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-03894

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates ministers have visited HMP Barlinnie during (a) 2025 and (b) 2026, and which of these visits involved meetings with (i) trade unions, (ii) prison officers and/or staff, (iii) prisoners and (iv) prisoners' families.

Establishment visits allow officials the opportunity to see firsthand, the complexities and uniqueness of the prison environment.

In my capacity as Cabinet Secretary for Justice, I visited HMP Barlinnie on 17 July 2026, during which I met with the Governor and his senior management team, who allowed me to see both the infrastructure of the establishment and more notably, the excellent work carried out by our Prison Officers.

Although there is no formal record of everyone I met during the visit, I was able to meet with a wide range of stakeholders, including prisoners and prison officers, which provided me with a deeper understanding of the operational constraints and the good work that is carried out inside Scotland prisons.

I have however met personally with the POA(S) on 16 June 2026 and am attending their Annual Conference on 29 October, I am also aware my predecessor visited HMP Barlinnie on 5 February and 5 August 2025.

Question reference: S7W-03895

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Prison Officers' Association report, Crisis Point Reached - The Pressures Facing Scotland’s Prison Officers Uncovered, published in October 2025, and which of the 41 recommendations have been implemented.

Both SPS and Scottish Government recognise the challenges set out by the POA(S) within their report and understand the potential impact these can have on staff.

Working together with their recognised trade unions partners, including POA(S), SPS are ensuring that staff voices are not only heard, but form part of their organisational improvement journey.

Work has already commenced on the issues identified within the report including work to address an unacceptably high prison population, assessment and improvement of organisational culture, the review of prison officer recruitment approaches, and the provision of meaningful wellbeing supports for all SPS staff.

Question reference: S7W-04050

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 12 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much financial support it is providing to Glasgow City Council to assist with pay protection, in light of the recent fire and rehire dispute.

Question reference: S7W-04097

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that its proposals for local government reform include people who are (a) from ethnic minority groups, (b) aged under 18, and (c) who live in social housing.

Question reference: S7W-04096

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what decisions, if any, it expects to be in a position to make regarding its proposals for local government reform by the end of the three-month consultation period.

Question reference: S7W-04099

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set a target for the number of respondents to its consultation on local government reform and, if so, what that target is.

Question reference: S7W-04098

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is maximising engagement with its proposals for local government reform to ensure that as many people as possible are able to influence the process.

Question reference: S7W-03654

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, if all the Option 1 measures proposed in the Fisheries Management Measures within Scottish Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas consultation were adopted for all MPAs, what percentage of Scotland’s inshore waters which are designated as being within the Marine Protected Areas network would be subject to year-round spatial restrictions on (a) all commercial fishing, (b) scallop dredging, (c) nephrops trawling, (d) both scallop dredging and nephrops trawling and (e) creeling.

Question reference: S7W-03655

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, if all the Option 2 measures proposed in the Fisheries Management Measures within Scottish Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas consultation were adopted for all MPAs, what percentage of Scotland’s inshore waters which are designated as being within the Marine Protected Areas network would be subject to year-round spatial restrictions on (a) all commercial fishing, (b) scallop dredging, (c) nephrops trawling, (d) both scallop dredging and nephrops trawling and (e) creeling.

Question reference: S7W-03657

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in the event that all the Option 2 measures proposed in the Fisheries Management Measures within Scottish Inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) Management Areas consultation are adopted for the 11 selected Priority Marine Features, what percentage of Scotland’s inshore waters which are outwith the Marine Protected Areas network will be subject to year-round spatial restrictions on (a) all commercial fishing, (b) scallop dredging, (c) nephrops trawling, (d) both scallop dredging and nephrops trawling and (e) creeling.