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-42017

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will lay the proposal for the first Children’s Rights Scheme before the Scottish Parliament.

I am pleased to announce that today, World Children’s Day, I have laid before Parliament, Scotland’s first ever Children’s Rights Scheme. The proposal for the Scheme is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/proposal-first-childrens-rights-scheme/

Section 14 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 (the Act) requires Scottish Ministers to make such a Scheme setting out the arrangements they have made, or propose to make, to ensure they comply with the compatibility duty under section 6 of the Act and to secure better or further effect of the rights of children. Section 15 provides for the proposed Scheme to be laid before the Scottish Parliament, which I have duly done.

Engagement on a draft Scheme was undertaken with children and young people; the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland; the Scottish Human Rights Commission; and Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights).

World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s global day of action for children, marking the adoption, by United Nations General Assembly, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. The Scottish Government is proud to mark this by setting out to Parliament and to the people of Scotland what we are already doing, and planning to do, to help to ensure that children’s rights are at the heart of everything we do. The Scheme builds on last year’s incorporation of the UNCRC into Scots law within the limits of our devolved competence.

Question reference: S6W-42024

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with delivering the Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for demersal fish stocks.

A consultation paper proposing publication of 11 Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for demersal fish stocks has today been published at: https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/fisheries-management-plans-demersal-fish-stocks/

The four UK fisheries policy authorities (Defra, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and DAERA) have been working together and in partnership with stakeholders to develop the FMPs according to the parameters set within the Fisheries Act 2020 and the Joint Fisheries Statement. The consultation will be led by the Scottish Government and will run for 16 weeks from 20 November 2025 to 11 March 2026.

The consultation is an opportunity for stakeholders to help shape and influence the future of demersal fisheries management policy in the UK and builds upon previous engagement with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK.

Question reference: S6W-42016

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the refreshed strategy for the life sciences sector will be published.

I am pleased to confirm that the Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland 2035 Vision: Accelerating Growth, Driving Innovation has been published today. Link: https://www.lifesciencesscotland.com/life-sciences-strategy-for-scotland

The Strategy was developed in partnership with the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group and sets out the shared commitment and confidence of the triple helix model between industry, Government and the university base in Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises the Life Sciences sector as one of Scotland’s most productive, high-growth sectors, that provides high quality jobs and supports better healthcare across the country.

Together with industry and academia, we are determined to see the industry grow and thrive over the next ten years.

Question reference: S6W-42050

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has undertaken and (b) will undertake an analysis to determine the total (i) number of civil servant hours spent on and (ii) cost of administering the Future Farming Investment Scheme to date.

Question reference: S6W-42003

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out on the impact of delayed NHS 24 callbacks on patient outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-42005

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients were assessed through the NHS 24 111 service and subsequently not referred for further clinical care in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-42039

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of all the applications that have been received for the Future Farming Investment Scheme to date, broken down by those that were (a) ineligible, (b) eligible and successful and (c) eligible and unsuccessful.

Question reference: S6W-42035

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what will happen to any Future Farming Investment Scheme funding that is left unallocated due to applicants not taking up offers of grants.

Question reference: S6W-42045

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time taken by civil servants is to (a) process and (b) make a determination on an application to the Future Farming Investment Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-42036

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the reasons for any applications to the Future Farming Investment Scheme not being approved.