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-43001

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Edinburgh City Council to ensure that staff are entitled to the proposed additional June 2026 public holiday announced by the First Minister to mark Scotland’s participation in the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

The First Minister’s proposal for a bank holiday to follow Scotland’s opening game at the men’s FIFA World Cup will create an opportunity for the country to come together and share this landmark occasion.

We would encourage employers, including The City of Edinburgh Council and other local authorities, to be as flexible as possible to ensure their staff have the opportunity to celebrate the team's success.

Question reference: S6W-42999

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether school staff, including teachers, will be entitled to the proposed additional June 2026 public holiday announced by the First Minister to mark Scotland’s participation in the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

As employers of school staff, including teachers, we would encourage local authorities to be as flexible as possible to ensure staff and pupils have the opportunity to celebrate the team's success.

Question reference: S6W-43000

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Scotland staff will be entitled to the proposed additional June 2026 public holiday announced by the First Minister to mark Scotland’s participation in the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

Question reference: S6W-42819

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the (a) revenue and (b) capital cost of extending universal free school meal entitlement to all primary school children.

Question reference: S6W-42799

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 05 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its consultation, which was launched on 28 August 2025 and concluded on 17 October 2025, with the Criminal Justice Committee taking initial evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs on 24 September 2025, what the reasons are for the reported delay in the laying of the proposed Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (Characteristic of Sex) Amendment Regulations 2026, and when an update on the current status and next steps in the process will be provided to the Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-42818

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional children it estimates would be eligible for universal free school meal entitlement if this was extended to all primary school children.

Question reference: S6W-42820

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the uptake was of free school meals in 2025 for (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils in each local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-42995

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it can provide regarding the timelines and delivery of the university sustainability review.

Question reference: S6W-42996

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement of the review into a sustainable future funding model for universities, what support or assurances it will provide to any university staff who have lost their jobs or are currently at risk of redundancy.

Question reference: S6W-42998

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that higher education better meets the needs of Scotland and of future generations.