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-02169

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce demand for hip and knee replacements over the next five years through preventative approaches, including what additional and targeted investment is being made in musculoskeletal services, such as physiotherapy, and how it will assess the effectiveness of this.

Question reference: S7W-02184

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Fife North East, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland and NHS boards regarding increasing the availability of fractional exhaled nitric oxide testing for asthma in primary and secondary care settings, and whether additional funding would be required to enable such an increase.

Question reference: S7W-01636

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the forthcoming Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill will include a requirement for public buildings to connect to heat networks where these are available, and what assessment it has made of the potential impact of such a requirement.

Question reference: S7W-01528

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether environmental impact assessments are required for large-scale data centre developments proposals to assess heat island effects on the surrounding environment, including on agricultural land and local ecosystems.

Where planning applications come forward, planning authorities have a responsibility to consider the environmental implications of all proposals on their individual merits.

In cases where a proposal is likely to have a significant environmental effect, these powers are further supplemented by the procedures set out in the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017.

Question reference: S7W-01635

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to introduce the revised Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill, and what its key provisions will be compared to the version of the Bill that was previously considered.

We will take forward our Heat in Buildings Bill in this Parliamentary session to support homeowners, landlords and tenants to transition to clean heating in a fair and affordable way.

The Scottish Government's legislative programme, including the timing and detail of this Bill, will be agreed by Ministers and announced to Parliament in due course, and in the usual way. When the Bill is introduced, Impact Assessments for the Bill’s provisions will be published.

Question reference: S7W-01641

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards the introduction of utilities-based statutory undertaker rights for heat network developers, and when it plans to bring forward the necessary legislation.

Our consultation on proposals for a new installation and maintenance licence to grant heat network organisations statutory rights and powers ran from 13 March to 5 June 2026. We are now analysing responses, and a full report will be published in due course. The consultation paper sets out our intention to include the necessary provisions in the Heat in Buildings Bill later this parliamentary session. The consultation paper can be found at:https://www.gov.scot/publications/installation-maintenance-licence-heat-networks/

Question reference: S7W-01526

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that National Planning Framework 4 provides sufficient guidance to local authorities on the siting of large-scale data centres, including whether applicants are required to justify use of prime agricultural land, green belt land or wetland sites in their proposed developments.

Question reference: S7W-01640

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a statutory obligation or financial incentives to ensure that heat network zone delivery is more effectively driven through Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies, and, if so, what timeline it is working to.

We have created a clear pathway from LHEES to delivery with respect to heat networks: LHEES identify potential heat network zones, and our HNSU is working with local authorities to delve into these opportunities further to commercialise them, in preparation for any capital funding bid to SHNF.

As noted in the National Planning Framework 4, local development plans should take into account the area’s LHEES. The spatial strategy should take into account areas of heat network potential and any designated heat network zones.

Question reference: S7W-01533

Asked by: Amanda Lindsay, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish clear national guidance or minimum standards to ensure that residents wishing to install electric vehicle charging points are treated consistently and fairly across Scotland, rather than facing different requirements depending on their local authority.

Current legislation does not provide a basis for the Scottish Government to develop national guidance. Decisions on cross-pavement charging installations are the responsibility of Scotland’s local authorities, not Scottish Ministers.

However, the Scottish Government recognises the importance of a fair and consistent approach to EV charging across Scotland and has worked with the Scottish Collaboration of Transport Specialists (SCOTS) to develop national guidance covering legal, safety, accessibility and practical considerations.

Question reference: S7W-01527

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential heat island effect associated with large-scale data centre developments, including any implications for human health, biodiversity and agricultural productivity in surrounding areas.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken a national assessment of the remit the member has specifically outlined on data centres. However, we are currently engaging with industry and partner agencies to better understand the cumulative impacts of data centre developments on the environment.

Planning authorities have a responsibility to consider the environmental implications of all developments which require an application for planning permission.

Scotland’s National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) ensures the potential impacts of proposals, including cumulative impacts, are important considerations in the decision-making process. All applications are subject to site specific assessments.