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-02245

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01870 by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2026, what assessment it has made of any impact that the removal of the Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) pay supplement could have on the recruitment and retention of civil servants within the DDAT profession, in light of the reported challenges in attracting staff with the relevant expertise due to higher salaries offered in the private sector.

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) pay supplement was replaced following a review with a new Government Digital and Data (GDD) pay supplement aligned to the UK Civil Service profession framework. Pay supplements are temporary measures, subject to regular review, and are retained, amended or withdrawn based on evidence of recruitment and retention pressures. The review concluded that pay supplements should continue to be applied where there is evidence of recruitment and retention challenges linked to market conditions. As a result, roles where higher external salaries create difficulties in attracting and retaining suitably skilled staff continue to attract a pay supplement at an appropriate market rate.

Question reference: S7W-01951

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out a feasibility study or any other work on the potential introduction of a demolition levy and, if so, what the outcome was.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken a feasibility study for a Demolition Levy. The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce a Demolition Levy and while the Scottish Government share concerns around carbon emissions from demolition and the preservation of the built environment, the Scottish Government believes the most straight forward response would be for the UK Government to address any VAT imbalances which disincentivise reuse, retrofitting and refurbishment.

Question reference: S7W-01852

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Minister for Parliamentary Business's letter to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee on 30 January 2026, when it plans to consult on electoral reform, particularly on deposits and supporter signature requirements.

Question reference: S7W-01680

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what methodology is used to determine the frequency of train services on the Milngavie line and what would be required to restore a service frequency of four services per hour outwith peak times.

Question reference: S7W-01397

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that the selection of financial institutions to advise on and support its forthcoming bond-issuance scheme is consistent with motion S6M-18686, which was passed by the Parliament on 3 September 2025, particularly the call for "the Scottish and UK governments to immediately impose a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the State of Israel and at companies complicit in its military operations and its occupation of Palestine".

The appointment of financial institutions to the framework supporting the Scottish Government’s multi-year bond programme marks an important milestone as the programme moves into its next phase.

All appointments were made through a procurement process conducted in line with procurement regulations, policy and law. On 25 June 2026, the Scottish Government announced the appointment of nine banks to a framework that will support delivery of its bond programme during this parliamentary term. HSBC, Bank of America, NatWest, and RBC were appointed as joint bookrunners for the inaugural bond issuance.

In response to the situation in Gaza, the Scottish Government has consistently advocated for peace, justice, and human rights, and will continue to do what it can to support a rapid resolution to the conflict and to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable. The First Minister met Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Dr Husam Zomlot, on 27 July and discussed the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. During the meeting, the First Minister announced a further £500,000 funding to support access to food, healthcare, clean water and shelter.

Question reference: S7W-01870

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly removed the £5,000 p/a pay supplement to civil servants working in the Digital Data and Technology Framework, resulting in real terms pay reductions of nine to 14%.

Pay supplements are operational matters for the Scottish Government Civil Service and are, by design, temporary and subject to periodic review. They are typically approved for a fixed term of up to three years and may be continued, varied, or withdrawn based on the outcome of that review. These supplements are attached to specific roles rather than individuals and are used to address recruitment and retention pressures in areas where market conditions require it.

The outcome to remove the previous Digital, Data and Technology pay supplement and replace it with the new Government Digital and Data pay supplement was informed by labour market evidence and pay data, with the process agreed between Scottish Government HR Pay and Reward and the Convention of Scottish Government Unions (CSGU). It included engagement with trade unions and senior leaders, with recommendations considered by an independent Pay Panel. As agreed with CSGU, there is a period of withdrawal for 12 months during which the DDaT pay supplement will be paid in full.

Pay supplements do not form part of contractual base pay and are explicitly intended to be temporary mechanisms linked to prevailing market conditions. There has been no reduction to the base pay of any individuals affected by the review.

Question reference: S7W-01871

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk that post-2027 drone class-marking requirements could lead to otherwise safe and operational drones being prematurely replaced, resulting in increased electronic waste.

Product standards are a reserved matter, with drone class-marking requirements for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) set by the Civil Aviation Authority. The Scottish Government has not assessed any impacts associated with the introduction of these requirements. Drones reaching end of life can be managed through existing Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) arrangements that support collection, treatment and recycling at the end of life.

Question reference: S7W-01398

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the option of issuing retail bonds available to individuals and public institutions, and for what reason this option was not pursued in favour of wholesale bond issuance available to institutional investors.

The Scottish Government bond programme is designed to maximise value for the Scottish taxpayer by diversifying our sources of borrowing and provide more opportunities to promote Scotland as a place to invest and do business.

Therefore, in line with the Investment Panel recommendation, the Government is pursuing a conventional issuance model aimed at institutional investors. However, this does not preclude retail participation in future, and the programme is being structured to retain flexibility for a range of issuance options in subsequent years.

Question reference: S7F-00018

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7W-00772

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the law regarding liability and responsibility for vehicles abandoned without permission on private property.

There are no plans to review the law on the liability and responsibility for vehicles abandoned without permission on private property.

Controls on abandoned and other vehicles are set out under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. It is an offence to abandon a motor vehicle on any land without lawful authority and local authorities are required to remove abandoned vehicles in certain circumstances. Where a vehicle is abandoned on land which is occupied, the local authority must serve the occupier of the land with a 15 day notice, for which they have 15 days to object to the vehicle being taken away as prescribed by the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986. Local Authorities also have the power to recover costs of removal, storage and disposal from the person responsible for abandoning the vehicle.

The police have powers to remove any vehicle that is in breach of local traffic regulations, causing an obstruction, likely to cause a danger, broken down or abandoned without lawful authority. Any car that is considered to be a dangerous wreck and where a notice has been issued, can be removed immediately.