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-44455

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many third-party liability claims for vehicle damage caused by potholes were submitted to each local authority in 2025-26; what percentage of these claims were successful, and what steps are being taken to ensure that the "negligence" threshold used by claims handlers does not unfairly penalise any motorists who suffer damage on roads that the council has failed to inspect according to its own statutory schedule.

Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.

The Scottish Government does not hold any information on third-party liability claims for vehicle damage caused by potholes that were submitted to local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-44380

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider ending its contract with TotalEnergies Gas and Power Ltd, in light of reports that the company holds a 20% share in the Yamal liquefied natural gas facility in northern Russia.

Total Energies Gas and Power Limited has confirmed that it does not have direct links to Russia. Their parent company TotalEnergies (TE) had project investments within Russia and has confirmed that it would not be investing new capital in Russia and remained aligned with current EU policies towards Moscow.

TotalEnergies has previously condemned Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. On March 22, 2022, TotalEnergies established principles of action to manage its activities related to Russia. TotalEnergies has informed the Scottish Government that it operates legally within the framework of the energy policy and sanctions policy defined by the authorities of the European Union and its member states. TotalEnergies has said that it operates in accordance with EU decisions in relation to the security of supply, and it does not supply Russian LNG to the UK.

In 2024, Scottish Government awarded the National Framework for Supply of Natural Gas to Total Energies Gas and Power Limited, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies. The framework was put in place following a full tender exercise following procurement rules.

Question reference: S6W-44274

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on the mechanism that will be used to allocate funding to regional transport partnerships to support the implementation of bus franchising.

I am pleased that we will invest £4 million in 2026-27 to support Local Transport Authorities to build business cases for local bus improvements through franchising, using powers created in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

Work to develop appropriate governance arrangements and the detail of administering the fund is at an early stage. This will be considered with key stakeholders, including COSLA and Local Transport Authorities.

Question reference: S6W-44298

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes have been built in each year since the start of the current parliamentary session in 2021 to date, and whether it is confident that it will deliver on its commitment to build 100,000 affordable homes by 2032.

Progress on the delivery of affordable homes is published through quarterly official statistics –Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update. Homes delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme include homes for social rent, affordable rent, and affordable home ownership. They also include off the shelf purchases and rehabilitations as well as new builds.

The published data shows the breakdown by year and by build form.

Financial Year	Completed Affordable Homes	Of which new build
2021-2022	9,757	7,854
2022-2023	10,466	8,469
2023-2024	9,515	7,086
2024-2025	7,444	6,071
2025-2026	6,582*	2,127*
Total	43,764	31,607

*Data to end of September 2025

We remain committed to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with 70% for social rent and 10% in rural and island areas.

From 23 March 2022 to end September 2025, 31,064 homes have been delivered towards the target with 78% of them for social rent.

Question reference: S6W-44400

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government regarding the abolition or reform of the Energy Profits Levy.

UK Government decisions in reserved areas of offshore energy policy are driving an accelerated decline in North Sea oil and gas and opening up a gap with the renewables industry – a gap into which jobs and livelihoods are being lost. That is why we are calling for an immediate end to the Energy Profits Levy and a sensible future fiscal regime in the North Sea. This is essential to ensure a just transition from oil and gas to renewables that protects jobs and skills and delivers a pipeline of future investment.

These matters continue to be raised by Scottish Ministers with UK Government counterparts at every opportunity. The First Minister raised them with the Prime Minister on 5 December and again on 16 February. The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy and myself both wrote in advance of the Spring Forecast. The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy has also written again following the Forecast and in light of volatility in global oil and gas prices.

Question reference: S6W-44301

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people who have been eligible for a free electronic device since the 2021 Scottish Parliament election have received one, and how many are still waiting to receive one.

As set out in the response to S6W-43401 on 12 February 2026, the Scottish Government does not collect national data on the total number of devices issued by local authorities to learners. Local authorities manage delivery directly and continue to make progress in improving digital access for learners, supported by record Scottish Government investment.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-44208

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement any changes to the (a) application and (b) eligibility process for the Future Farming Investment Scheme in light of reported issues with the first funding round.

The First Minister announced that the Scottish Government has allocated £14.25 million to a second round of the Future Farming Investment Scheme for the 2026-27 financial year. This builds on the £21.4m delivered through the first round of FFIS. The Scottish Government will take into account industry feedback from the 2025 round and work with stakeholders to ensure any appropriate changes are made. Details of any changes will be outlined once stakeholder engagement has been completed.

Question reference: S6W-44337

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to undertake an assessment of the impact of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 on rural and island communities, as required by section 81 of that Act.

Section 81 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 requires the Scottish Ministers to conduct a rural and island communities impact assessment of the provisions of the Act no later than 6 November 2026.

A report of the findings will be laid before the Scottish Parliament and published with a statement of the action, if any, the Scottish Ministers intend to take as a result of the impact assessment by that date.

Question reference: S6W-44155

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the Planning Hub’s (a) current staff structure, (b) resourcing capacity, (c) number of full-time equivalent staff currently in post and (d) planned resourcing for 2026-27.

The National Planning Hub has 2 dedicated Scottish Government staff – a Head of the National Planning Hub (Grade 6) and Programme Manager (Grade 7), based within Planning and Development Delivery Division. This is complemented by 2.5 posts within the Improvement Service which are funded by Scottish Government, with a team led by the National Planning Improvement Champion, a Planning and Capacity Lead, and a Planning Officer.

In 2025-26 the Planning Hub budget was £1.35m, this figure includes the costs for the Improvement Service staff and programme delivery, and the additional resources provided to planning authorities. The Planning Hub also draws on the wider capacity across Government, including the Planning Housing team that lead work on brokerage for stalled housing sites.

Decisions related to any programme activity in 2026-27 and beyond will be the prerogative of the new government, post the Scottish Parliament election. Initial funding for 2026-27 has had approval to maintain current operational delivery.

Further detail on the activities of the Hub can be seen at https://www.planninghub.scot/.

Question reference: S6W-44142

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will continue to develop a public health approach to drug harms after March 2026.

The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to a public health, evidence-based approach to drug harms as outlined in our Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan published on 10 March. We recognise substance use as a complex health and social issue often driven by trauma, poverty, inequality and marginalisation. The Strategic Plan sets out how we will strengthen prevention, harm reduction, and treatment and care measures to promote wellbeing and support recovery.

However, many internationally recognised, evidence-based harm reduction interventions for drugs remain prohibited under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. We will continue to work with the UK Government and other devolved administrations to pursue further harm reduction measures to support a public health approach.

The Strategic Plan is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/preventing-harm-promoting-recovery-scotlands-alcohol-drugs-strategic-plan-2026-2035/.