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-37166

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has issued any guidance or expectations to university governing bodies regarding executive pay restraint during periods of public funding pressure, in the last five years.

The Minister addressed the issue of executive pay and the need for restraint when he attended the Meeting of the Committee of Scottish University Chairs on 27 March 2025.

Universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own pay and remuneration decisions.

However, the Scottish Government expects universities to exercise restraint in setting senior pay, and senior pay packages should be in step with the salary, terms and conditions offered to other university staff.

Universities are also required to comply with the terms of the Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Memorandum as a condition of grant funding. This includes compliance with the principles of The Scottish Code of Good HE Governance, such as the expectation that universities’ remuneration committees seek the views of student and staff representatives in relation to the remuneration packages of Principals and senior executive teams, represent the public interest and avoid any inappropriate use of funds.

Question reference: S6W-37650

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angus Robertson on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the Festivals Strategic Partnership since it began in August 2024.

In August, I launched a Strategic Partnership for Scotland’s arts festivals through an open letter to boost their support and promotion. I’m pleased to announce a new open letter has been published on the Scottish Government website.

This letter, developed with arts festivals and other key partners, reflects conversations across the sector and work undertaken to date. It outlines how the partnership will be pragmatic and solutions focused, drawing upon the expertise across the sector and beyond, ensuring it can be in place for the long term.

The first step of delivery was the Scottish Government’s 2025-26 Budget which delivered the biggest increase in culture spending in the history of this Parliament, after Covid recovery support. For Scotland’s arts festivals specifically, the Budget provides £4 million of additional support to develop and deliver work under this Strategic Partnership.

Question reference: S6W-37663

Asked by: Marie McNair, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what further progress has been made in responding to the Infected Blood Inquiry’s report of 20 May 2024.

Following the publication of the UK Report in December 2024, the Scottish Government has continued to make progress in implementing the Inquiry’s recommendations through the work of the Oversight and Assurance Group, which involves patient representatives and representatives from the NHS in Scotland.

A second UK Government report provides a further update on implementation of the Inquiry’s recommendations. The report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-government-response-to-the-infected-blood-inquirys-may-2024-report).

The report includes updates on the approach being taken in Scotland, along with information on progress being made on recommendations being taken forward at UK level, such as on the provision of compensation to infected blood victims. This is in line with the Inquiry’s recommendation 12, that a detailed response to each of the Inquiry’s recommendations should be provided within one year of the publication of the Inquiry’s report of May 2024.

In Scotland, further progress has been made in a number of areas since the December report, with the overall aim of protecting patient safety and working to ensure a similar tragedy can never happen again. In particular:

The Scottish Government and Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme have continued to ensure additional interim compensation is paid to infected hepatitis C and HIV victims in Scotland and that estates of many of those who sadly died have been able to claim interim payments of £100,000. They have also worked closely with the UK Government and the new UK-wide Infected Blood Compensation Authority to ensure progress has been made on delivering final compensation awards.
The Scottish Government has now agreed funding specifically for patient advocacy for 2025-26 with Haemophilia Scotland and the Scottish Infected Blood Forum.
The Scottish Government has provided funding to the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service to update and expand the capabilities of its existing Account for Blood system, which will allow for improved surveillance of blood usage and outcomes across Scotland.
The Scottish Government is working with the City of Edinburgh Council and campaigners to ensure a Scottish memorial to infected blood victims is in place as soon as is feasible.

Question reference: S6W-37343

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask Historic Environment Scotland to assess the Grangemouth refinery complex for any elements worthy of designation as listed buildings, including the nine natural draught (hyperbolic) cooling towers that are situated between the oil refinery and wider petrochemicals complex, in light of them being the last cooling towers standing in Scotland.

Following the cessation of oil refining at Grangemouth, the Scottish Government is backing a proposal by Unite the Union for an asset review at Grangemouth. Understanding what existing assets could be repurposed is critical to securing the transition, therefore I have written to the UK Government expressing support and calling on them to do the same. My officials have initiated work on this however we will need the consent and support of Petroineos and the UK Government to achieve this, and would urge Paul Sweeney MSP to help with those calls to his colleagues in the UK Government.

Question reference: S6W-37170

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many hours of social care support could have been delivered with the £30 million that was reportedly spent on developing the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.

We are delivering much needed social care reform through the National Care Service, and it is a complex programme of change. The reported £28m reflects the funding allocated to developing National Care Service proposals since August 2021. The vast majority of the allocation is funding for existing Scottish Government staff and co-design work.

To put the £28m spent on the NCS into context, that is just 0.2% of the total health and social care budget on a system that we agree isn’t currently working. This is not unreasonable or a waste of investment. It includes co-design and engagement work ensuring people with lived experience of accessing and delivering social care services, social work and community health are partners in developing the National Care Service proposals.

Question reference: S6W-37292

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent staff it has employed in its More Homes division in each of the last five financial years.

Question reference: S6W-37275

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the £14.2 million investment programme at Ferguson Marine will commence.

The Scottish Budget: 2025-26 published on 4 December 2024 allocated £46.0 million of capital to Ferguson Marine for the financial year commencing 1 April 2025 (with details in Table 9.13: Ferguson Marine Spending Plans (Level 3).

This allocation is designed to cover capital spending associated with completion of the MV Glen Rosa and investment in yard capital equipment and infrastructure in the current financial year. Over the current and next financial years, 2025-26 and
2026-27, the Scottish Government is committed to invest up to £14.2 million in Ferguson Marine’s investment programme subject to standard commercial tests being met.

Work on Ferguson’s investment programme began in December 2024, with approved funding being directed towards addressing essential repairs and new equipment to enhance yard productivity.

Question reference: S6W-37475

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35302 by Gillian Martin on 12 March 2025, whether it will provide the figures for (a) minimum output and (b) tenant projections for production that were used by Crown Estate Scotland to produce the estimate of the total fees paid by the developers for the 50-year lease for the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm site.

Question reference: S6W-37382

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the workforce and skills requirements associated with the potential implementation of zonal electricity pricing reforms in Scotland, broken down by skills category.

Question reference: S6W-37413

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there is a need to improve enforcement of the ban on engine idling to achieve its vision for Scotland to have the cleanest air in Europe and to protect human and environmental health.

The Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (Scotland) Regulations 2003 provide local authorities with powers to issue fixed penalty notices to drivers of parked idling vehicles who refuse a reasonable request to switch off their engines. It is for individual local authorities to decide how to make use of their powers and promote awareness. The Scottish Government provides guidance and funding support to assist local authorities in this process.

FTE number of Directly employed staff in More Homes Division
	fte
	31-Mar-20	31-Mar-21	31-Mar-22	31-Mar-23	31-Mar-24	31-Dec-24
All	92	81	71	70	65	65