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-01216

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 9 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government which minister has responsibility for life sciences policy and delivery, and what its position is for not including life sciences as a specific ministerial responsibility, as had previously been the case.

I have overall responsibility for Life Sciences policy and delivery, as part of my wider remit for economic policy, including business, industry, manufacturing support and entrepreneurship.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the Life Sciences sector as a key driver of economic growth, innovation, and improved health outcomes, as reflected in Scotland’s Life Sciences Strategy and its associated delivery plan.

Question reference: S7W-01211

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 9 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to review the findings from CalMac’s deck space reservation pilot on Mull, Coll and Tiree ferry services.

Question reference: S7W-01402

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 9 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many ScotRail services between Aberdeen and Edinburgh or Glasgow have used Class 158 trains since January 2025, broken down by month, and what proportion this represents of all passenger services allocated to those routes.

Question reference: S7W-01079

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 9 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether CMAL has secured a Builders Refund Guarantee in the design and build contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd for two Northern Isles freight flex vessels.

Question reference: S7W-01077

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 9 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual subsidy level was for the public contract for the Northern Isles Ferry Services in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2024-25.

Information regarding the annual subsidy level for the public contract for the Northern Isles Ferry Services is available on the Transport Scotland website under ‘Transport Scotland Section 70 return – 2013-2014’ and ‘Transport Scotland Section 70 Return – 2024-25’.

The individual subsidy levels from these documents for the Northern Isles Ferry Services have been reproduced in the following tables.

2013-2014
Northern Isles Ferry Services	Northern Isles Ferry Services Limited	Deficit Grant in connection with leasing of vessels for the Northern Isles Ferry Services	8,668,641.42
Serco NorthLink Ferries	Deficit Grant in connection with the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract	28,838,554.28
Northern Isles Ferry Services Total			37,507,195.70

Northern Isles Load On/Load Off Contract	Shetland Line (1984) Limited	Deficit Grant in connection with the Northern Isles Freight service (Lo-Lo) contract	Deficit Grant in connection with the Northern Isles Freight service (Lo-Lo) contract	628,709.38
Northern Isles Load On/Load Off Contract Total				628,709.38

2024-2025
Grant Recipient	Purpose of Grant	Total 2024-2025
Serco Limited	Grant and leasing cost in connection with the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract	57,311,641.05

Web addresses:

http://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/transport-scotland-section-70-return-2013-14/

http://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/transport-scotland-section-70-return-2024-25/northern-isles-ferry-services/

Question reference: S7W-01540

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the fiduciary duty of Scotland’s local government pension funds and their obligations to community wealth building.

Question reference: S7W-01607

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any guidance has been published for Scottish universities on the steps they can take to address the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in buildings on their campuses.

Question reference: S7W-01611

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential merits of introducing compulsory voting to increase turnout to Scottish Parliament elections, as is used in Australia.

Question reference: S7W-01590

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on listed places of worship in Scotland, including any additional costs faced by congregations undertaking repairs and maintenance.

Question reference: S7W-01542

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what scenario planning it has carried out to assess the likely impact of (a) Scottish independence and (b) any increase in the perceived likelihood of Scottish independence on future credit ratings and interest rates for new bond issuances and bonds traded on the secondary market.