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-04266

Asked by: Joe Fagan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to revise or extend the power available to local authorities under the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 to advance well-being.

Question reference: S7W-04274

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans it has should a bond issue fail to raise the expected level of capital for planned investment projects.

Question reference: S7W-04279

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken with stakeholders as part of its review of possession grounds in the private rented sector, and which organisations have been engaged in that process.

Question reference: S7W-04273

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether, as part of its pilot to electronically monitor people on bail using GPS, real-time alerts will be sent to people at risk when an exclusion zone is breached, and whether any such alerts will be included in any subsequent nationwide rollout of the scheme.

Question reference: S7W-04153

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing local authorities with increased powers to restrict the opening of vape shops and other specified types of commercial premises in or adjacent to historic buildings, following recent fires in such buildings in Glasgow, including the incident at Union Street in March 2026.

Question reference: S7W-03886

Asked by: Alan Brown, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what assessment it has made of whether the resources allocated to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman are sufficient, in light of reported increases in case-handling response times.

Question reference: S7W-03824

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland Assurance review of Conduct and Discipline finding that 20% of Police Scotland officers and staff who died by suicide between 2013 and 2024 were subject to live complaints or conduct processes, what assessment it has made of the adequacy of wellbeing support available to officers and staff involved in such processes.

Every suicide is a tragedy with a far-reaching impact on families, friends and communities. Through Creating Hope Together, Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Strategy and action plan, the Scottish Government is committed to reducing suicide and tackling the inequalities that can contribute to it.

The action plan includes measures to support workforce wellbeing, ensuring employers have access to sources of support for mentally healthy workplaces which include a focus on suicide prevention, alongside wider mental health and wellbeing.

Workforce management is an operational matter for the Chief Constable, with oversight by the Scottish Police Authority.

The Scottish Government welcomes Police Scotland’s acceptance of HMICS recommendations, including strengthening wellbeing support for officers and staff involved in conduct and disciplinary processes. Support should be tailored to individual needs and delivered consistently.

Since 2024, Police Scotland has invested around £2 million annually in an occupational health contract to support workforce health and wellbeing.

Question reference: S7W-03678

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a Misogyny Bill by the end of 2026.

As confirmed in the Programme for Government 2026-31, published in September 2026, the Scottish Government's Year 1 legislative Parliamentary year, includes a commitment to introduce a Bill to recognise misogyny as a distinct form of prejudice and abuse.

The Year 1 legislative programme sets out the measures the Scottish Government has committed to introduce in the 2026-27 Parliamentary year, before the summer recess at the end of June 2027.

Question reference: S7W-04237

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the Edinburgh Dental Institute's clinical infrastructure remains available for future undergraduate and postgraduate training.

Question reference: S7W-04211

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of workforce shortages in learning disability services, including the impact that vacancies are having on the provision of care and support.