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-01589

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding each local authority in Scotland has been provided to fund their community police force.

Question reference: S7W-01657

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01036 by Kirsten Oswald on 9 July 2026, whether it will provide an update on which of the actions recommended by the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour (a) have been implemented and (b) remain incomplete.

Question reference: S7W-01658

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01047 by Mairi McAllan on 9 July 2026, when the next wave of Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR) will be undertaken.

Question reference: S7W-01656

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01019 by Kirsten Oswald on 9 July 2026, on what dates a) ministers and b) civil servants held discussions with Police Scotland and whether it will place a copy of any notes or minutes from these discussions in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

Question reference: S7W-01562

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 21 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Scottish National Party manifesto commitment of expansion of childcare provision for children from nine months old, (a) whether this will this be subject to a phased introduction and (b) when will two-year-olds receive expanded provision.

The Scottish Government has committed to expanding childcare support to children from nine months through to the end of primary school over the course of this Parliament. We are at the early stages of developing our plans for expansion and, as this progresses, we will work with all parts of the childcare sector, parents, carers and children, to ensure that any expansion delivers a system which meets the needs of children and families across Scotland and supports a sustainable, resilient and high quality childcare sector. We will set out a detailed programme in due course, to enable Parliament and the public to monitor progress.

While we develop those plans, we are continuing to support families most in need, for example through our £15 million childcare support fund which helps with childcare costs, specifically targeting low-income households and families living in, or at risk of living in poverty. We are also continuing to invest £3 million in 2026-27 to fund breakfast clubs through the Bright Start Breakfasts Fund alongside an additional investment of £15 million to phase delivery of a national breakfast club offer from August 2027.

These measures, which we are putting in place now, will help to address the affordability and flexibility of childcare, helping families to manage costs and support participation in education and training, with wider benefits including supporting access to work.

Question reference: S7W-01600

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Cross Sector Working Group has not met since November 2024.

The Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Cross Sector Working Group was established on a limited term basis to support the co-ordination of data collection and information sharing about RAAC across the public sector estate in Scotland. The aims and objectives of the Working Group are now met by the Cross Sector Building Safety Forum which, with a broader remit, meets to discuss a range of building safety issues with representation from across key sectors. Information about the Forum is published here: Building safety: cross sector forum - gov.scot.

Question reference: S7W-01599

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position regarding whether the responsibility for addressing the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) rests with a building owner in the same way as responsibility for addressing other building issues.

Question reference: S7W-01609

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Institute of Structural Engineers to discuss the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in buildings and the steps required to mitigate damage.

Scottish Government funded the Institution of Structural Engineers to develop guidance on the identification, assessment and remediation of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in residential properties. Scottish Government officials met with members of the Institution of Structural Engineers on 21 January 2026 to discuss this guidance.

Members of the Institution of Structural Engineers attended a meeting of the RAAC in Housing Leadership Group meeting on 28 January 2026, to deliver a presentation on the guidance. The meeting was chaired by the former Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Miri McAllan. Scottish Government officials also joined this meeting.

Question reference: S7W-01282

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding reported long waiting times for callers to the 101 non-emergency telephone service, and what action is being taken to reduce waiting times and improve public access to this service.

Decisions on how resources are deployed, including the operation of contact, command and control services, are matters for the Chief Constable, reflecting the operational independence of policing. Police Scotland has been very clear that 101 is a non-emergency number and callers are advised of other means by which they can contact the service while on hold.

The Scottish Government is providing record funding of over £1.7 billion for policing in 2026–27, giving Police Scotland the resources it needs to maintain a resilient and responsive service, including the 101 service.

We expect that investment to support effective and accessible services for the public, and to ensure communities continue to receive the prompt and reliable policing response they deserve.

Question reference: S7W-01759

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01050 by Ben Macpherson on 13 July 2026, when the CLD Workforce Plan will be completed and published.