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 43237 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-39202

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the reported comments of Professor David Weller that a nationwide lung cancer screening programme has the potential to be a game changer when it comes to reducing the burden of lung cancer in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-39203

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly not introduced targeted lung cancer screening, in light of the UK National Screening Committee's recommendation in June 2022, and whether it holds any information regarding an estimate of how long it would take to roll out such a national programme.

Question reference: S6W-39204

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the roll-out of the HPV vaccine has had on the health of the people of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-39206

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to overcome vaccination scepticism.

Question reference: S6W-39217

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 07 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what cost estimates it has made of the process to replace MV (a) Hjaltland, (b) Hrossey and (c) Hamnavoe, which have served on the Northern Isles Ferry Service route since 2002.

Question reference: S6W-38679

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns of the Scottish Police Federation that public inquiries are having a "detrimental impact" on policing.

As Public Inquiries are independent of Ministers, it is for the Chair to direct how an Inquiry carries out its duties whilst being mindful of their responsibilities under section 17(3) of the Inquiries Act 2005 to avoid unnecessary costs.

The operation of Police Scotland, including decisions on the allocation of resources and the deployment of officers and staff, is for the Chief Constable, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. This includes the allocation of budget and staff to support the work of Public Inquiries.

Question reference: S6W-38827

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any changes have been made to the rules relating to the ministerial use of the Government Car Service; if so, what specific changes were made, and on what date each change was made.

Question reference: S6W-38665

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is appropriate that the First Minister has appointed 16 special advisers, and how this compares to the number of special advisers appointed by former First Ministers.

Special Advisers are appointed by the First Minister to provide important assistance to Scottish Ministers on the development of policy and its presentation. Their appointment is designed to reinforce the political impartiality of the permanent Civil Service by providing Ministers with a separate channel for political advice and assistance.

In 2024-25, the number and total cost of Special Advisers reduced in comparison to the previous year.

The Scottish Government has published a list of current Special Advisers online. These details, as well as lists of former Special Advisers, can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/special-advisers/.

Question reference: S6W-38826

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what rules were in place in relation to ministerial use of the Government Car Service in 2007, and when any changes to those rules occurred.

Use of the Government Car Service is governed by the Ministerial Code. The version in 2007 can be found on the National Records of Scotland archive here:

https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20180130052300mp_/http:/www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/47133/0024899.pdf.

There has been several subsequent iterations of the ministerial code which can be found at the following links:

2008 – https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20170408064113mp_/http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/276226/0082926.pdf

2011 – https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20180126015215mp_/http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/364058/0123666.pdf

2015 - https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20170901063828/http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/06/2562/downloads

2016 - https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20241102232007/http://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2016-edition/

2018 - https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20241027204754/https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2018-edition/

2023 - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2023-edition/

2024 - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2024-edition/

Question reference: S6W-38789

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that at least 16,500 police officers will be employed by Police Scotland across the financial year 2025-26.

The recruitment and deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable, who confirmed to the SPA Board on 27 March 2025 that the “Scottish Government funding allows us to continue officer recruitment for a full time officer establishment of around 16,500, while modernising the workforce to release experienced officers from roles which don’t need warranted powers so that we can prioritise, maximise, and support the frontline to deliver for our communities.”

The Scottish Government has increased police funding year-on-year since 2016-17, investing more than £14.6 billion since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013, with £1.64 billion being invested in policing this year. Scottish Government funding in 2024-25 enabled Police Scotland to undertake the highest level of recruitment since its inception and Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales.