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 40913 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-36951

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported challenges in the recruitment of retained firefighters in rural and island communities.

Recruitment and retention of Wholetime and On Call firefighters is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Chief Fire Officer and Board.

In common with other fire and rescue services both across the UK and internationally there are recognised challenges to the recruitment and retention of firefighters in rural areas. Scottish Government is supportive of the work that SFRS is doing to enable recruitment in these areas. SFRS has implemented a pre-recruitment engagement programme. This programme introduces candidates into the station environment for up to 12 weeks prior to their selection tests. Further initiatives include reimbursing candidate travel expenses, conducting localised fitness assessments and facilitating the migration from On Call to Wholetime employment for better career progression.

SFRS remains ready and able to respond to any instance of wildfire that occurs across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-36954

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing a specific retention package for retained firefighters in remote and island areas.

Recruitment and retention of Wholetime and On Call firefighters is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Chief Fire Officer and Board.

Terms and Conditions and pay of all firefighters are negotiated on a UK wide basis under a well-established collective bargaining process. Through this process there is a new nationally agreed pay banding system which offers far more flexibility in the contracts SFRS can offer to Retained Firefighters which SFRS hope will allow people who may not previously have been able to provide the requisite commitment to contribute to protecting their communities whilst maintaining a better work/life balance.

Question reference: S6W-36952

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to employers in the Highlands and Islands to enable staff to carry out retained firefighter duties during working hours.

Recruitment and retention of Wholetime and On Call firefighters is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Chief Fire Officer and Board.

Many on call firefighters have primary jobs and have a primary employer. SFRS has an Employers Recognition Scheme whereby employers are recognised for their efforts in supporting their employees to become on call firefighters. SFRS also has an On Call Guide for Employers. This enables employers to learn more about what is involved, how they can support their employees to become On Call firefighters. Also outlined are the benefits to their organisation and the valuable contribution to their local communities.

Question reference: S6W-36981

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any civil servants are still working full or part time on independence-related work, and, if so, how many, and in which directorates they are based.

The Scottish Government has set out its commitment to giving people information about independence. Across the Scottish Government, a range of civil servants provide input to developing and communicating this information. We do not routinely record details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on research and compilation, as there is no business need to do this.

Question reference: S6W-37202

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour's review report, what consideration it has given to its recommendations regarding preventing homelessness.

Question reference: S6W-37122

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for ensuring that Scotland’s coasts remain safe and sustainable, in light of reported evidence showing significant gaps in vessel tracking and monitoring.

Question reference: S6W-37204

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many attacks by dogs have been reported to Police Scotland in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-36996

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a breakdown of running costs for each of its buildings in which average desk occupancy fell below 50% in the last year.

Question reference: S6W-36960

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was of dealing with each wildfire incident in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-36961

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time spent by each fire station was in each of the last 10 years in engaging with stakeholders on reducing the risk of wildfires.