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-37078

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct all public sector bodies in Scotland to conduct an urgent review of their equality, diversity and inclusion policies, in light of the Supreme Court ruling regarding For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

It is the statutory role of the EHRC to monitor and enforce compliance with the Equality Act 2010. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have launched a consultation for updates to their statutory Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, which will run to 30 June 2025.

In preparation for the updated Code of Practice, the Scottish Government is reviewing policies, guidance and legislation impacted by the judgment. We are encouraging public bodies to engage directly with the EHRC as part of the consultation process and to undertake their own reviews in order to help inform any necessary practical steps required when the EHRC publish their updated Code of Practice

Question reference: S6W-37075

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what immediate action it will take to ensure that all public bodies comply fully and without qualification with the Supreme Court’s ruling that the term “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex and not gender identity.

The Scottish Government has issued a note to public bodies regarding the UK Supreme Court ruling on the meaning of sex in the Equality Act 2010.

It informs stakeholders of the work we are doing within government and encourages them to engage with the EHRC's consultation on proposed changes to its Code of Practice.

The Scottish Government has already begun work on implementation. We have established a Short Life Working Group to ensure support and consistency across Government. This work will position us towards a state of readiness to take all necessary steps when the EHRC’s Code of Practice and updated guidance are published.

Question reference: S6W-37792

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of non-UK nationals in receipt of payments from Social Security Scotland in each of the last three years.

Social Security Scotland does not publish statistics on the number of non-UK nationals in receipt of payments.

Social Security Scotland only captures the nationality of clients where we require that information to progress an application. It will not capture this information when clients are eligible for a benefit because they are in receipt of a qualifying benefit.

Social Security Scotland will continue to review and prioritise any new statistics produced and will take account of users’ needs when developing future publications, in line with Code of Practice for Statistics.

Question reference: S6W-37822

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Mother and Baby Unit options appraisal report from NHS National Services Scotland will be published.

Question reference: S6W-38243

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many early years settings currently operate from buildings classified as being in “poor” or “unsuitable” condition, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-38273

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any proposal for a bypass at Girvan, South Ayrshire.

Question reference: S6W-38186

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many new homes that it has fully funded have been built in each year since 2007, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-38258

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided directly to each local authority, via grants or other funding, for the purpose of supporting the Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RICs) in each of the last five financial years.

Question reference: S6W-37839

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many students who entered Scottish universities with teacher assessed grades have since withdrawn.

Question reference: S6W-36818

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria were applied in the appointment of Angela Leitch to lead the independent review of Creative Scotland, and whether the role was publicly advertised.