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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 1283 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S7W-00771

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Recording and Monitoring in Schools Short Life Working Group's progress in developing guidance for improved reporting systems.

As part of the National Action Plan for relationships and behaviour in schools, the Recording and Monitoring Short Life Working Group are developing a set of principles to underpin recording and monitoring of behaviour in schools. The Principles will support consistency in approach and process in recording and monitoring across Local Authorities and schools. These principles are expected to be published in Summer 2026.

Question reference: S7W-00778

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent in each of the last five financial years with Dance Ireland, and for what purpose.

The Scottish Government has spent a total of £2,577.32 in the last 5 financial years with Dance Ireland for the purpose of Supporting Dance Ireland/ Dance base Exchange Programme. £2,577.32 in Financial Year 2024-25 is the only expenditure.

Financial Year	Dance Ireland	Reason – Dance Ireland
2021-22	Nil spend	N/A
2022 – 23	Nil spend	N/A
2023 – 24	Nil spend	N/A
2024-25	£2,577.32	Support of Dance Ireland/ Dance base Exchange Programme
2025-26	Nil spend	N/A
Total	£2,577.32

As these are Electronic Purchase Card (ePC) transactions, any purchases over £500 are published routinely Government spend over £500: monthly reports - gov.scot

Question reference: S7W-00770

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports by BBC Scotland News that five local authorities were unable to provide figures on physical attacks in school settings because they did not store data in academic year format, what assessment it has made of the extent of underreporting of physical, verbal, and sexual assaults against school staff.

It is the Scottish Government’s expectation that all violent and abusive incidents against school staff should be recorded. Guidance published as part of the Relationships and Behaviour in Schools Action Plan 2024-27 has provided clear messaging to schools and local authorities about recording and monitoring incidents, including incidents affecting school staff. Information should be recorded in a way that supports it being utilised for monitoring of trends and patterns. This allows schools and organisations to assess the effectiveness of policy and practice and to ensure the necessary support is in place for children, young people, and for staff.

Question reference: S7W-00769

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of data obtained by BBC Scotland News through a Freedom of Information request, which indicates a 55% increase in physical assaults in schools over two years, whether it plans to reverse reductions in behavioural specialists, educational psychologists and speech and language staff to create a safer learning environment.

Scotland’s schools should be safe, consistent learning environments for everyone. While the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR) (2023), which surveyed almost 4000 school staff, showed the majority of school staff think children and young people behave well most or all of the time, the Scottish Government recognises concerns about violent incidents in schools and is taking action through our Relationships and Behaviour in Schools Action Plan and wider investment in prevention.

Local Authorities are responsible for employment of staff in schools.

We published our Early Years Speech Language and Communication Action Plan in December last year. This plan sets out a preventative, system-wide approach to improving early speech, language and communication outcomes through leadership, support for families and a skilled workforce, at the earliest opportunity.

On behavioural psychologists, we are investing £1.9m per annum with local government in the training of educational psychologists to ensure that they are available across Scotland to support children and young people with additional support needs.

As regards Additional Support Needs (ASN), the Scottish Ministers are committed to improving the educational experiences of children and young people with ASN and recognise the vital role all staff play in this. 2026-27 budget set out a further £29m of investment for local and national programmes to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce. We will also continue to work in partnership with local government support schools to develop positive learning environments and promote positive relationships and behaviour through the delivery of our Relationships and Behaviour in Schools Action Plan.

Question reference: S7W-00779

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Orkney Internal Ferry Replacement Task Force (a) last met and (b) will next meet.

Question reference: S7W-00828

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7F-00008 by John Swinney on 4 June 2026, when it anticipates that the full national roll-out of the £2 bus fare cap will be completed.

Question reference: S7W-00991

Asked by: Kristopher Leask, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that government agencies and local authorities are aligned in their decision-making in relation to the Major Projects Office.

Question reference: S7W-00790

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update of its compulsory purchase reform consultation.

Question reference: S7W-00786

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Stephen Gethins on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties are eligible to apply for funding from its Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S7W-00840

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work carried out by Creative Scotland to support the reopening of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) at 350 Sauchiehall Street, in Glasgow.

The insolvency of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) is an ongoing legal process. The Scottish Government appreciates the challenges that this has created for the staff affected and for Glasgow’s cultural community more broadly.

The Scottish Government’s preference is to see 350 Sauchiehall Street re-open as an important asset to both Glasgow’s and Scotland’s culture and creative sector.

Creative Scotland, as owner of the building, continues to work on an open process for its future with the intention to sell the building as a cultural asset.