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-42084

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its review of the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.

I am pleased to announce that today we have published Rail Recharged: Scotland’s Fleet Transition Strategy which is available at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/rail-recharged-scotland-s-fleet-transition-strategy-delivering-a-modern-fleet-for-a-connected-scotland/

This Strategy has been developed following the commitment made within the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan to review the progress that has been made towards decarbonising Scotland’s railway.

Our Strategy builds on the Scottish Government’s record of modernising Scotland’s railway and is closely aligned with the action we are taking to replace ScotRail trains that are reaching the end of their useable life. This will ensure we continue to provide reliable and resilient passenger services, which is essential for attracting more people away from their cars and onto their publicly owned rail services.

At the core of our Strategy is our commitment to keep passenger services moving, investing strategically in light of ongoing budgetary pressures and supporting Scotland’s railway on its journey to net zero emissions by 2045.

Question reference: S6O-05194

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how Brexit has impacted Scotland's food and drink producers.

Question reference: S6F-04452

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report on regional economic growth by former University of Glasgow principal, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli.

Question reference: S6O-05147

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many university students have benefitted from free tuition since the Scottish Government abolished tuition fees.

Question reference: S6O-05106

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government about the impact of its Energy Profits Levy on business confidence, investment and jobs in Scotland.

Question reference: S6T-02720

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to help secure the future of Petrofac and its workforce, following the announcement that the company has entered into administration.

Question reference: S6W-41105

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 9 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the NHS Grampian escalation to Stage 4 for Finance, Leadership and Governance.

The Scottish Government has established an Assurance Board, which has now met six times. The purpose of the Assurance Board is to provide oversight, scrutiny, and support to NHS Grampian as it develops and implements its improvement plans. The Assurance Board has engaged directly with NHS Grampian’s leadership team, including the Chair and Non-Executive members of the NHS Grampian Board. To ensure transparency the minutes of meetings and supporting documentation of the Assurance Board are published on the Scottish Government website.

The new Chief Executive and Accountable Officer for NHS Grampian, Laura Skaife-Knight is now in post, and her appointment will help to provide stability to the board.

As part of the £85 million investment to support improvement in hospital flow and A&E waiting times, NHS Grampian will receive £5.97 million in additional funding to support improvements in A&E performance, focusing on initiatives that will shift the balance of care and reduce hospital occupancy including Hospital at Home, Frailty, and Discharge without Delay.

A diagnostic report provided by KPMG at the request of the Scottish Government has now been published. The report identifies key challenges within NHS Grampian, including issues around leadership stability, governance structures, and financial sustainability.

Both the Scottish Government and NHS Grampian welcome the report. The rapid diagnostic review has provided fresh perspectives on potential areas for improvement, which NHS Grampian will now consider as they develop their improvement plans. This will be supported and scrutinised by the Assurance Board to ensure swift and effective progress.

Prioritisation of the improvement actions which NHS Grampian include in their plans will be critical in focussing capacity on the areas which will make the most impact and drive real sustainable change.

I will commit to updating Parliament on the improvement plans and the work of the Assurance Board as they develop.

Question reference: S6O-05041

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what actions Police Scotland is taking to deal with problem street drinkers.

Question reference: S6W-39617

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the policy brief by the Rowett Institute, Hemp Cake As A Feed Source For Scotland.

The Scottish Government welcomes the policy brief produced by the Rowett Institute on the potential use of hemp cake as an animal feed source in Scotland. We recognise the value of academic research in exploring sustainable and innovative approaches that can support Scottish agriculture to reduce emissions, improve resilience, and make greater use of home-grown feed alternatives. The findings of this research will help to build the evidence base that industry can draw upon as it considers opportunities for alternative livestock feeding strategies. I look forward to discussing this work further when I visit the Rowett Institute later this year.

Question reference: S6W-39624

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 26 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review how Integration Joint Boards are funded.