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-44337

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to undertake an assessment of the impact of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 on rural and island communities, as required by section 81 of that Act.

Section 81 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 requires the Scottish Ministers to conduct a rural and island communities impact assessment of the provisions of the Act no later than 6 November 2026.

A report of the findings will be laid before the Scottish Parliament and published with a statement of the action, if any, the Scottish Ministers intend to take as a result of the impact assessment by that date.

Question reference: S6W-43822

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on community participation and transparency of the removal of the automatic requirement for a Public Local Inquiry when a planning authority objects to an application under sections 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.

While the Scottish Government has not made a formal assessment, it is our expectation that community participation and transparency will not be reduced as a result of the removal of the automatic requirement for a Public Local Inquiry when a planning authority objects to an application under sections 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.

When a relevant planning authority objects to a section 36 or 37 application, the Scottish Ministers will appoint a reporter who can select the most appropriate examination procedure (written submissions, hearings, site inspections, or full inquiries) based on the specific circumstances of each case.

This follows the approach already in place under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and which is provided for in the Town and Country Planning (Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2013. By matching the examination method to the complexity of objections, legitimate concerns of communities will be fully evaluated in the most appropriate format, while helping to significantly reduce the end-to-end timelines of applications for energy consent.

Question reference: S6W-43826

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, what consultation it has undertaken with (a) planning authorities and (b) local communities regarding the removal of the automatic Public Local Inquiry trigger.

Changes to the automatic Public Local Inquiry trigger for energy consent applications were consulted on by the UK Government in October and November 2024 as part of preparations for the then Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Details of the consultation outcome can be viewed at: Electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland - GOV.UK.

This included engagement with planning authorities and opportunities for input from local communities through formal public consultation processes.

The Scottish Government intends to consult later this year on additional measures enabled by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 which are intended to further improve the efficiency of application processing.

Question reference: S6W-43827

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that communities retain meaningful opportunities to participate in decision-making on large-scale energy infrastructure proposals under the revised procedures for applications for energy consents.

It is essential that communities are able to have their say on energy applications that affect them. For this reason, the Scottish Government worked with the UK Government on the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 to reform the energy consenting process in Scotland in ways that would strengthen communities’ opportunities for participation in the decision-making process.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43822 on 26 February 2026, the new reporter-led procedure following an objection from the relevant Planning Authority ensures that legitimate concerns will be fully evaluated in the most appropriate format.

The Act further granted the Scottish Ministers new powers to make pre-application consultation with communities mandatory and refuse applications if engagement has been inadequate.

The Scottish Government is developing our plans for these new regulation-making powers and, given the importance of stakeholder voices on this issue, we will consult on them later this year.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-43828

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, what assessment it has made of any financial savings that may be made as a result of the removal of the automatic Public Local Inquiry trigger.

The Scottish Government has not made a formal assessment of financial savings that may be made as a result of the removal of the automatic Public Local Inquiry trigger. However, by selecting the most appropriate examination procedure based on the specific circumstances of each case, we expect timescales of applications for energy consent to be significantly shorter, helping to increase the overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the determination process.

Question reference: S6W-43825

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, whether it will (a) monitor the number of Public Local Inquiries held following implementation of the new process for considering these and (b) publish data on how frequently inquiries are granted following planning authority objections.

The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the number of Public Local Inquiries as part of our on going administration of the applications for energy consent process.

Information on energy consent applications and Public Local Inquiries will continue to be publicly accessible through the portals of the Energy Consents Unit and the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) respectively, ensuring continued transparency.

Question reference: S6W-43823

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for energy consents under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 over the last five years involved planning authority objections that resulted in a Public Local Inquiry being held.

Question reference: S6W-43824

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 25 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, what criteria reporters will use to determine whether a Public Local Inquiry should take place under the new reporter-led examination process.

Reporters appointed from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) will be able to select from a range of procedures, from consideration of written submissions through to a full Public Local Inquiry. In line with other casework where similar procedural choices are available, reporters will apply the approach that is most proportionate, effective and efficient in gathering the information required to reach a decision or to make a recommendation to Scottish Ministers.

DPEA is currently updating its Code of Practice for the examination of applications made under the Electricity Act. This will provide guidance for both reporters and participants on the new processes. Stakeholders will be consulted on the draft Code of Practice prior to its adoption.

Question reference: S6O-05557

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated in its draft Budget 2026-27 to support women in enterprise, including in the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6W-43583

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what opportunities there are for communities affected by a proposed development, such as the Center Parcs proposal in the Scottish Borders, to have representations considered by ministers once a byelaw application has been submitted for determination.

Section 202(7) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 makes provisions for any aggrieved party to object to Scottish Ministers, as confirming authority, within 12 weeks of the notice of intention to apply for confirmation of the byelaws having been made by the Local Authority. The period for representations to be made to Scottish Ministers regarding the proposed byelaws related to the Center Parcs development opened on 19 September 2025 and closed on 5th December 2025.