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: S6W-40333

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions (a) it and (b) its agencies has had with the horticultural sector regarding the invasiveness of rhododendron ponticum.

Question reference: S6W-40334

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will discuss a potential ban on the sale of rhododendron ponticum at the next meeting of the British-Irish Council.

Question reference: S6W-40331

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much its agencies have spent on the (a) removal and (b) control of rhododendron ponticum in each year since 2020-21.

Question reference: S6W-40332

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on a potential ban of the sale of rhododendron ponticum in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-38649

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when there will be a stakeholder consultation on NatureScot's reported work to develop a list of irreplaceable habitats, and whether any types of species-rich grassland will be included in any such list.

As committed to in our Biodiversity Delivery Plan, we are revising the Scottish Biodiversity List of species and habitats. A process involving stakeholders is already underway to produce a revised list by the end of 2025. This summer, NatureScot and Scottish Government officials will be working with a range of stakeholders to prioritise habitats and species which are of principle importance for the conservation of biodiversity in Scotland and provide advice to Ministers. Workshops to consider these lists are planned for August and early September. The importance that species-rich grasslands have for biodiversity both as habitats, and for supporting species dependent on them, will form part of this exercise.

Question reference: S6O-04853

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to reform the planning appeals process.

Question reference: S6W-37662

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in restoring Scotland’s rainforest since the 2021 election, broken down by (a) agency and (b)(i) capital and (ii) revenue spending.

Since May 2021 Naturescot have invested nearly £4 million in rainforest restoration activities through the Nature Restoration Fund: £3,933,357 capital and £381,291 resource.

Scottish Forestry (SF) are not able to give the precise breakdown of funding as requested in the time frame required. This is because the data for grant support is not in a format that allows us to spatially analyse it quickly against the Atlantic Rainforest zone. However, since 2015 SF have committed £6 million of Forestry Grant Scheme funding for the management of existing native woodlands within the rainforest zone, with £1 million made available in 2023. This is all resource spending.

Forestry and Land Scotland have invested £6.14 million in rainforest restoration since 2022: £1,899,000 resource and £4,241,000.

Question reference: S6O-04734

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what actions it is taking to end the housing emergency.

Question reference: S6F-04113

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 May 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to The Hunter Foundation report, Lessons from Singapore for Scotland's Economy.

Question reference: S6O-04662

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress towards a national smart ticketing scheme for public transport.

The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board will publish its first annual report in June, including progress on its year one 'Quick Wins'. This includes, for the first time, provision of digital integrated tickets for the Aberdeenshire and Dundee bus to bus schemes, due to launch this summer.

Consideration of a digital platform for our biggest national scheme, free bus travel, is also underway, with the intention of a pilot scheme in 2026, unlocking the use of mobile devices for concessionary travel. This aligns with the milestones as set out in our Smart Delivery Strategy in August 2024.