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-00510

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to introduce legislation on tenement maintenance.

Question reference: S7O-00417

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, in coordination with the UK Government, to ensure that households and essential public services in Scotland are prepared for any prolonged disruption to electricity, water and telecommunications services, including the measures used to assess the effectiveness of that action.

Question reference: S7O-00358

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects its proposed new regional and local authorities to be established.

Question reference: S7O-00321

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the bus and haulage sector to decarbonise.

Question reference: S7O-00242

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to produce planning and environmental guidance on AI data centres.

Question reference: S7W-02484

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding section 121 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, how it is (a) monitoring compliance by NHS boards regarding their duty to work with community transport organisations to improve access to healthcare and (b) enforcing implementation by NHS boards.

The Scottish Government's Transport to Health Delivery Plan, published in October 2024, aims to ensure that access to healthcare is fully considered within NHS Board planning and service delivery.

As part of the commitments set out in the Plan, sections 120 and 121 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 came into force on 22 September 2023. These provisions require Health Boards to engage with community transport providers and to consider the social and economic impacts of non-emergency patient transport services.

We continue to engage with NHS Boards on a range of issues relevant to service delivery, including transport-related challenges, and monitor the ongoing implementation of the statutory requirements. We will shortly write to Boards to seek their next annual progress update.

We recognise that effective collaboration between NHS Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other relevant partners is essential to improving transport to healthcare. We therefore continue to work closely with Regional Transport Partnerships to support progress in this area.

Question reference: S7W-01936

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the requirement for disabled National Entitlement Card holders whose condition is permanent, including people registered severely sight impaired, to renew their card periodically and re-submit evidence of eligibility, noting that cards issued to people aged 60 and over carry no expiry date.

National Entitlement Cards produced on the grounds of disability have an expiry date, valid up to a maximum of three years, based on the individual’s evidence of eligibility.

Health conditions for individuals may change over time as can eligibility for disability benefits which passport to the scheme. Therefore, cardholders renewing their cards need to provide updated evidence to confirm they continue to meet the eligibility criteria and receive the right type of card. This also ensures that the scheme is administered properly and protects the integrity and future sustainability of the scheme.

However, I can confirm that my officials are exploring the potential to improve the alignment between the duration of National Entitlement Card entitlement and the eligibility criteria for the scheme.

Question reference: S7W-01937

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 19 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring it carries out of the number of collisions and injuries involving cyclists and pedestrians at or around floating bus stops and bus boarders, and whether such incidents are separately identified in road casualty statistics.

Statistical information about road collisions in which one or more people are injured is collected by Police Scotland and reported to the Scottish Government and the Department for Transport using the Great Britain-wide ‘STATS19’ data collection. Floating bus stops (and similar) are not amongst the pre-determined location options that police can select as part of this data collection. As a result, they are not separately identified in road casualty statistics.

The Scottish Government does not routinely collect data through other sources on the number of collisions or injuries involving cyclists and pedestrians at or around floating bus stops and bus boarders. Such infrastructure is typically delivered and managed by local authorities, who are therefore best placed to hold any location-specific information relating to incidents on their networks.

Question reference: S7W-01674

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to the development of a funding model that recognises the heritage and community value of listed places of worship in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-01934

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 4 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking, through guidance, engagement or training, to raise awareness among licensing authorities, taxi and private hire vehicle drivers and operators, and disabled passengers in Scotland, of the duties under sections 164A and 165A of the Equality Act 2010, as inserted by the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 and the associated requirement to (a) carry disabled passengers and their mobility aids, (b) provide such mobility assistance as is reasonably required and (c) assist passengers who need help to identify and find their vehicle or assist them to their destination, and not to make any additional charge for doing so.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the importance of Taxis and Private Hire Car (PHC) vehicles, and wheelchair accessible vehicles in particular, for disabled people.

The Scottish Government’s vision is that all disabled people can travel with the same freedom, choice, dignity and opportunity as other citizens. Scotland’s Accessible Travel Framework is at the heart of achieving that. Alongside this national vision, the Framework provides specific outcomes for accessible travel and a high level action plan to tackle the key issues facing disabled people.

It is important to note that the Scottish Government does not have powers to enforce accessibility requirements on Taxi operators or licensing authorities. This remains reserved to the UK Parliament under the Equality Act 2010.

Nevertheless, the Scottish Government has actively sought opportunities to improve the accessibility of Taxi services where we can, and we would like to see the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles increase.

Taxis and PHCs are licensed in Scotland under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. The aim of the licensing system is to ensure that Taxi and PHC customers have a safe, reliable and accessible service.

While the Scottish Government has responsibility for the overarching legislation, the day to day administration of the licensing regime is devolved to independent licensing authorities – in effect the 32 Scottish local authorities. All licensing authorities have wide discretion to determine appropriate licensing arrangements according to local needs and circumstances and their own legal advice.

While the Scottish Ministers do not have any specific functions in relation to the day to day operation of the Taxi/ PHC licensing regime in any given local authority area, the Scottish Government can provide best practice guidance to inform and assist local licensing authorities in their decision making.

In May 2023 the Scottish Government published updated best practice guidance for local licensing authorities and Taxi and PHC operators on the licensing of Taxis and PHCs and their drivers. (https://www.gov.scot/publications/taxi-private-hire-car-licensing-best-practice-licensing-authorities-taxi-private-hire-car-operators-3rd-edition/).

I would refer you to Chapter 4 of the guidance, which specifically relates to accessibility requirements. That chapter of the best practice guidance contains information on issues such as legal duties for drivers and operators under the Equality Act 2010.

Written in conjunction with Transport Scotland, local authorities and the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) the Scottish Government best practice guidance was produced to ensure the provision of Taxis and PHCs meet the needs of disabled people.