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-00088

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 26 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there has been adequate monitoring of the M8 viaduct in relation to the reported delays and the reason for them.

Amey is ultimately responsible for undertaking the viaduct propping works, acting as both Principal Designer and Contractor, under the Network Maintenance Contract (NMC) with Transport Scotland.

Transport Scotland’s Project Team manage Amey’s performance and scrutinise Amey’s programme at weekly meetings. They undertake joint risk reviews with Amey to ensure adequate allowances are made in the programme for any risks to delivery. As a result of scrutinising the programme and risks, a Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis (QSRA) is produced by Amey. The QSRA provides probabilities for when the project will be completed, which aids planning and communications to the public.

Transport Scotland also utilise the Performance Audit Group (PAG) who audit, monitor and report on the financial, technical and performance aspects of the operating companies who are contracted to manage and maintain Scotland’s trunk roads. In addition, for this project, Transport Scotland have additional support from Turner and Townsend who provide expert scrutiny of the programme and project risks.

As you are aware, Transport Scotland has established a Project Board to provide additional governance and oversight of the project, who regularly receive copies of the programme, and reporting on reasons for any change at regular intervals.

Finally, independent peer reviews, known as Gateway Reviews, have been undertaken at key stages of the project with the support of stakeholders and advisers. These Reviews provide additional assurance and, where required, recommend actions to ensure the project progresses successfully.

I am, therefore, confident Transport Scotland have robust monitoring in place in relation to the programme, reported delays and the reasons for them.

Question reference: S7W-00028

Asked by: David Linden, MSP for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of the neonatal workforce.

The Scottish Government’s role is to provide strategic leadership for NHS Scotland to ensure a sustainable NHS workforce. Operational matters relating to workforce recruitment and retention, including the neonatal workforce, are the responsibility of individual NHS Boards as employers, and are determined by service needs in line with national, regional and local priorities.

Our Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce was established to help identify gaps and prioritise measures to futureproof our workforce. The Taskforce has agreed a number of recommended actions to ensure nursing and midwifery remain attractive careers and we are working with key stakeholders to implement these. We are also progressing phase 2 of the Future Medical Workforce programme, following publication of the report earlier this year, to help shape the medical workforce going forward.

In addition, the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, launched by the Scottish Government in January 2026, provides system-wide strategic oversight of maternity and neonatal services, including workforce concerns.

The Centre for Workforce Supply (CWS) within Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) supports NHS Boards by providing advice and guidance on workforce attraction, recruitment and retention, and by facilitating the sharing of best practice across Boards. In addition, PSDS, in collaboration with the Scottish Neonatal Nurses Group, has developed a national ‘Once for Scotland’ induction and preceptorship package for newly qualified and new-to-specialty neonatal nurses and midwives supporting workforce retention by ensuring consistent skills and knowledge development.

Question reference: S7W-00024

Asked by: David Linden, MSP for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote financial education in the curriculum.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Financial Education in equipping learners with key life skills. Financial Education is embedded in the curriculum in Scotland through numeracy and mathematics, business studies and personal and social education classes. Financial Education is a key feature of Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes for Numeracy and Mathematics, supporting learners to understand concepts including credit, debt, earnings and deductions alongside effective financial management, making appropriate use of technology and understanding the importance of budgeting.

The Money and Pensions Service report in 2023 - UK Children and Young People’s Financial Wellbeing Survey: Financial Foundations | Money and Pensions Service found that children in Scotland were more likely to have received a meaningful financial education than those living in the UK as a whole.

Education Scotland (ES) is currently reviewing the curriculum in line with the Curriculum Improvement Cycle. This work includes reviewing the place of Financial Education within the curriculum. ES are engaging with teachers, academics and a range of stakeholders including representatives from the Money and Pensions Service, Qualifications Scotland, the National Association of Student Money Advisers and Money Ready. As part of this work ES are examining the current landscape of financial education with the aim of supporting a coherent and equitable approach to the subject across Scotland’s schools.

Question reference: S7W-00022

Asked by: David Linden, MSP for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 26 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the average overall change in rail fares paid per passenger for services to or from stations in Glasgow since peak rail fares were abolished on 1 September 2025.

Work is currently underway to evaluate the long-term effects of removing peak fares for good and the Scottish Government expects to be able to share initial findings later this year, allowing time to take account of seasonal variations in travel patterns and atypical events such as adverse weather events, impact of the fire incident at Glasgow Union Street or major planned events like the Commonwealth Games.

The removal of ScotRail peak fares for good is currently saving money for hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland, who travel by rail. For example, passengers in the Member’s constituency travelling from Baillieston to Glasgow save £2.60 (36%) and from Shettleston to Glasgow save £2.30 (43%) each time they purchase a return ticket to travel during the busiest commuting times, when compared with previous Anytime Day Return prices.

Question reference: S7W-00200

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in supermarkets, what consultation it has undertaken with supermarket operators and retail industry groups on this proposal.

Question reference: S7W-00247

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to the reported comment from the Federation of Independent Retailers that the proposal “will distort trade and do nothing to help shops or their customers”.

Question reference: S7W-00226

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to support the trial introduction of side road zebra crossings.

Question reference: S7W-00262

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the budget gap forecast by COSLA in its report, National Strategy and Guidance - Charges Applying to Social Care Support for people at home, in which it projects the gap to increase to £528 million in 2026-2027.

Question reference: S7W-00245

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to the comments from the Scottish Grocers’ Federation in The Herald on 17 April 2026 that the policy could “threaten the viability” of convenience stores.

Question reference: S7W-00246

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to the comments from the Food and Drink Federation in The Times on 17 April 2026 that the policy “risks undermining investment” and “food security”.