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-02397

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government in light of the UK Government’s response to Wendy Chamberlain UIN 469 tabled on 13 May 2026, whether (a) it intends to bring forward amendments to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, and (b), if so, what amendments it is considering

Transport Scotland officials are engaging with UK Department for Transport regarding its proposed amendments to the UK Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, including side road zebra crossings as noted in the UK Government’s response to Wendy Chamberlain MP, UIN 469.

Should it be established that side road zebra crossings are appropriate for use in Scotland, their incorporation in Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 as it applies in Scotland is intended. Scottish Ministers are yet to determine what other amendments will be progressed. Any amendments would be subject to consultation.

Question reference: S7W-02321

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its working paper on refreshing the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy, published on 18 February 2026, when it expects the recommended community benefit fund level for solar developments to take effect.

The recommended community benefit fund level for solar developments will be set out in the refreshed Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments. Decisions on implementation arrangements, including when any revised recommended fund levels should take effect, are subject to Ministerial approval.

The Good Practice Principles are non-statutory guidance and the recommended community benefit fund levels are voluntary. The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to use its reserved powers to mandate community benefits for mature onshore renewable energy technologies.

Question reference: S7W-02620

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported proposal by Stirling Council to outsource its primary and nursery school meals provision, and, in light of reported concerns raised about a similar proposal by Perth and Kinross Council in 2019, whether it plans to have discussions with Stirling Council regarding the potential impact such a proposal could have on food quality and local employment prior to any contract being awarded.

Question reference: S7W-02390

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to establish a national NHS Scotland staff bank.

The Scottish Government has been working with NHS Boards to improve the consistency and effectiveness of staff banks across Scotland. This is supported through regular engagement with those tasked with management of staff banks within Boards. Guidance has been developed to support organisations in adopting a consistent approach to the recruitment of bank staff whilst steps have also been taken to standardise the statutory and mandatory training which staff are expected to undertake.

Whilst there are currently no plans to implement a national staff bank, we welcome the steps taken by Boards such as NHS Lothian and NHS Borders who work together on bank staff deployment. Moving forward, we will continue to consider how we can deliver services on an increasingly Once for Scotland basis in line with the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework.

Question reference: S7W-02448

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for its response to Environmental Standards Scotland's Improvement Report on its investigation into the effectiveness and enforcement of engine idling laws in Scotland, published in June 2026, which found that the current £20 fixed penalty notice for engine idling risks no longer functioning as an effective deterrent, and whether it will increase the level of the fixed penalty notice for engine idling to a level commensurate with other equivalent driving offences.

Question reference: S7W-02289

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Clyde Cod Targeted Science Programme, for what reason the Clyde Fishermen's Association is the only stakeholder with guaranteed access to the resulting data.

Question reference: S7W-02290

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Clyde Cod Targeted Science Programme, when the memorandum of understanding with the Clyde Fishermen's Association was signed by Scottish Ministers, in light of the published document being dated 1 April 2026, which was during the election purdah period.

Question reference: S7W-02481

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether scans from MRIs and X-Rays are ever sent to other parts of the UK to be analysed due to a lack of capacity within NHS Scotland and NHS boards and, if so, how many times this has happened in the last five years.

NHS Scotland Health Boards may make use of external teleradiology providers or commercial imaging companies based elsewhere in the UK to deliver remote diagnostic imaging interpretation.

The use of the alternative providers to deliver additional capacity is not a new development. As is the case across the UK, in certain circumstances limited use of external providers may be required in response to capacity constraints.

This approach supports diagnostic waiting times performance and enables the continuation of vital diagnostic services while longer-term initiatives to increase NHS capacity are implemented.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the frequency of which Health Boards make use of alternative providers.

Question reference: S7W-02288

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Clyde Cod Targeted Science Programme, for what reason a memorandum of understanding was entered into that allows one stakeholder, the Clyde Fishermen's Association, to prevent other stakeholders from attending meetings of the Working Group.

Question reference: S7W-02219

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 21 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), what action SEPA will take at the locations where elevated concentrations have been identified, whether the planned expansion of monitoring from around 300 to 500 samples in 2026 is fully funded, and when it anticipates that environmental standards will be reviewed in light of developing evidence in the UK and EU.

SEPA has committed to increasing the number of samples of PFAS collected in 2026 to 500 which is fully funded through SEPA’s existing Grant in Aid arrangements. SEPA has stated that outcomes from its 2025 Water Quality Monitoring Report will be used to inform this extended programme of monitoring and investigation where necessary at specific sites.

The Scottish Government is currently reviewing the changes that the EU recently made to its list of Priority Substances for the Water Framework Directive, which includes the introduction of an environmental quality standard for 25 PFAS.