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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Displaying 26 questions Show Answers

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Question reference: S7W-02531

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is currently taking to ensure that Scottish farmers have access to a sufficient and secure supply of vaccines in response to the current bluetongue outbreak.

Question reference: S7W-02080

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 27 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent wildfire events, whether it will pause the incoming muirburn licensing system and conduct an urgent review of the role of muirburn practices in preventing wildfires.

The Scottish Government has no plans to delay the introduction of the muirburn licensing scheme which is due to come into effect on 15 September 2026.

We published our Strategic Action Plan on Wildfires in March 2026 which sets out that prevention, however, is much broader than muirburn, and should form an integral part of land management generally. In most circumstances, wildfire prevention will be made up of multiple aspects. That may include muirburn, where that is relevant to the land type and local circumstances. The Scottish Government is clear that land managers are therefore a foundation of wildfire prevention.

In relation to the role of muirburn practices in preventing wildfires, the Scottish Government will continue to work with NatureScot, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and other relevant partners to consider available evidence on wildfire risk and land management practice. In addition to this, NatureScot will monitor the operation of the licensing system, including any issues arising from licence applications, licence conditions, compliance activity and stakeholder feedback.

Question reference: S7W-01633

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S7W-00799 and S7W-01152 by Gillian Martin on 16 June and 8 July 2026 respectively, in light of the cabinet secretary’s comment in June regarding her “considering what support the Scottish Government can provide, both in the short term and in the longer term to ensure the sustainability of this important sector [the Pig Industry in Scotland]", and in July that she “met with the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, at the Royal Highland Show on 18 June, to discuss how the Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025 may assist producers in their contracts, bringing balance and transparency to the pork supply chain”, whether it will confirm what (a) progress has been made with this consideration and (b) (i) financial and (i) other assistance it is providing to the industry, and how it will measure the effectiveness of this.

Further to my engagement with the sector, I announced on 10 July that the Scottish Government would provide £2 million of direct support to independent Scottish pig producers who have been hit hardest by the market pressures. The Scottish pig Producers Support Scheme opened to applications on 15 July. The support will cover losses between what farmers were paid, and 85% of the Standard Pig Price, between March and August 2026. This vital funding, which is only available in Scotland, will help protect local jobs, sustain Scotland’s pork supply chain, safeguard the Prime Scottish Pork brand, and protect the production of high-quality, high welfare, locally produced food.

I have also written to the UK Government calling for urgent action to support the pig industry, including following our example and increasing resources and investment to improve biosecurity at our borders to prevent diseases such as African Swine Fever entering the country, which have exacerbated the price issues facing the sector.

We will continue to work with the sector through these challenging times.

Question reference: S7W-01765

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graham Simpson (on behalf of the SPCB) on 22 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body for what reason it continues to fly the EU flag outside the main entrance more than six years after the withdrawal of the UK, including Scotland, from the EU.

The European flag is flown daily outside the Scottish Parliament in accordance with the SPCB’s flag-flying policy. That policy follows from Motion S5M-20625, agreed by the Parliament on 29 January 2020, which directed the SPCB to ensure that the European flag continued to fly daily at the Parliament building. The motion recorded that the flag had been flown at Holyrood since 2004 as a symbol of membership of the family of European nations; noted that the flag was originally the flag of the Council of Europe and that Scotland and the UK would continue to be represented within the Council of Europe; affirmed commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law and diversity; and recognised continuing to fly the flag as a sign of support and solidarity with EU nationals who have made Scotland their home.

The SPCB will be reviewing the flag flying policy later this year. In determining the policy or considering any changes to it, the SPCB will take into account your feedback as well as any relevant resolutions or directions to it from the Parliament.

Question reference: S7W-01511

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the findings of the recent report by Great British Energy-Nuclear, GBE-N Technical Advice on Potential Future Nuclear Power Plant Siting in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-01251

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what options it is considering to support church congregations, in light of the closure of the UK Government's Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which allowed churches to reclaim VAT on repairs and renovations.

Question reference: S7W-01529

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the staffing pressures that reportedly led to the temporary closure of the GP walk-in clinic in Hawick, and what assurances it can provide that the clinic will be adequately staffed to prevent similar closures in future.

Question reference: S7W-01514

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the potential development of new nuclear projects in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-01314

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on (a) security of supply and (b) electricity price volatility of Torness Nuclear Power Station’s generating capacity being unavailable during periods of high demand and low renewable generation.

Question reference: S7W-01152

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00799 by Gillian Martin on 16 June 2026, whether it will provide an update regarding the issues that the Cabinet Secretary discussed with pig industry representatives and what options it is considering to support the industry.

The Scottish Government continues to engage closely with the pig production sector, following my meeting on 10 June, in order to understand further the current challenges, with a view to considering how best the Scottish Government can provide support for pig producers and where it may be targeted. I also met with the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, at the Royal Highland Show on 18 June, to discuss how the Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025 may assist producers in their contracts, bringing balance and transparency to the pork supply chain.