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-38078

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what accountability mechanisms are in place to monitor the delivery and impact of its Just Transition plans on energy workers.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of accountability in relation to our plans for a just transition. This is why we established the Just Transition Commission in 2019 to advise on and scrutinise our journey to net zero.

The Commission has published a number of reports which consider our approach to delivering a just transition for energy workers. These include the July 2024 publication ‘A Just Transition for Grangemouth’, which has informed the development of our Grangemouth Just Transition Plan; and its most recent report, ‘A Just Transition for Aberdeen and the North East’. The Scottish Government accepts in principle the headline recommendations in the latter report, but will take time to consider them in detail, before providing a full response.

Question reference: S6W-38463

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of employing special advisers was in 2024-25.

Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers.

Due to the appointment of a new First Minister in May 2024, there were a number of departures, re-appointments and new appointments to the Special Adviser team during 2024-25. This is reflected in the numbers presented in the two following tables which show the configuration of the Special Adviser team before and after 7 May 2024. The maximum number of Special Advisers in post at any one time was 19.

The total cost of Special Advisers employed during the financial year 2024-25 was £1,745,042 which is a reduction from the 2023-24 total cost of £1,906,963.

Total cost includes all salary costs, employer NI, and employer pension contributions. The level of employer NI, and civil service pension contribution is reserved and is not a matter for the Scottish Government.

The cost of Special Advisers during 2024-25 was based on the following Pay Bands and Pay Ranges:

Breakdown of Special Advisers in post prior to 7 May 2024:

Pay Band	Pay Range (£)	Number of SpAds in Band
1	£58,844– £62,190	2
2	£71,393 – £78,719	8
3	£84,983 - £97,644	6
4	£108,781- £116,435	3

Breakdown of Special Advisers in post from 7 May 2024:

Pay Band	Pay Range (£)	Number of SpAds in Band
2	£71,393 – £78,719	9
3	£84,983 - £97,644	7
4	£108,781- £116,435	1

Question reference: S6W-36360

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the active travel budget has been used for that purpose in each year since 2020-21.

A significant share of the annual active travel budget is allocated to partner organisations, including local authorities. This means that not all of the planned spending on programmes and projects in any given budget happens within that year. Delays happen for a range of reasons, not least because of the pandemic between 2020-22 and cuts to capital funding allocations by the previous UK Government.

In 2020-21, 75% of the Active Travel Budget was spent. In 2021-22 76% was spent. In 2022-23, 93% was spent and in 2023-24, 91% was spent. While 2024-25 expenditure has not yet been consolidated, and we only have indicative figures currently, 63% of the active travel budget was spent as a result of urgent action necessary to balance the 2024-25 Budget, following the UK Labour Government’s fiscal statement in summer 2024

Question reference: S6W-38056

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Marine Directorate is aware of reports that the fishing vessel, Genesis II, left 45 miles of ghost fishing gear on the seabed to the north of Shetland when it was towed to Lerwick harbour on 3 May 2025, and what action it will take to investigate any such reports.

The Scottish Government is aware of the situation with a UK registered gillnet fishing vessel which had broken down and was towed to Lerwick, leaving its gear in the water. Officers from the Marine Directorate worked with the owners of the vessel as soon as it was made aware of the situation, to ensure the gear was recovered by another vessel.

The master was interviewed for breaching soak time limits and was issued with an Official Warning letter.

Question reference: S6W-38034

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government at what stage its ministers are involved in applications to translocate beavers; how they approach any such interventions (a) in general and (b) when an application (i) complies with Scotland's Beaver Strategy and (ii) has strong community support, and how its ministers have approached the translocation in Glen Affric.

The responsibility of the species licensing function was transferred from Scottish Ministers to NatureScot on 1 July 2011. Scottish Ministers retain an interest in the exercise of all the licensing powers delegated.

NatureScot must inform Scottish Ministers about any novel or contentious issues that arise in connection with the exercise of the delegated licensing functions.

The Scottish Government has not been involved in the licensing decision regarding the translocation of beavers to Glen Affric. The Scottish Government fully supports the decision by NatureScot that further consultation with those land managers who may be affected by the translocation of beavers in Glen Affric will be beneficial, and to ensure that appropriate mitigation measures will be agreed before any licensing decision is made.

Question reference: S6W-38055

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be any Seafish training schemes in the current financial year, and, if so, when such schemes will (a) open for registration and (b) begin.

Question reference: S6W-38054

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) is possible to speed up the approval process for Seafish training schemes and (b) will commit to funding such courses to begin every June.

Initial discussions have taken place over the opportunity for financial assistance through the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) to support Seafish to deliver safety training through the approved Scottish providers. Once a full application has been received, we will assess it and consider provision of appropriate assistance. At present funding from the UK Government to deliver the MFS, is only available for 2025-26 and no commitment can be made in future years.

Question reference: S6W-38360

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason £85,000 was provided to Sikh Sanjog between 2017-18 and 2020-21 as part of the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund; what this funding was used for, and what the outcomes were of the Open Door Project.

Question reference: S6W-37841

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding reported delays in Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority pay-outs for Police Scotland officers injured in the line of duty.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme outlines the basis on which victims of violent crime will be compensated. For those who are direct victims of violent crime the scheme is open to police officers as it is to everyone. The scheme also compensates those injured indirectly through for example apprehending an offender where the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority are satisfied that the person was taking an exceptional and justified risk. The CICA considers each case on its own facts and will assess the case based on the information available. Some applications will by necessity take longer to decide.

The Scottish Government regularly meet with the CICA and performance is discussed. The majority of applications are decided by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority within 12 months.

Question reference: S6W-37779

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what options are available to private landlords who are considering issuing a tenant with a notice to leave on the grounds of abandonment because they are no longer believed to be living at a property, but mail is occasionally collected from the building.

In Scotland, if a private residential tenant abandons a property, the landlord must follow a specific legal procedure to regain possession. They must serve a formal notice to leave, which sets out the ground for eviction (the reason why they are asking the tenant to leave), and provide them with the correct legal notice period.

The ground “Not occupying let property” is intended to cover cases where the tenant has abandoned the property.

When issuing the notice to end a tenancy, the landlord should use the communication method agreed set out in the Tenancy Agreement. They should keep records of all attempts to contact the tenant. Where post is being collected and rent continues to be paid, this may indicate a tenant continues to occupy the let property.

Once the notice period has ended, the landlord can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland an Order granting permission to repossess the property.