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Parliament dissolved ahead of election

The Scottish Parliament is now dissolved ahead of the election on Thursday 7 May 2026.

During dissolution, there are no MSPs and no parliamentary business can take place.

For more information, please visit Election 2026

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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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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 4 May 2021
  6. Session 6: 13 May 2021 to 8 April 2026
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Displaying 1153 questions Show Answers

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Question reference: S5W-23085

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £500,000 fund for the Action on Plastic Zero Waste Towns initiative has been allocated to date.

Question reference: S5O-03279

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
  • Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports Scotland’s colleges.

Question reference: S5O-03250

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2019
  • Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what value it places on local decision making in planning matters.

Question reference: S5W-22741

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of recipients of Scottish Welfare Fund community care grants in 2017-18 were in employment.

Question reference: S5W-22730

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much income has been lost in each local authority area in each year since 2013-14 because of unclaimed Scottish Welfare Fund entitlements, also broken down by how this has impacted on each area's economy.

Question reference: S5W-22728

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether there was an underspend on Scottish Welfare Fund payments in 2018-19 and, if so, (a) for what reason, (b) whether this is being carried forward and (c) what action it is taking to maximise spend in 2019-20.

Question reference: S5W-22733

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve efficiency in reaching final decisions on applications to Scottish Welfare Fund.

Question reference: S5W-22731

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Scottish Welfare Fund has had on the percentage of people who use food banks.

Question reference: S5W-22729

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund has remained at the same level since 2013-14, and whether it plans to increase this.

Question reference: S5W-22727

  • Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
  • Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase awareness among people who might be entitled to apply for funding from the Scottish Welfare Fund.