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 46716 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-39935

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is acceptable for publicly funded cultural institutions to exclude authors on the basis of their views on women’s sex-based rights.

Question reference: S6W-39925

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported declarations made by Summerhall Arts in Edinburgh regarding its policy on politicians appearing on stage at the venue, what its position is on the declarations, and whether it will continue to provide any public funding to the venue.

The Scottish Government has no decision-making role in the allocation of funding through Creative Scotland. It is for Creative Scotland to allocate funding based on its assessment of the artistic and cultural merits of proposals it receives and to ensure that funding is used appropriately. Creative Scotland has no role in the programming decisions of funded organisations.

Scottish Ministers strongly support artistic freedom of expression. It is of particular importance to the culture sector, which provides a platform for debate and engagement on important issues. It is vital that artists and cultural organisations are free to explore and convene dialogue on any issue. Clearly, not engaging in respectful dialogue and debate with those with whom we disagree is counterproductive and does not support freedom of expression.

Question reference: S6W-39933

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct a review of public funding to any organisations accused of politically motivated discrimination.

Question reference: S6W-40323

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that all patients with brain tumours have equal access to drug treatments, regardless of where they live.

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the availability of safe and effective medicines that people in Scotland would benefit from. The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) assesses the clinical and cost effectiveness of newly licensed medicines on a once for Scotland basis and publishes advice for Health Boards to consider. It is expected that Health Board Area & Drug and Therapeutics Committees (ADTCs) will consider making an SMC recommended medicine, or an equivalent, available on their local or regional formulary for routine prescribing within 90 days of SMC advice being published.

Health Boards are expected to apply common principles and processes in the introduction of newly licensed medicines to facilitate consistency of approach to local decision-making. The decision to prescribe a medicine, and which medicine to prescribe, is entirely for the clinician in charge of a person’s care, having considered their clinical condition, their safety, and any relevant clinical guidance.

Question reference: S6O-04949

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged with the Equality and Human Rights Commission in relation to the 19 public bodies and organisations that were found to have misrepresented the Equality Act 2010.

Question reference: S6O-04951

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with ScotRail regarding an increase to the service frequency on the Largs to Glasgow Central route.

Question reference: S6O-04952

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make a direct award to the Ferguson Marine shipyard for the replacement of MV Lord of the Isles.

Question reference: S6O-04953

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the unified statement agreed at the Community Council Convention of the Highland Council Area regarding the impact of major energy infrastructure in the region, in Beauly on 14 June 2025, what the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy’s response is to the statement and whether she will attend a future convention meeting to discuss it.

Question reference: S6O-04946

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the worst wildfires ever recorded in Scotland affected the areas around Dava, Lochindorb and Carrbridge this summer, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding potentially commissioning an independent review of wildfire management practices.

Question reference: S6O-04948

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Turner & Townsend regarding its role in auditing and monitoring the work undertaken by Amey to complete the M8 Woodside viaducts.