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-38725

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of buses ordered under the first phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB 1) by (a) manufacturer and (b) place of manufacture.

Through the first phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) operating companies were awarded £62 million capital from the Scottish Government to buy 273 zero emission vehicles and their charging infrastructure. The following table sets out the manufacturer. The Scottish Government does not collect data on the locations in which vehicles are manufactured.

Manufacturer	Number of Vehicles
Alexander Dennis	109
Yutong	116
Volvo	25
EVM	6
Mellor	3
Wrightbus	10
Switch Mobility	4

Question reference: S6W-38720

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost is of the five-month extension to the time charter of the MV Alfred for CalMac ferry services to Arran.

Question reference: S6W-38734

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it has measured any impact of the women’s health plan’s targeted training for key professionals on women and girls with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

The Scottish Government does not hold data on the impact of training for healthcare professionals on women and girls with a diagnosis of PMDD.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) published an eLearning module for healthcare professionals on Menstrual Health in September 2024. The module is available on TURAS, the education platform for NHS Scotland. To date, 211 learners have completed the resource with 59% of those completing the module evaluation. A further 728 learners are in progress.

Specific impact data for the section on premenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD) is not available. Initial evaluation data of the module as a whole suggests increased empathy and compassion, as well as practitioners reporting plans to change their communication and consultation styles because of the learning.

Question reference: S6W-39011

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reasons for public confidence in local policing having reportedly fallen, following the publication of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24 results on 10 June 2025, which found that less than half of adults believed that police in their local area were doing an "excellent" or "good" job, compared with 61% the previous year.

There are a complex range of factors and influences behind confidence in policing in Scotland.

However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the findings of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023-24, including those on public trust in policing is falling. Confidence in our police service is vital for a safe and just Scotland, but recent trends mirror those in England and Wales over the same period, suggesting the issues involved may not be solely specific to Scotland.

Police Scotland are already taking steps to respond – from strengthening community policing to improving how they engage with victims and local communities. That work is backed by record investment of £1.64 billion this year.

Question reference: S6W-38733

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that women and girls who experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are supported, in light of the reportedly unique and severe symptoms associated with this disorder.

Through the actions in our Women’s Health Plan there is now a Women’s Health Platform on NHS Inform, to help women find the information they need on a range of issues relating to their health, including conditions like PMDD.

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has also delivered a series of women’s health webinars, with accompanying resources, which included a session on PMS and PMDD, PMS resource pack - Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.

We have taken steps to raise awareness and support better understanding of PMDD among healthcare professionals by commissioning NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to create a bespoke training package and framework on menstrual health, which includes PMDD, for general practice and others working in Primary Care, which is available on TURAS, the education platform for NHS Scotland.

We remain committed to our ambition is that women and girls enjoy the best possible health, throughout their lives as we develop the second phase of the Women’s Health Plan with the aim of publishing by the end of this year.

Question reference: S6W-38579

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many incidents of aggression or violence towards female teachers in schools have been recorded in the past five years.

Question reference: S6W-38726

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of buses ordered to date under the second phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB 2) by (a) manufacturer and (b) place of manufacture.

Through the second phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) a consortium of companies was awarded £41.7 million capital from the Scottish Government to support the purchase of more than 250 vehicles and the installation of their supporting infrastructure.

ScotZEB 2 differs from previous rounds of support by extending the eligible vehicles to include zero-emission coaches. This programme is still in the delivery phase and the final totals of vehicles to be delivered are still subject to change. The consortium aims to deliver at least 252 vehicles by March 2026. The following table sets out the manufacturer. The Scottish Government does not collect data on the locations in which vehicles are manufactured.

Manufacturer	Number of Vehicles
Alexander Dennis	44
Yutong	171
Volvo	28
EVM	3
Wrightbus	4

Question reference: S6W-38823

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish data on the (a) frequency, (b) type and (c) availability of counselling provision in schools in the last five years, broken down by local authority area, including rural and island areas.

Question reference: S6W-38825

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will explore the introduction of mobile or hybrid counselling models in any under-served areas.

It is for local authorities to determine how they deliver the counselling service in their area.

The school counselling aims and principles, agreed jointly with COSLA, set out that counselling services should be accessible, utilising technology, virtual approaches and delivery in non-educational settings where that best meets children and young people’s needs and interests, including, for example, in rural and island communities.

Question reference: S6W-37909

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent carbon leakage from agricultural imports as a result of any reduction in domestic agricultural production.

The Scottish Government does not accept the premise of the question. As the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands set out at the Royal Highland Show on 19 June, while we have accepted the Climate Change Committee’s proposed carbon budget levels to reach net zero, we will not be accepting their policy recommendations which would have had a detrimental impact on our agriculture sector and wider rural economy.

We have been crystal clear: this government has no policy, and will have no policy, to cut livestock numbers. We will reach net zero, and we intend to do that in a way which works for rural Scotland without simply offshoring our emissions and environmental responsibilities.

In terms of trade, I would highlight the impact of UK Trade Deals in terms of their impact on domestic production/offshoring as outlined in the answer to question S6W-37892 on 4 June 2025. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms are also an important policy tool; however, the trade-related powers that could be used to protect Scotland’s livestock industry are held in Westminster under the current constitutional settlement.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

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