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: S7O-00298

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it considers it equitable that staff employed by MSPs receive lower employer pension contributions than staff it and the Scottish Government directly employ, and what action it is taking to address any such disparity.

Question reference: S7O-00212

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what additional powers it considers local authorities require to enforce legislation relating to the sale of vaping products effectively.

Question reference: S7W-02160

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what lessons it has learned from the response to the July 2026 Cairngorms wildfire.

I have commissioned a review of the Scottish Government’s Wildfires Strategic Action Plan and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) standard operational assurance processes will capture debriefs from attending crews and officers.

In addition, the SFRS have also commissioned an independently led review at a wider partner and multi-agency level to identify issues arising from the Cairngorms wildfire in order to maximise organisational learning and instil public confidence.

These reviews will provide partners with the opportunities to explore issues and experiences arising during this wildfire, ensuring lessons learned are taken forward and that future arrangements are fully informed by operational experience and the expertise of those at the forefront of wildfire management.

Question reference: S7O-00135

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the importance of community cohesion and resilience, including the role that local galas play in promoting this.

Question reference: S7O-00071

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what conversations it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service regarding the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to expand the role of firefighters to support the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Question reference: S7O-00002

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the Sheriffhall Roundabout project.

Question reference: S6O-05687

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether local authorities are fully utilising the powers available to them under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, such as Bus Service Improvement Partnerships, franchising and the ability to run their own services, to safeguard essential routes such as the 46 and 48 in Midlothian.

Question reference: S6O-05508

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the pilot of the proposed “ask and act duty” related to the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S6O-05473

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Action 20 of the Housing to 2040 strategy to "streamline and accelerate the adaptations system".

Question reference: S6O-05440

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with non-medical aesthetic practitioners regarding training opportunities for the sector in advance of the introduction of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill.