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: S6F-04287

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2025

To ask the First Minister what additional support the Scottish Government is giving to the Public Dental Service, in light of reports that there has been a 10% rise in spending over the last two years due to increased demand.

Question reference: S6F-04284

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2025

To ask the First Minister what urgent steps the Scottish Government is taking in response to reports that nursing and midwifery vacancies have risen by 60% in six months.

Question reference: S6F-04275

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-40246

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any of its departments are operating informal compressed hours or four-day working week arrangements, and, if so, what governance applies.

In line with the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Flexible Working Regulations 2014 employees have a statutory right to make a flexible working request and for that to be considered by their employer. This includes requests to work a compressed hours working pattern.

The Scottish Government’s Flexible Working policy allows staff to request informal or formal compressed hours where this form of flexible working is suitable for the post and the needs of the Directorate. Such arrangements are based on fulfilling the Scottish Government’s contracted full time working hours of 35 hours per week in whatever working pattern is agreed (e.g. four days per week, nine day fortnight etc).

Compressed hours requests are made and considered at an individual employee level and are not applied as a singular working pattern at a directorate or organisational level where the standard full time working week continues to be five days. In considering individual requests for a compressed hours working pattern from an employee, managers are required to ensure that adequate cover remains in place within their team across the full working week. Where that would not be the case, such requests may be rejected.

Regarding the four-day working week, a pilot was undertaken by two public bodies (Accountant in Bankruptcy and South of Scotland Enterprise) as part of the 2023-24 Programme for Government where staff piloted working a 32 hour week. This pilot will end on 3 November.

The SG and its agencies will not be moving to a 32 hour week however the findings from the pilot will be shared with the Scottish Government and wider public sector to support ongoing public service reform efforts.

Question reference: S6W-40087

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports local authorities to establish new allotments.

The Scottish Government supports local authorities to meet the statutory duties stemming from Part 9 of the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015 through a range of guidance and collaborative networks, supporting and strengthening local expertise.

In partnership with the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), earlier this year the Scottish Government arranged workshops to provide a high-level overview of the legislative requirements of Part 9 and an opportunity for allotment officers to share best practice and network. As a direct consequence of positive feedback received from these workshops, ongoing networking and mutual support will be facilitated when APSE establish a specific allotment and community growing network in the coming weeks.

The Scottish Government has also published detailed guidance to assist local authorities in fulfilling their Part 9 statutory duties:

While the Scottish Government provides support and guidance, decisions regarding allotment provision ultimately rest with individual local authorities. As per the statutory duties under Part 9, they are expected to take reasonable steps to meet their obligations where specific demand for allotments is met.

Question reference: S6W-40085

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many new community growing areas have been established as a result of the Growing Food Together Fund since its introduction.

Question reference: S6W-39998

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with partners on the proposed AMIDS South transport links project in Paisley to promote the integration of a Very Light Rail (VLR) shuttle line between the Glasgow Airport terminal building and Paisley Gilmour Street railway station, in light of the proof of concept achieved by the Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) project.

As recommended in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), Transport Scotland continues to work with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), Glasgow City Council and other regional partners in the development of Clyde Metro. Transport Scotland is undertaking a project assurance role on the Clyde Metro, which is led by SPT, working alongside Glasgow City Council.

The ongoing stage of development, known as the Case for Investment, includes consideration of access to Glasgow Airport and will inform decisions around network and mode selection. This work is well underway and is currently anticipated to be complete in 2027.

SPT are undertaking on-going engagement with Renfrewshire Council throughout the on-going design development stage and it is anticipated that future engagement will include discussion on the AMIDS South transport links project.

Question reference: S6W-39980

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects the MV Caledonian Isles to return to service on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, and whether it will provide an update on the progress of the dry dock repair of the vessel.

Question reference: S6W-39979

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to review the charter agreement with Pentland Ferries for the MV Alfred to provide contracted Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services from Troon to Brodick, before the current agreement expires.

Question reference: S6W-40095

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of land were considered to be fully organic in each year since 2007.

Organic farming statistics for the UK are published annually by Defra. The following table shows the area of fully organic land farmed in Scotland since 2007:

Year	Fully organic land farmed in Scotland (hectares)
2007	193,133
2008	225,137
2009	209,256
2010	176,288
2011	164,848
2012	143,662
2013	139,959
2014	132,861
2015	125,307
2016	119,284
2017	117,567
2018	83,112
2019	85,324
2020	87,004
2021	89,636
2022	92,502
2023	103,485
2024	104,975

Support for the conversion to, and maintenance of, organic farming practices remains available to land managers through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS). Of the £339.9 million committed through AECS since 2015, around £41 million has supported 707 organics contracts.

The area cap for the conversion to, and maintenance of, organic farmland has been lifted since the 2023 round of AECS to encourage Scottish businesses to convert additional land and move their full organic area into AECS management. This has contributed to land entering the two-year organic conversion process increasing by 102% since 2023.

Through the realisation of the Vision for Agriculture and the four-tier framework, farmers and crofters will be incentivised and supported to further incorporate sustainable and regenerative practices, an important aspect of organic principles.