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-03444

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it expects to raise from the Building Safety Levy during the 15 years for which it is in place.

Question reference: S7W-03446

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will develop a reskilling strategy to help underemployed graduates make full use of their skills and qualifications and ensure that young people receive balanced guidance on the range of education and training options available to them, including whether university study is suited to their ambitions and interests.

Question reference: S7W-03445

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will develop a future engagement strategy for secondary schools as part of its efforts to address skills shortages.

Question reference: S7W-03214

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out what plans it has to assist local authorities in maintaining and expanding social housing stock, as set out in its Programme for Government.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the provision of social and affordable housing through our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our rural and island communities. This will be underpinned by investment of up to £4.9 billion, including a record £4.1 billion of public sector funding, to support delivery of 36,000 affordable homes and our wider all-tenure ambition over this Parliament.

As part of this we are have provided local authority partners with resource planning assumptions for the period 2026-27 to 2029-30 totalling a record £2.94 billion through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

This multi-year funding certainty will support local authorities and registered social landlords to plan future investment and delivery, helping to increase the supply of social and affordable homes for the benefit of communities across Scotland.

Since 2007 the Scottish Government has supported the delivery of 146,000 affordable homes – over 104,000 of which were for social rent, including more than 31,000 council homes.

Question reference: S7W-03066

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will look into the present quality of service provided by the Police Scotland non-emergency line, in light of reported concerns that crimes reported on this line by Glenrothes residents affected by antisocial behaviour involving off-road vehicles were not sufficiently addressed.

Decisions on how resources are deployed, including the operation of contact, command and control services, are matters for the Chief Constable, reflecting the operational independence of policing. Police Scotland has been very clear that 101 is a non-emergency number and callers are advised of other means by which they can contact the service while on hold.

Enforcement of road traffic law and decisions regarding operational policing activity are also matters for Police Scotland.

The Scottish Government is providing record funding of over £1.7 billion for policing in 2026–27, giving Police Scotland the resources it needs to maintain a resilient and responsive service, including the 101 service.

The Scottish Government expect that investment to support effective and accessible services for the public, and to ensure communities continue to receive the prompt and reliable policing response they deserve.

In respect of anti-social behaviour, the Scottish Government recognise that tackling antisocial behaviour is not the sole responsibility of a single agency and continue to work closely with local authorities and emergency service partners to that end.

The Scottish Government shares public concerns regarding the risks that irresponsible and unlawful use of such vehicles can pose to communities and road users. Local policing teams are best placed to use intelligence, community information and local knowledge to identify areas of concern and to target enforcement activity where it is most needed.

The Scottish Government fully supports Police Scotland and its partners in addressing the misuse of vehicles and tackling anti-social behaviour.

Question reference: S7W-03029

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions it has made to support all families with twins or other multiple births, regardless of benefit status, including in relation to childcare funding.

The Scottish Government appreciates that the cost of childcare can be challenging for many families across Scotland, and that there can be an impact on family circumstances as a result of a multiple birth. Each year since 2021 we have invested around £1 billion in the delivery of high quality ELC to all eligible children and we are continuing to do so in 2026-27. With respect to future plans, we are seeking to transform Scotland’s childcare offer to better support families with the cost of childcare, for children from 9 months to the end of primary school.

Our Programme for Government set out our intention to publish and consult on a blueprint for the future, building on learning from the last ten years of childcare design and delivery. This will be published next year.

The Scottish Government’s Universal Health Visiting pathway is delivered across Scotland and consists of 11 visits to all families. The pathway supports Health Visitors, children and their parents to build meaningful and trusting relationships.

Scotland’s Baby Box programme is available to all babies born and resident in Scotland. Families who are expecting twins, triplets, or even quadruplets are entitled to a box for each baby, providing essential items for the first 6 months of a baby’s life worth around £400.

The Scottish Government recognises the additional challenges that can be experienced by families with twins and other multiple births. Through ongoing investment in breastfeeding and infant feeding services across maternity, neonatal and community support, as well as for the implementation of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards across Scotland, families are able to access evidence-based breastfeeding and infant feeding support tailored to their individual circumstances and feeding goals.

Our Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment provides £796.65 for a first child and £398.35 for each subsequent child. For multiple births, a supplement of £398.35 is made in addition to the usual payment - acknowledging the additional expense of having a multiple birth. Parents under the age of 18 do not need to be in receipt of a low-income benefit in order to qualify for Best Start Grant. This is also the case for parents aged 18 or 19 who are dependent on someone who is receiving benefits for them.

Question reference: S7W-03030

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support calls to introduce 1,140 hours of funded childcare from the age of two for families with twins and other multiple births.

I note the interest across the chamber in childcare provision for twins and multiples. To ensure members receive prompt answers on this important matter, I direct the member to the answer I provided to Laura Moodie MSP to S7W-02568 on 15 September 2026, in addition to the information below on current policy for eligible two-year-olds. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

A range of research shows that attending high quality early learning and childcare (ELC) improves outcomes for all children, and children facing the most disadvantage, benefit the most. That is why we currently provide targeted access to funded ELC to children facing the most disadvantage at age two. Our aim is that by providing eligible two-year-old children with early access to high quality ELC, they are more likely to achieve similar outcomes to their peers who start funded ELC at age three. This current policy focuses on the impact of access to funded ELC on the child, rather than as a support to parents.

As set out in my answer to S7W-02568, our Programme for Government set out that we are seeking to transform Scotland’s childcare offer to better support families with the cost of childcare, for children from 9 months to the end of primary school. We intend to publish and consult on a blueprint for the future of childcare, building on learning from the last ten years of childcare design and delivery. This will be published next year. I encourage anyone with an interest, including families with multiple births, to participate in this consultation.

Question reference: S7W-03375

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to increase the number of facilities for pulmonary rehabilitation, in light of reported figures indicating that one in five people are living with some kind of lung condition.

Question reference: S7W-03377

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding it plans to allocate for the treatment of lung cancer and what provisions it will make to support people living with other life-threatening respiratory conditions.

Question reference: S7W-03332

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the importation of vape products into Scotland, in light of concerns raised by experts in 2025 that low-cost vapes manufactured in China could flood the UK market ahead of the recently adopted UK-wide ban on disposable vapes.