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-01409

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Just Transition Fund, whether it will set out its objectives and what assessment has been made to ensure that funded projects contribute directly to those objectives.

The Scottish Government has set out clear objectives for the Just Transition Fund – to support the North East and Moray in transitioning to a net zero economy and mitigate the economic and social challenges associated with reducing dependence on carbon-intensive industries. These objectives are reflected in the criteria for the Fund this year which are; jobs, skills and economic opportunities; communities and place; people and equity; environment, biodiversity and adaptation.

Question reference: S7W-01407

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Just Transition Fund, whether it will provide information on how much has paid out to date, who all the recipients are and when future funding rounds will open.

The Scottish Government’s Just Transition Fund has invested more than £83.5 million since 2022, supporting 28 projects across the North East and Moray.

Information on all recipients of Just Transition Fund awards, including project descriptions and funding allocations, is publicly available through a Scottish Government Freedom of Information release published in July 2025: [gov.scot]. This provides a comprehensive list of projects supported through the Fund.

The most recent funding round reopened on 2 March 2026, with up to £17 million available to support green jobs, innovation, supply chain diversification and community-led projects. Details of future funding opportunities will continue to be published on the Scottish Government website in the usual way.

Question reference: S7W-01240

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its planned consultation on the use of smartphones in schools, (a) when it will be launched, (b) how long it will run for, and (c) when it will publish its response and any resulting guidance.

Question reference: S7W-01160

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether Historic Environment Scotland has obtained a direction under section 11 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 from the City of Edinburgh Council to exempt the Radical Road in Holyrood Park from access rights, and, if not, on what legal basis access to the road has been restricted for an extended period.

Question reference: S7W-01012

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many level 2 complaints have been made against teachers in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S7W-01021

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing financial support to congregations, in light of the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which allowed churches to reclaim VAT on repairs and renovations.

Question reference: S7W-01370

Asked by: Malcolm Offord, MSP for West Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for an individual to be seen by a practitioner in another NHS board area where there is capacity

It is expected that most patients will be seen and treated locally wherever possible and appropriate, based on clinical need.

The NHSScotland National Access Policy sets out that Health Boards must optimise available capacity and work collaboratively to ensure patients are treated as quickly as possible. This includes offering treatment outwith a patient’s local Health Board where this is clinically appropriate and capacity is available.

Patients may therefore be offered appointments or treatment in another NHS Board, including National Treatment Centres or the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital. Decisions on these arrangements are made by clinical teams and Health Boards, and follow robust clinical pathways.

Patients may choose whether to accept an alternative offer; however, accommodating requests for a specific location cannot be guaranteed and should be discussed with the relevant clinical team.

Question reference: S7W-01156

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding will be invested in the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in each of the next five years.

The future investment on maintenance at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in the next five years is estimated in the table below. These figures exclude funding for construction or development of the medium-term and long-term solutions, which will be determined through annual budget processes. These figures are provisional and are subject to change, for example due to unpredictable landslip events, findings from geo-hazard assessments, competing priorities, etc.

Financial Year	Future Investment on Maintenance at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful
2026-27	£2,938,000.00
2027-28	£2,165,000.00
2028-29	£1,800,000.00
2029-30	£1,800,000.00
2030-31	£1,800,000.00

Question reference: S7W-01172

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s decision to close the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, what consideration has been given to establishing an equivalent scheme in Scotland to support listed places of worship with the cost of VAT on repairs and maintenance.

Following the UK Government’s announcement of the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, the Scottish Government has met with representatives of the UK Government, Church groups and the Church of Scotland.

The Scottish Government was not informed of this decision prior to the announcement from UK Government and the timing of this announcement, after the Scottish Budget had been set, has limited the opportunity to identify any immediate replacement funding within existing allocations.

Nevertheless, the Scottish Government is actively exploring options to ensure that listed places of worship in Scotland are not disproportionately affected by the withdrawal of this UK-wide VAT relief, however we are unable to identify any additional Barnett consequential funding specifically linked to the introduction of the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England and this limits what is possible.

Question reference: S7W-01138

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00298 by Mairi McAllan on 8 June 2026, what discussions it has had with the Highland Council regarding reports that 47 pupils at Rosebank Primary School share two toilet facilities and that none are dedicated for staff, and what assessment it has made of whether these arrangements meet relevant standards and guidance for school accommodation and the welfare of pupils and staff.

While responsibility for managing and maintaining the school estate sits with local authorities, Scottish Government officials continue to engage closely with The Highland Council and remains clear about the importance of ensuring facilities meet relevant standards and provide a safe environment for pupils and staff.

The Council met with parents of Rosebank Primary School pupils on 15 June to discuss the issues raised, including concerns about toilet provision. A further meeting is scheduled for 29 June, where the Council will provide an update on current arrangements and outline its assessment of the improvements it intends to deliver as part of a planned improvement programme for the school.

In the interim, the Council is also exploring the installation of temporary toilet units to help address current pressures. The Scottish Government expects the Council to continue to assess provision carefully and to ensure that both interim and longer-term arrangements meet relevant standards and guidance, with the welfare of pupils and staff remaining the priority.