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-00255

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses when assessing proposals for new railway stations.

Question reference: S7W-02665

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether any recent financial transactions affecting NHS Grampian alter the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) estimate that the board has been below National Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) parity by approximately £277 million since 2009.

The NRAC formula is an objective measure of the need for health care services in Scotland, providing a target share for Territorial Boards.

The Scottish Government continues to ensure that all Boards remain within 0.6% of NRAC parity. Since 2012-13, over £4 billion of additional funding has been committed to those NHS Boards below their NRAC parity levels, including additional funding for NHS Grampian.

Between 2014-15 and 2026-27, NHS Grampian received £87.2 million in parity funding, including £11.4 million in 2026-27 from a total national allocation of £32.8 million, maintaining the Board within the agreed 0.6% tolerance of its NRAC target allocation.

Question reference: S7W-02664

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed or revised the National Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula or parity calculations in light of financial challenges experienced by territorial NHS boards, including NHS Grampian.

The NRAC formula is an objective measure of the need for health care services in Scotland, providing a target share for Territorial Boards. The formula is refreshed by Public Health Scotland on an annual basis to ensure it reflects the most up-to-date data available.

The Scottish Government has committed to review the NRAC formula through the Technical Advisory Group for Resource Allocation (TAGRA). The review is ongoing and is being considered alongside the Programme for Government commitment to simplify NHS Board structures, which may affect its scope and timing.

Question reference: S7W-02592

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work with NHS Grampian to bring the board's financial position into line with its financial targets.

Since NHS Grampian moved to Stage 4 of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework for finance, leadership and governance in May 2025, a range of support measures have been put in place commensurate with the Board’s financial challenges. This includes a Scottish Government-led Assurance Board, which provides enhanced oversight and support to NHS Grampian, monitoring progress against key financial and operational challenges while strengthening financial governance. It continues to work closely with the Board's leadership team to support recovery planning and help return the Board to a sustainable financial footing.

NHS Grampian remain on track to meet key financial targets in 2026-27.

Question reference: S7W-03255

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of potential locations that would be suitable for the development of off-grid pumped-storage hydro facilities and offshore wind installations.

Question reference: S7W-03027

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what passenger and aviation data it relied on when it concluded that the proposed Air Departure Tax exemption for domestic flights from Highlands and Islands airports, including Inverness Airport, is necessary to support connectivity, including (a) the source, (b) year of the most recent data considered and (c) any equivalent evidence relating to Aberdeen International Airport.

Question reference: S7W-03026

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7O-00157 by Stephen Flynn on 2 September 2026, what assessment it has made of the risk of distortion of competition between Aberdeen International Airport and Inverness Airport arising from the proposed Highlands and Islands exemption from Air Departure Tax, including any impact on competing domestic air routes.

Question reference: S7W-03018

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding GP walk-in clinics across Scotland, whether it will provide information on (a) the maximum capacity for patient consultations and (b) the funding awarded for financial year 2026-27, broken down by location.

Question reference: S7W-02989

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has received the four aerial firefighting assets requested from the Ministry of Defence on 25 July 2026 and, if so, on what date.

Question reference: S7W-02660

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many actions contained in its Offshore Wind Skills Programme (a) have been completed, (b) remain outstanding and (c) have had their delivery date revised.

The Offshore Wind Skills Priorities & Action Plan was developed with industry and key public sector partners and sets out 12 initial actions over the next two years. The plan is jointly owned by partners - public bodies, education providers and sector skills organisations - who have committed to taking these actions forward.

Five actions in the Offshore Wind Skills Priorities & Action Plan have been completed, and seven actions are underway. Six of these actions are on track to be completed by, or ahead of, their respective delivery dates. The Offshore Wind Skills Programme Board approved revisions to the delivery dates of three actions, two of which have been completed, with the third on track for delivery.

The Scottish Government and delivery partners remain committed to implementing the Offshore Wind Skills Priorities & Action Plan in full.