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-01961

Asked by: David Barratt, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing legislation to prohibit the sale, supply and release of sky lanterns, and the release of helium balloons, into the atmosphere, in similar terms to the Sky Lanterns and Balloons (Prohibition) Act 2021 on the Isle of Man.

The Scottish Government is aware of the risks that sky lanterns and helium balloons can pose to wildlife, livestock and marine animals through ingestion and entanglement. That is why we will continue to work with Keep Scotland Beautiful and other partners through delivery of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy to prevent all sources of litter, raise awareness of their environmental impacts and encourage responsible behaviours that help protect Scotland’s natural environment.

Question reference: S7W-01945

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme in (a) 2025-26 and (b) since April 2026 have been (i) approved and (ii) not approved.

In 2025-26 the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme (CAGS) received 1,063 applications, of which 777 were approved and 154 were rejected. The remaining 132 applications have a variety of statuses including still to be assessed, withdrawn, or offer letters have been issued but have yet to be returned by the applicant.

Since April 2026, 156 applications have been approved and offered contracts, with 61 of those already accepted. A further 50 applications have either been withdrawn or rejected.

Question reference: S7W-01946

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 20 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many approved applications to the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme in (a) 2025-26 and (b) since April 2026 have been paid (i) within 90 days and (ii) after 90 days.

Question reference: S7W-02582

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with commercial financial institutions regarding the use of international tax leasing frameworks to help offset the research, development and manufacturing costs associated with the construction of alternative propulsion and zero-emission vessels.

Question reference: S7W-02587

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S7W-02586

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S7W-02581

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland or Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has evaluated the feasibility of procuring future vessels, including zero-emission ferries, through international tax lease structures such as the Agrupación de Interés Económico (AIE) in Spain to reduce final purchase prices while maintaining shipbuilding in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02595

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish-domiciled students have had their student contribution fee paid for in order to study at (a) Trinity College Dublin, (b) University College Dublin, (c) University College Cork, (d) the National University of Ireland, Galway (now the University of Galway), and (e) the National University of Ireland, Maynooth (now Maynooth University), in each year since 2007-08, and what the total value of those payments was in each year.

Question reference: S7W-02580

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential for the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) to provide refund guarantees or patient capital to Scottish shipyards to explicitly facilitate the use of cross-border, multi-party tax lease structures, such as the revised ship-financing arrangements in Spain following changes to the Spanish Tax Lease system.

Question reference: S7W-02579

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the European Commission's approval of revised ship-financing arrangements in Spain following changes to the Spanish Tax Lease system, what financial mechanisms it has considered to help commercial shipyards in Scotland compete with European and international competitors that receive state support.