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-04361

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Network Rail's proposals to remove passing loops at Barrhill, Glenwhilly and Dunragit, including the potential impact on future passenger service frequency, freight capacity and the proposed relocation of Stranraer station.

The Scottish Government is aware that Network Rail plans to carry out modernisation activity on the Stranraer line as signalling assets are reaching the end of their operational life. While some redundant infrastructure is proposed for removal as part of this programme, Network Rail has advised that current service levels will be maintained and the route will retain the ability to accommodate additional services in the future, should these be required.

No decision has been taken on the relocation of Stranraer station. Funding for any proposed relocation of Stranraer station does not feature in the Scottish Government's current investment programme.

Question reference: S7W-04598

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is (a) currently available and (b) planned to support the decarbonisation of domestic and non-domestic buildings in South Lanarkshire.

Grant funding is allocated annually to every Scottish local authority through the Heat in Buildings Area Based Schemes. This is based upon levels of fuel poverty and 'hard to help' properties, as agreed with COSLA. This year we have offered South Lanarkshire a grant of £2,779,000 to deliver local retrofit projects benefitting fuel poor households. More information about funding allocated and claimed by local councils since 2013 through Area Based Schemes is published on the Scottish Government website.

Further funding for the decarbonisation of domestic and non-domestic buildings is also available through other Heat in Buildings schemes, but is not allocated by local authority area. The Heat and Buildings delivery scheme allocations are published here: Heat in Buildings Budget Allocations.

Question reference: S7W-04500

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the proposed data centre development at Chapelcross remains consistent with the objectives and public benefits that formed the basis for the allocation of £7.5 million through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.

Question reference: S7W-04499

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has approved any revised business case, project-change request or change in the anticipated outcomes for the Chapelcross redevelopment project following the appointment of CX Power, now known as CX Tech, as strategic developer.

Question reference: S7W-04629

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the existing Carbon Calculator for wind farms on Scottish peatlands produces accurate assessments of carbon impacts, in light of the methodological weaknesses identified in the January 2025 report by ClimateXChange, Carbon Calculator for wind farms on Scottish peatlands: an evidence assessment, and the calculator's planned continued use until the 2028 replacement is made available.

In light of the review of the Carbon Calculator published by ClimateXChange on 13 January 2025, the Scottish Government is currently letting a further research contract jointly with UK Government to bring the tool up to date and ensure it is applicable to all peatland types across Scotland and England.

This new research is being phased. The first phase will prioritise updating the Carbon Calculator within its existing methodological framework, enabling rapid improvements in accuracy without interrupting user access while the research continues. Subsequent phases will focus on developing new modules specifically tailored to various peatland types and integrating increasingly detailed spatial data into the tool.

In the interim, the Carbon Calculator will continue to provide a consistent framework for assessing carbon impacts, with its outputs considered alongside the wider evidence submitted through the consenting process. This approach will ensure the Carbon Calculator remains available for use throughout, while methodological enhancements and expanded capabilities are introduced over time. Whilst noting its limitations, the Carbon Calculator provides the best currently available means by which carbon calculations can be provided in a consistent and comparable format.

Question reference: S7W-04597

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the difference in unit price between electricity and gas is presenting challenges for local authorities in delivering their decarbonisation strategies, what actions (a) have been taken and (b) will be taken to make electricity cheaper.

The Scottish Government is sympathetic to these concerns. However the key levers affecting electricity prices, including electricity market design, network charging and energy bill policy costs, are reserved to the UK Government. Under current market arrangements, gas frequently sets the wholesale electricity price, leading to high costs driven by volatile international gas markets. This arrangement is unfit for purpose.

The Scottish Government continues to press the UK Government to reform the energy market, including by decoupling electricity prices from gas prices, so that consumers and organisations in Scotland can fully benefit from our country's substantial renewables resource, ensuring the lower costs of renewables are reflected in consumer prices. We are also supporting investment in renewable generation, electricity networks, energy efficiency and low-carbon heat to reduce long-term exposure to volatile international gas prices.

Question reference: S7W-04751

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has been made of the cost of extending occupational maternity pay for teachers employed by local authorities.

Question reference: S7W-04792

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers were initially informed of the concerns raised by the Deputy Director for Domestic Climate Change on 12 March 2026 regarding the potential impacts of data centre developments on electricity prices, energy security, water availability and local employment, and what action was taken in response.

Question reference: S7W-04752

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has carried out of any possible effects on recruitment and retention rates of teachers if occupational maternity pay for teachers was extended or improved.

Question reference: S7O-00466

Asked by: Laura Moodie, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of its headcount reduction programme on the delivery of the Learning for Sustainability Action Plan and the Target 2030 commitments.