W-43239

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out regarding what revenue it estimates will be raised by the ending of the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief for sporting rights.

Question reference: S6W-43072

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government after what length of time would it consider its Building a New Scotland series of papers to be out of date.

The Building a New Scotland series is intended to inform public debate on Scotland’s constitutional future, including independence. The papers will remain relevant as long as the content within them remains of relevance to the context in Scotland and in which Scotland operates.

Since the independence referendum in 2014, significant factors changed about Scotland’s place in the UK, and about the UK’s place in the world. Many of the changes do not reflect the predictions or promises made during the debate about Scottish independence, and many could not have been predicted at the time. The Scottish Government believes that the people of Scotland should have the opportunity to consider their constitutional future, and the Building a New Scotland series helps inform that consideration.

The Scottish Government will continue to keep the people of Scotland updated with the information they need to make a decision about their constitutional future.

Question reference: S6W-43189

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government which railway stations in Scotland (a) have and (b) do not have public Wi-Fi available.

Question reference: S6O-05479

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy will meet with campaign groups regarding the Moray FLOW-Park project proposal.

Question reference: S6W-43190

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is exploring the possibility of installing satellite Wi-Fi in rural railway stations that have no nearby mobile phone masts, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Question reference: S6W-43191

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the anticipated lifespan is of all of ScotRail’s rolling stock, broken down by class unit.

ScotRail currently operates a diverse fleet of 145 diesel trains and 203 electric trains. The typical design life of a train is around 35 years, although in practice this depends on the quality of construction and may be extended through appropriate investment in obsolescence management and effective heavy maintenance.

We are replacing ScotRail trains as they reach the end of their useful life. This is outlined in the Rail Recharged: Scotland’s Fleet Transition Strategy - Delivering a Modern Fleet for a Connected Scotland | Transport Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43069

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33135 by Jim Fairlie on 22 January 2025, when the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity plans to update the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on the work undertaken to establish a bracken mapping layer for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43068

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of its proposed budget reduction of 1.3% to the Rural Affairs and Islands budget in its draft Budget 2026-27.

Scottish public finances continue to face a challenging fiscal environment, meeting growing demand despite increasingly challenging settlements. Difficult choices have been necessary, but through the plans set out in the draft 2026-27 Budget, the Scottish Government will invest £1,122 million in 2026-27 in the Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands budget.

This budget will support a sustainable, productive and prosperous future for our rural economy. It provides over £660 million in support for agriculture, including continuing to pay direct payment support unlike other parts of the UK, and spends over £130 million to ensure our land and forests will help to tackle climate change, protect nature and support green jobs, skills and businesses.

The Strategic Integrated Impact Assessment sets out the impact that decisions made in the Scottish Budget, Scottish Spending Review and Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline are likely to have on different groups of people in Scotland.