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-01745

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the funding it provides to local authorities, in light of reports that these bodies are increasingly unable to deliver critical infrastructure and capital investment projects for residents.

The Scottish Government recognises the pressures facing Local Government and that is why the Local Government Settlement provided record funding of £15.7 billion for 2026-27. Local authorities also have a range of revenue raising powers that are not available to other public services and the ability to borrow to fund their capital programme.

The vast majority of funding allocated by the Scottish Government is provided by means of a block grant and it is then for individual Local Authorities to allocate the total resources available to them, on the basis of local needs and priorities.

The Scottish Government have had to take difficult decisions in light of the disappointing capital settlement from the UK Government’s Spending Review. However, the Scottish Government has a long history of working with COSLA and Local Authorities to make sure Council finances are sustainable and that available resources can meet long-term commitments.

Decisions on future Local Government Settlements will be the subject of negotiations with COSLA on behalf of all 32 Local Authorities and announced as part of the outcome of future Scottish Budgets.

Question reference: S7W-01744

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the decision of some local authorities to introduce or increase charges for services while simultaneously increasing council tax rates.

Decisions on council tax levels and charges for local services are a matter for Councils to determine locally.

The Scottish Government encourages Local Government to consult with their communities to inform decisions and consider the potential impacts of charges or taxation, particularly on low-income households and vulnerable groups. However, as long as they act lawfully, it is up to each local authority how it manages its day-to-day business and decision-making processes.

Question reference: S7W-01891

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to promote more Scots having families to address Scotland’s slowing population growth.

Question reference: S7W-01888

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase the rate of working age employment across Scottish cities, replicating the success of Edinburgh, which reportedly has a 83.2% rate of working age employment, the highest of any UK city.

Question reference: S7W-01889

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support local authorities in improving Scottish timber transportation infrastructure.

Question reference: S7W-01890

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is cooperating with HM Revenue & Customs and other UK authorities, in light of reports that 58,000 fraudulent Scotland football kits were seized, amounting to a total of £5 million in potential profit.

Question reference: S7W-01893

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has committed to any further action regarding the opening a new train station at Newburgh since the previous Cabinet Secretary for Transport’s visit to the village in May 2025.

Question reference: S7W-01892

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to reduce weapon possession across the country, in light of its report on Recorded Crime in Scotland 2025-26, which indicated that weapons possession made up 18% of total crimes in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-01887

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to prevent the waste of personal protective equipment in future emergency health situations, in light of the COVID-19 inquiry, which reported that approximately £10 billion was wasted on such equipment over the course of the pandemic.

Question reference: S7W-01894

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review existing stop and search laws as part of a wider strategy in deterring weapons possession.