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-01949

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce waiting times for children for neurodevelopmental assessments, including how it will ensure that CAMHS services have the staffing and resources needed to deliver timely assessments and appropriate support.

Question reference: S7W-01254

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that its work towards the prevention of violence against women and girls is evidence-led and targeted at the behaviours that reportedly cause abuse.

In line with the public health approach to addressing VAWG outlined in our Equally Safe strategy, using a wide range of data and evidence is central to informing policy and practice, monitoring progress, and identifying areas for future improvement.

These include official statistics, such as the domestic abuse statistics recorded by the police in Scotland and the findings on partner abuse from the Scottish Crime and Justice survey; academic research, such as that commissioned to shape our approach to challenging men’s demand for prostitution; literature produced by human rights bodies; and the views of experts by experience and profession. We also gather data by leading and participating in various groups and forums where evidence is shared.

We are also currently working with partners and academics to develop a measurement framework that can be used to monitor progress against the activities and outcomes outlined in the strategy.

Furthermore, the Equally Safe Delivery Plan includes commitments to develop a primary prevention framework, test an evidence-based implementation approach, and establish an Implementation Forum to build awareness and capacity of how to implement a public health approach to the prevention of VAWG at a local level. This work is ongoing in partnership with Public Health Scotland and the Improvement Service.

An evidence based approach was used to develop the tackling misogyny campaign, which launched in February 2026, aimed at boys aged 11-18 to make them aware of the impact of sexist content online and to parents to educate them on the scale of online misogyny and encourage conversations with their children around the harms of online misogynistic content, resulting in an effective campaign.

Question reference: S7W-01184

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Supreme Court’s clarification on biological sex and the Court of Session’s ruling on prison policy, by what date any changes will be implemented regarding the accommodation of biological males identifying as transgender in the female prison estate to ensure single-sex provision.

Question reference: S7W-01253

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the importance of preventing violence against women and girls, what steps it is taking to address the underlying causes of such violence, including reported demand created by sex buyers, the influence of online pornography, including that depicting violence or degradation, and unhealthy attitudes towards relationships, and whether it will ensure that its approach does not risk treating all men and boys as potential perpetrators.

Both our Equally Safe Strategy to tackle Violence against Women and Girls, and our Strategic Approach to challenge demand for prostitution recognise the need for a preventative approach, and also recognise that boys and men can also be victims of violence and exploitation. We have a range of actions in place to tackle the behaviours that underly these issues, including work with the education sector.

Schools deliver learning that enables young people to be media literate – which can include highlighting the harms associated with pornography; and relationships, sexual health and parenthood education to equip children and young people with the knowledge, skills and values to conduct positive relationships.

Through the Delivering Equally Safe fund we provide funding to Rape Crisis Scotland to deliver Equally Safe at School and the national sexual violence prevention programme which aim to tackle sexual harassment and violence in our schools. In addition, we fund the Mentors in Violence Prevention Scotland Programme, a schools-based, peer education programme working to tackle gender stereotyping and attitudes that condone violence against women and girls.

In February 2026 we launched a public information campaign to help combat the harms of sexist and misogynistic content online. Our campaign was designed to make boys and young men aware of the impact of sexist content on social media and how interacting with that can harm the women and girls they know in the real world – including their sisters, friends and classmates. By choosing not to like, share or comment on sexist content online, boys and men can help stop it spreading.

We have committed to developing a public health campaign to make young people and their parents aware of how to use social media, screen time, and online time in a safe and healthy manner.

We also launched a new Crimestopper’s awareness campaign on Commercial Sexual Exploitation in February 2026, further underlying that there is no place for the sexual exploitation of any individual in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has committed to bring forward legislation to criminalising misogynistic harassment and abuse in Scotland and we will set out the timetable for the upcoming legislative programme in due course.

Further, the Scottish Government has established a new Prevention Unit, to help embed a culture of prevention and early intervention across public services in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-01275

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 9 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted, or plans to conduct, a feasibility study for westbound slipways at junction 3 of the M9 and, if so, what the current status of that study is.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken, and currently has no plans to undertake, a feasibility study into the provision of west-facing slip roads at Junction 3 of the M9.

The principle of west-facing slip roads at Junction 3 was considered through the previous local development planning process which safeguarded land for such purpose. Transport Scotland is engaging in the development of a new Local Development Plan by West Lothian Council and is content for land to continue to be safeguarded. However, the responsibility for developing the proposal, including feasibility considerations, rests with West Lothian Council. As would the securing of funding and delivery arrangements.

Question reference: S7W-01534

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for residents who wish to switch to an electric vehicle but are unable to do so due to a lack of practical and affordable home charging options.

Question reference: S7W-01533

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish clear national guidance or minimum standards to ensure that residents wishing to install electric vehicle charging points are treated consistently and fairly across Scotland, rather than facing different requirements depending on their local authority.

Question reference: S7W-01532

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to supporting the transition from fossil-fuelled vehicles to electric vehicles, what steps it has taken to encourage the development of policies that enable the safe use of cross-pavement charging solutions for households across all property types.

Question reference: S7W-00892

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 24 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the compliance of school toilet facilities with the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, as currently in force, and the Equality Act 2010; what guidance, including that informed by external organisations such as LGBT Youth Scotland, it provides on mixed-sex toilets; and, in light of the recent Court of Session ruling, whether it has assessed the impact of current policies on the privacy, dignity and safety of pupils, particularly girls.

The Scottish Government expects local authorities, as the duty holders, to ensure that school toilet facilities comply with the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, as currently in force, and with their duties under the Equality Act 2010. Recognising that these regulations are dated, the Scottish Government undertook a public consultation, with the analysis report due to be published before the end of summer 2026 and updated regulations planned for early 2027.

The Supporting Transgender Pupils in Schools guidance, published in September 2025, was updated in light of the Supreme Court judgment and provides guidance on the provision of toilets in schools. Furthermore, the guidance was subject to an Equality Impact Assessment and a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment during its preparation for publication. These are available at: Supporting transgender pupils in schools - revised guidance: equality impact assessment - gov.scot and Supporting transgender pupils in schools - revised guidance: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment - gov.scot.

Question reference: S7O-00111

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support farmers in mitigating the negative impacts of certain plant and animal species on their businesses.