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: S7W-03786

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments reportedly made by the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and the Islands at a public meeting in Aviemore on 18 September 2026 regarding the Cairngorms wildfire, whether the central budget and contractual arrangements for aerial wildfire support enable its deployment to be authorised before agreement has been reached on which responding organisation will bear the cost.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) can place helicopters on standby when necessary if a wildfire danger alert is issued. This gives commercial suppliers early notice of likely demand, allowing them to maximise availability, including moving assets closer to areas at highest wildfire risk where appropriate.

If a wildfire occurs, SFRS makes a decision whether, where and when to deploy the helicopters. In these circumstances SFRS contacts the provider and confirms the aircraft, crew and rendezvous point to the Incident Commander.

Question reference: S7W-03787

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to community organisations seeking wildfire equipment and training, whether eligibility for such support requires applicants to own the land on which the equipment would be used, and whether it will review any such requirement to enable organisations operating with the permission of a landowner to access support.

The structures which support responders during multi-agency response activity are collectively, the North, East and West Regional Resilience Partnerships (RRPs). Each RRP has its own Local Resilience Partnership (LRP) to manage the response to localised incidents and to facilitate activity.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) provides training for volunteers listed on the Community Asset Register. Responding to incidents is an operational matter for SFRS, who briefs supporting volunteers on what is required of them.

SFRS does not provide equipment to non-SFRS personnel. Provision of such wildfire equipment are matters for local authorities and landowners.

Question reference: S7W-03784

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding and technical support are available to identify, restore and maintain strategic water supplies for wildfire response, including disused storage structures, and how environmental requirements are addressed when considering such projects.

The requirements concerning the availability and access to sufficient water resources for firefighting purposes are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

The service has access to water supplies for all firefighting operations through the range of appliances within the Service. This is supported by four water carriers and four high volume pumps, strategically placed across Scotland, providing high volumes of water over longer distances from suitable open-water sources.

SFRS is currently reviewing its water carrier provision, including locations and capacity, that will enhance and support all operational incidents across Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-04315

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the marginal cost is of processing an additional disclosure for an existing member of the Disclosure Scotland scheme who is subject to continuous monitoring, and what assessment it has made of whether the £18 fee is proportionate to that marginal cost.

Question reference: S7W-04328

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the total public sector procurement expenditure was awarded to firms headquartered in Scotland in each of the last five financial years, and what assessment it has made of those figures against targets or expectations it has set.

Question reference: S7W-04332

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been provided to Stand Up to Racism, and for what purpose that funding was provided.

Question reference: S7W-04333

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been provided to HOPE Not Hate, and for what purpose that funding was provided.

Question reference: S7W-04310

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the chair of the Fair Work Agency regarding employment status in the parcel delivery sector in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-04311

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it holds any data on the number of parcel delivery drivers who are engaged on a self-employed basis.

Question reference: S7W-04309

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the number of investigations opened by the Fair Work Agency into employment status in the parcel delivery sector in Scotland since 7 April 2026.