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-35182

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients were on waiting lists for physical activity programmes (a) in total and (b) for over a year, in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-35262

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the mandatory remote electronic monitoring requirements for pelagic fishing vessels come into force and how these apply to (a) Scottish and (b) non-Scottish vessels operating in the Scottish zone.

Mandatory remote electronic monitoring (REM) requirements for pelagic fishing trips come into force on 7 March 2026. The legislation can be found at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2024/165/contents/made

From this date Scottish pelagic vessels covered by the legislation will be required to have a fully operational REM system for the duration of all relevant fishing trips wherever they are fishing.

For non-Scottish pelagic vessels the legislation requires an REM system to be fully operational for the duration of all relevant fishing trips in the Scottish zone.

Technical specifications for REM systems as set out at https://www.gov.scot/publications/pelagic-fishing-remote-electronic-monitoring-technical-specifications/

Question reference: S6W-35061

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to ensure that Transport Scotland takes action to mitigate any safety concerns regarding the Shawhead flyover in Coatbridge.

Regular updates will be provided by Transport Scotland to Ministers to ensure appropriate action is taken to address concerns at the Shawhead Flyover. The current position is that Transport Scotland has asked its maintenance contractor (Scottish Roads Partnership) to assess several options for works at the junction to improve driver confidence. This work is underway. In addition, Transport Scotland has also asked Police Scotland for the junction to be assessed by their Police Camera Safety Team in the next site selection exercise, which is due to begin in April.

Question reference: S6W-34821

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the number of people who have sought transgender chest surgery privately in each of the last five tears, including those who fundraise through online platforms.

Question reference: S6W-34873

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that SportScotland is making staff redundancies, and what its position is on whether this is in relation to reported costs incurred as a result of internal investigations involving Cricket Scotland.

There is no correlation between sportscotland’s voluntary severance scheme and the Changing the Boundaries report and independent referrals investigation.

The referrals process underlined the failings of the governing body over recent years, and Cricket Scotland, having fully accepted all actions and recommendations for improvement, is committed to delivering on those. We recognise the progress that has been made and sportscotland is providing continued support to Cricket Scotland to ensure the sport can move forward with confidence.

sportscotland is not making staff redundant. Their severance scheme is a voluntary scheme and it is an individual’s choice if they wish to apply. The scheme is intended to mitigate financial challenges facing the sector including the unprecedented levels of inflation experienced over the past 3-4 years, and the UK Government’s planned increase in employer national insurance contributions. The severance scheme will enable sportscotland to maximise the impact of investment in sport and physical activity.

The Scottish Government is greatly concerned by the UK Government’s planned increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions and the damaging implications for businesses, public services, and communities. We are calling on the UK Government to reverse the planned increase.

Question reference: S6W-34889

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on the upskilling fund when it was operational.

Question reference: S6W-34506

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Human Rights Commission report, “Tick Tock…” A human rights assessment of progress from institutionalisation to independent living in Scotland, which was published on 30 January 2025.

The Scottish Government thanks the Scottish Human Rights Commission for their report on independent living in Scotland.

In addition, the Scottish Government asked the Mental Welfare Commission to review the care and treatment of people with learning disabilities and complex care needs who have remained in hospital for more than ten years. And I am grateful for their report, also published in January 2024.

We will now take the time to carefully consider the findings and recommendations of these reports in full. The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering the changes that are evidently required for people with Learning Disabilities.

Change in this area cannot be delivered by the Scottish Government alone. We will continue to work closely with COSLA, Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to deliver the change required to ensure peoples human rights are upheld.

Question reference: S6W-34394

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many clinical staff of all grades have been employed by NHS Lanarkshire in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in each year since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-35173

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the largest number of section 16AA licences is that has been granted to a single landholding in recognition of the assignation of sporting rights to different persons.

Question reference: S6W-35112

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken in response to the Young Carers Covenant, which was launched by the Carers Trust in 2024, and made a commitment to improve the lives of young carers, including supporting the covenant in achieving its 10 desired outcomes.

As promised in the Scottish Parliament debate on Young Carers Action Day on 14 March 2024, I have tasked my officials with looking at the feasibility of the Scottish Government committing to the Young Carer Covenant. The Covenant’s overarching principles are cross policy in nature, and touch on many aspects of the Scottish Government work.

This work is ongoing. I will write to the member to advise her of the outcome.