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-04121

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of Care Inspectorate inspections of childminding services were carried out without prior notice in each of the last five years, and what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of unannounced inspections in identifying services operating outside the conditions of their registration.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. This is an operational matter for the Care Inspectorate, which is best placed to provide this information.

Unannounced inspections are an established part of the Care Inspectorate’s scrutiny and assurance approach, as they enable inspectors to observe services as they are operating on a day-to-day basis. They can provide assurance that regulatory requirements are being met and help identify any issues that may require further investigation or follow-up action. However, the assessment of the effectiveness of inspection methodologies is a matter for the Care Inspectorate as the independent regulator.

Question reference: S7W-04120

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what reviews or assessments it has carried out in each of the last five years of the effectiveness of the regulatory and inspection arrangements for childminding services, and what changes were made as a result.

The Care Inspectorate operates independently of, and at arm’s length from, Scottish Government. However, Scottish Ministers consider the effectiveness of inspection arrangements on an ongoing basis, including as part of the annual approval of the Care Inspectorate’s inspection plan.

The Scottish Government also works with the Care Inspectorate to consider whether changes to the regulatory framework or inspection arrangements are required to support the effective exercise of its functions.

In September 2025, a new Quality Improvement Framework for the early learning and childcare sectors was introduced by the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland, which includes childminding-specific quality indicators. Further changes made in recent years include making Care Standard Questionnaires for Childminding services available to the public, revising guidance for inspectors and enhancing information-sharing between regulators.

Question reference: S7W-04118

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what processes are in place to enable the Care Inspectorate to identify where a childminding service might be caring for more children than it is registered to accommodate.

This is an operational matter for the Care Inspectorate, who are best placed to provide this information.

The Care Inspectorate is the independent regulator of care services in Scotland. The registration, inspection and enforcement of childminding services are operational matters for them.

Registered childminders are required to operate within the conditions of their registration, including any limits on the number and ages of children they may care for at any one time. The Care Inspectorate monitors compliance through a range of regulatory activity, including inspections, intelligence gathering, self-evaluation information, notifications from providers, and information received from parents, members of the public and partner agencies.

Where concerns are identified that a childminding service may be caring for more children than it is registered to accommodate, the Care Inspectorate has powers to investigate and, where appropriate, take regulatory or enforcement action.

Decisions on the identification, investigation and enforcement of registration requirements are matters for the Care Inspectorate as an independent regulator exercising its statutory functions and are not directed by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S7W-04117

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the current risk-based approach to the frequency of Care Inspectorate inspections of childminding services provides sufficient assurance that children are being cared for safely.

The Care Inspectorate operates independently of, and at arm’s length from, Scottish Ministers. However, the Scottish Government monitors the Care Inspectorate’s inspection activity and performance through established sponsorship arrangements and provides funding to support delivery of its statutory functions. Decisions about the frequency and targeting of childminding inspections are operational matters for the Care Inspectorate and are informed by previous inspection findings, complaints, notifications and other intelligence about individual services.

The Care Inspectorate keeps its scrutiny and assurance arrangements under review to ensure that regulatory resources are targeted where risks are greatest and that children continue to receive safe, high-quality care. The Scottish Government remains engaged with the Care Inspectorate on these arrangements and its capacity to deliver both risk-based and planned inspection activity.

Question reference: S7W-04116

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether, following serious reported incidents involving regulated childcare services, it routinely considers whether changes are required to the regulation, inspection or enforcement of those services, and, if so, what the process involves.

The Scottish Government is in regular dialogue with the Care Inspectorate regarding reported incidents in care services. Scottish Ministers are kept appraised of incidents, including any emerging trends.

The Care Inspectorate operates independently of, and at arm's length from, Scottish Ministers and is responsible for its regulatory, inspection and enforcement functions. It keeps its scrutiny and assurance arrangements under review and takes a risk-based approach to targeting regulatory activity where concerns are identified.

Where incidents identify potential issues with the regulatory framework, the Scottish Government works with the Care Inspectorate and other relevant partners to consider whether changes to legislation, policy or regulatory arrangements may be required. This may include considering whether existing powers, guidance, inspection approaches or enforcement tools remain appropriate and effective in protecting people who use services.

Any proposals for substantive changes would be developed and considered in line with the usual policy and legislative processes, including engagement with relevant stakeholders where appropriate. The need for any changes is considered on the basis of the evidence available and the circumstances of individual cases, rather than as an automatic consequence of a reported incident.

Question reference: S7W-04122

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints relating to childminding services the Care Inspectorate has received in each of the last five years, broken down by how many resulted in further regulatory action.

Question reference: S7W-04119

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the number of childminding services found to be operating outside the conditions of their registration in each of the last five years, broken down by the action taken by the Care Inspectorate in each case.

Question reference: S7O-00488

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of progress made in addressing barriers to women's participation in entrepreneurship, as identified in the report, Pathways: A new approach for women in entrepreneurship.

Question reference: S7W-03917

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 29 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to involve communities affected by proposed hyperscale AI data centre developments, including the Auchtertool community in Fife, in the development of its forthcoming national planning guidance and spatial framework, and what opportunities there will be for communities to contribute before these are finalised.

Through the Programme for Government, the Scottish Government has committed to publish a strategic approach to attracting and securing responsible green data centre investment in Scotland, with clear expectations around environmental sustainability, resource use, community benefit and the economic and strategic value these developments should deliver.

We have also committed to publishing planning guidance on data centres before Christmas. In preparing the planning guidance, we will seek targeted input from planning authorities, key agencies and relevant experts from within the scientific community to ensure the guidance is informed by the best available evidence and expertise. There are existing mechanisms within the planning system which provide opportunities for communities and the public to influence decisions about future development proposals, and the guidance will help support that.

Question reference: S7W-03916

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alyn Smith on 29 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards developing a national strategic framework for hyperscale AI data centres, including how it is taking account of the number and scale of proposed developments and by what date it expects to publish the framework.

As part of the Programme for Government 2026–2031, the Scottish Government announced the intention to publish a new strategic approach to attracting and securing responsible green data centre investment in Scotland.

This will include clear expectations around environmental sustainability, resource use, community benefit and the economic and strategic value these developments should deliver. We are progressing work to deliver this early in 2027, following the planning guidance that is due to be published in December this year.