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-01955

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the minister with responsibility for energy has had with representatives of Highlands and Islands Enterprise since 2024, on what dates, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S7W-01956

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the minister with responsibility for energy has had with representatives of South of Scotland Enterprise since 2024, on what dates, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S7W-01953

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the minister with responsibility for energy has had with representatives of Scottish Enterprise since 2024, on what dates, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S7W-01954

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the minister with responsibility for energy has had with representatives of Crown Estate Scotland since 2024, on what dates, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S7W-01538

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 23 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the £10 million Scottish Heating Oil Support Scheme fund, how it will evaluate the effectiveness of the scheme, including what assessment it will make of whether eligible households had sufficient access to information on the (a) eligibility criteria and (b) application processes, and whether it will publish any lessons learned from the scheme.

The Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme was announced and arrangements put into place in the lead up to the pre-election period of the Scottish Parliament Election of 7 May 2026.

The Scheme launched on 1 April and has been managed by Advice Direct Scotland (ADS). Details of the eligibility criteria and the application process have been made available on the ADS website since the launch of the Scheme. Additionally, ADS have utilised the heating oil and liquid petroleum gas supplier network and have contacted over 1,600 third sector organisations to raise awareness of the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme.

ADS are also assisting individuals with any queries that they may have on the Scheme or in making an application and I thank them for their on-going work.

Due to the pre-election period, the Scottish Government was limited in what could be done to promote the Scheme; we are now increasing awareness and will continue to use various channels to reach those households most in need.

My officials monitor the scheme on an on-going basis. As part of this, consideration is given to any adaptations that can be made.

The Scheme’s outcomes and performance will be assessed following its closure.

Question reference: S7W-01537

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 23 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the £10 million Scottish Heating Oil Support Scheme fund, where any unallocated funds are currently held and, if so, what it plans to do with such funds when the scheme closes in September 2026, including where they will be held subsequently.

The Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme launched on 1 April, with up to £10 million being made available to ensure those households who are most vulnerable would receive support. This includes those households on means-tested benefits but also those in financial hardship and at risk of self-rationing fuel who have unavoidable heating needs.

Advice Direct Scotland (ADS) deliver the scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government. ADS draw-down funds when required to make payments to the eligible household’s chosen supplier. Within the terms of the grant, there is a claw-back option for any unspent funds.

The scheme is currently operational, with my officials providing advice regularly on performance, including current and projected spending, and on future operational requirements.

Question reference: S7W-01271

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Barnett consequential funding has arisen from the introduction of the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England, which replaced the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Scheme.

The Scottish Government has not identified any Barnett consequential funding specifically linked to the introduction of the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England.

Under the Barnett formula, changes to the Scottish Government’s funding are calculated at the level of overall UK Government departmental spending, rather than individual programmes or schemes. UK Government ministers have confirmed that the funding for the Places of Worship Renewal Fund is included within the wider Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) settlement, and that Barnett consequentials are applied to the total departmental allocation rather than to specific funding lines.

Decisions on how to allocate funding received through the block grant are a matter for the Scottish Government, in line with devolved responsibilities.

The final decision to end the UK-wide scheme was also only confirmed to the Scottish Government after the 2026-27 Scottish Budget was set, further limiting Scottish Ministers' options. However, Ministers will continue to seek options.

Question reference: S7W-01427

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 21 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of further delays to the finalisation of the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy on consenting decisions for offshore wind projects that are currently at planning stage.

All consenting decisions are made on a case-by-case basis in line with the planning, consenting and assessment framework available at the time. No delays to individual project determinations have occurred because of the development timeline of the Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy, which remains on track for adoption in Summer 2026. Due to the conclusions of the plan-level Appropriate Assessment, adoption of the Updated Sectoral Marine Plan is contingent on UK Ministerial agreement.

Question reference: S7W-01829

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost to the public purse has been of operating the Caledonian Sleeper service in each year since 2019-20, including (a) operating subsidy, (b) loans, (c) grants, (d) capital funding, (e) shareholder support, (f) management fees and (g) any other direct financial support from (A) it, (B) Transport Scotland and (C) any other related public body.

Question reference: S7W-01827

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the overall passenger satisfaction score for the Caledonian Sleeper service has been in each year since 2019-20, also including measures of (a) journey experiences, (b) cabin comfort, (c) staff helpfulness, (d) punctuality, (e) cleanliness, (f) value for money and (g) overall service quality.