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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 3348 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S7W-02601

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions (a) nitazenes and (b) other synthetic opioids were discovered in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S7W-02625

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the adequacy of the current statutory gateways to independent advocacy for children and young people, given that access is limited to those who are care experienced, subject to a live Children's Hearing, or covered by the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and that it does not extend to children receiving support from social work services who fall outside those categories.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering appropriate advocacy support for children in accessing their rights. Any assessment of need must recognise that advocacy can be delivered in a number of ways and is often dependent on the context of each situation and specific wishes of the child.

Statutory gateways to independent advocacy have been established for specific groups of children, including those involved in the Children's Hearings System, subject to mental health legislation, and care experienced children and young people, reflecting the particular legal processes, decision-making responsibilities and power imbalances that can arise in these circumstances.

The Scottish Government has co-developed a set of core measurements for organisations that children and young people may access for advice and support when they have a concern or want to raise a rights issue. The data gathered will provide insights into their experience of the services they access for support, including independent advocacy. A report will be published in Spring 2027.

Question reference: S7W-02726

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to amend the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 so that spent convictions are excluded from Level 1 disclosures, in line with the provisions of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Spent convictions are excluded in a level 1 disclosure in Scotland therefore no legislative changes are required to achieve this policy.

The changes made to disclosure in England and Wales through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 relate to the periods of time before a conviction becomes spent. Changes to the length of time before a conviction becomes spent were legislated for in Scotland through the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019 and came into force in August 2020. Scottish Government guidance was published to help individuals understand what the reforms meant for them and their individual circumstances.

Question reference: S7W-02656

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk of "demolition by neglect" across the historic built environment, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that developers are not financially rewarded for allowing listed buildings to deteriorate while awaiting planning consent for complete demolition.

The Scottish Government considers that Legislation currently in place provides appropriate powers to help protect the historic environment while also ensuring public safety. Responsibility for the maintenance and repair of buildings rests with owners, and planning authorities have a range of powers available to help secure the preservation of listed buildings. Proposals to demolish listed buildings are subject to statutory controls and are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Question reference: S7W-02658

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the enforcement of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Policy 7 (Historic assets and places), specifically in circumstances where a developer cites private commercial targets, such as a 20% Profit on Cost (PoC) margin, as the primary justification for the demolition of a listed building rather than structural impossibility.

Question reference: S7W-02487

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to amending the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 to grant permitted development rights for shopfront alterations that strictly comply with a local authority’s formally adopted heritage design code.

Question reference: S7W-02488

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to integrate the material and architectural standards developed under the Traditional Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme (TSIG) into the statutory guidance supporting National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

We have no plans to integrate the standards developed under the Traditional Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme (TSIG) into national guidance supporting National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

NPF4 supports the vibrancy and vitality of our towns and town centres and encourages ‘Distinctive Places’ which includes supporting local architectural styles.

Expectations on shopfront design, colour and materials are best addressed at the local level, to reflect and reinforce local styles and the character of individual places. Planning authorities have the ability to take this forward through local guidance.

Question reference: S7W-02495

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to reforming the non-domestic rates system to provide a targeted rates relief or discount for commercial tenants and property owners who successfully reinstate traditional shopfronts on listed buildings or within conservation areas.

We are undertaking a comprehensive review of non-domestic rates which will examine improvements and reforms that can be made to the system, and working closely with business to ensure the system provides the clarity, incentive and transparency which businesses need.

The Scottish Budget offers a generous relief package worth almost a billion pounds in 2026-27, which includes Business Growth Accelerator offering relief for 12 months on increases to a property’s rateable value due to property improvements. In effect, this means that any increases in non-domestic rates due to improvements to or the expansion of existing properties will not take effect until 12 months after the changes were made to the property.

Local authorities also have the ability to offer local relief schemes under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. It is entirely at the discretion of the local authority as to whether they award this relief taking into account affordability and the interests of the local community. Reliefs awarded under this Act are funded by the relevant council.

Question reference: S7W-02489

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the capacity of local planning authorities to take swift enforcement action against any unauthorised alterations to shopfronts on listed buildings and within conservation areas.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of staff employed in local authority planning services or their allocated duties. Staffing and resourcing decisions for planning services are matters for individual local authorities.

In 2025, the National Planning Improvement Champion (NPIC) published a workforce and capacity report, which is available at: www.improvementservice.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/64559/NPIF-Workforce-and-Capacity-Report.pdf. The NPIC is undertaking a survey of planning authorities in order to provide a refreshed evidence base for 2026.

Planning enforcement is a matter for the relevant planning authority. It is for the authority to decide what, if any, action to take in relation to any potential breach of planning control.

The Scottish Government recognises the financial and capacity pressures facing the planning system and continues to implement a package of measures to provide planning authorities with additional support and resources, including through increased planning fees, support from the National Planning Hub and actions to grow the planning profession in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02528

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration NatureScot gave to the potential loss of rare red-listed lichen species and veteran hazel associated with Easter Ness Woods SSSI and Ness Woods SAC in its submission to the Loch Kemp Pumped Storage Hydro public hearing, and what assessment was made of the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures.

I have asked NatureScot to respond. Their response is as follows:

"Lichens and hazel are considered typical species of the Ness Woods SAC woodland habitats and impacts to these species have been considered in the context of the relevant conservation objectives throughout the assessment process for this development.

"NatureScot has agreed with the conclusions of the Habitats Regulations Appraisal for the proposal in relation to the SAC and also that the required mitigation and compensatory measures would be sufficient.

"These measures included a requirement for dust monitoring and management to mitigate the effects of dust deposition on the lichen species.

"NatureScot therefore did not participate in the public hearing and so did not submit a Hearing Statement, although it has responded to questions from the Reporter."