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-02981

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment in the 2026-2031 Programme for Government to invest an additional £250 million in its national mission on drugs, whether this represents new funding or a continuation of funding allocated during the previous parliamentary session.

Question reference: S7W-02986

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether women are more likely than men to experience delays in the diagnosis or treatment of a heart attack, and what action it is taking to address any such disparity.

Question reference: S7W-02978

Asked by: Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking in preparation for winter 2026-27, to reduce instances of corridor care, and support NHS staff and patient safety.

Question reference: S7W-02603

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the 2026 Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to the comments reportedly made by Scotland Food and Drink and published in Scottish Daily Mail on 20 August 2026 that the policy must avoid "unintended consequences" for food producers, manufacturers and supply chains.

The Scottish Government is aware of concerns raised regarding unintended consequences for food producers, manufacturers and supply chains in relation to the proposed price cap on essential food items.

That is why we are engaging constructively with all relevant stakeholders to support considered and informed discussion on this. We are consulting on draft proposals before any decisions are taken. The consultation seeks views and evidence from consumers, retailers, producers and other stakeholders on the potential benefits, risks and unintended consequences of any food price cap scheme including impacts on product availability, supply chains and implementation.

Question reference: S7W-02550

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are in operation in Scotland, and which organisations are responsible for operating them.

The Scottish Safety Camera Programme is a partnership between Transport Scotland and Police Scotland and deploys automated road traffic offence cameras which use ANPR technology only once a speed or red traffic light offence has been detected. These cameras are procured by Transport Scotland for use solely by Police Scotland and cannot be used for any purpose other than automated road traffic offence detection. There are currently 119 fixed camera locations, 18 temporary average speed cameras and 132 average speed cameras across Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02536

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) regarding the feasibility of designating community fire stations as permanent safe access points to connect vulnerable individuals directly with addiction services and other health and social care partnership services.

The Scottish Government remains committed to a public health approach to reducing drug-related harms and deaths. Our approach is set out in Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery: Scotland's Alcohol & Drugs Strategic Plan 2026-2035, which brings together prevention, harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support. The use of any Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) premises including fire stations is an operational matter for the SFRS.

Question reference: S7W-02537

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, following the roll-out of naloxone carriage by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) personnel, whether it has plans to further expand the role of SFRS stations and frontline staff in facilitating emergency interventions and recovery referrals for those experiencing drug addiction.

A broadened role for firefighters remains an ambition for the Scottish Government, an element of which could be emergency medical response. Significant process has been made in embedding Naloxone into the operational capability of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Flexi Duty Officer (FDO) cadre and SFRS has trained 137 FDOs who now carry Naloxone and stop-the-bleed kits. Naloxone remains a key component of Scotland's harm reduction response, and we continue to support efforts to increase access to naloxone across healthcare, community, emergency service and third sector settings. Alongside this, we continue to invest in Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), residential rehabilitation and recovery support services to help ensure people can access the support they need at the right time.

Question reference: S7W-02562

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any assessment has been made of the human rights and privacy implications of combining Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data with other datasets held by Police Scotland or other public authorities.

The deployment of resources is a matter for the Chief Constable based on operational priorities. This is also very clearly set out in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.

The consideration to use data acquired by Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology in combination with facial recognition and other biometric technologies would be an operational matter for Police Scotland, under the scrutiny of the Scottish Police Authority.

Question reference: S7W-02452

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timetable for rolling out the £2 bus fare cap in (a) Stirling, (b) Fife, (c) Perth and (d) Clackmannanshire.

Question reference: S7W-02413

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to reinstate a Scottish VAT grant scheme for listed places of worship, similar to the scheme administered by the UK Government in England, to assist with the costs of repair and maintenance.