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-02101

Asked by: Alyn Smith, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 25 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will provide an updated code of conduct on the treatment of passengers and staff using public transport, as outlined in the National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026.

By setting out clear standards of behaviour for users of the National Concessionary Travel Schemes, the Code of Conduct will support the safety of passengers and staff across Scotland's bus network. Working closely with stakeholders, plans are currently being finalised for the launch of the Code, and the underpinning processes that will support the suspension of access to free travel if it is breached. Subject to completion of this work, the Code is expected to be published later in 2026.

Question reference: S7W-02119

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on prescribing (a) aspirin and (b) paracetamol, in each financial year from 2021-22 to the latest date for which information is available.

The requested information is shown in the following table.

Prescription Cost Analysis – Aspirin and Paracetamol

Paid Financial Year	BNF drug/device name	Number of dispensed items	Gross ingredient cost (£)
2021-22	ASPIRIN	1,786,645	1,798,992
	PARACETAMOL	2,362,586	9,775,540
2022-23	ASPIRIN	1,756,051	2,678,122
	PARACETAMOL	2,459,823	11,755,882
2023-24	ASPIRIN	1,746,735	3,109,038
	PARACETAMOL	2,472,463	14,154,347
2024-25	ASPIRIN	1,741,667	3,149,495
	PARACETAMOL	2,530,044	15,500,371

Source: Public Health Scotland: Prescribing Information System

The data shown is based on prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacy contractors, appliance suppliers and dispensing doctors only.

The data excludes prescriptions dispensed in England and does not include combination products.

Gross Ingredient Cost (GIC) is the cost of medicines and appliances dispensed and reimbursed at list price.

Question reference: S7W-02662

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many participants in the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund have subsequently entered employment, and, of these, how many entered employment in the renewable energy or wider low-carbon energy sector.

Question reference: S7W-02636

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the 2026 Scottish National Party manifesto to continue Scotland's '"land reform journey" in a new Rural Renewal Bill, what its position is on reviewing the historic right to ferry in Scots law as part of the Bill, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S7W-02645

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether funds from the £250 million National Mission on Drug Deaths can be made available to third-sector groups and local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) looking to purchase and maintain smart, digital harm-reduction dispensers in urban and rural areas currently lacking fixed-site needle exchanges or overdose prevention centres.

Question reference: S7W-02644

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support a national, public-facing drug-checking network building on multi-agency models piloting in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow that combines rapid test strips with advanced laboratory testing such as mass spectrometry.

Question reference: S7W-02637

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42836 by Kate Forbes on 20 January 2026, when it plans to publish the business and regulatory impact assessment in relation to its defence sector support policy, which was updated on 3 September 2025, and whether that assessment will include information on the number of companies affected and any impact on investor confidence.

Question reference: S7W-02675

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government's joint committee report on biodiversity collapse, what progress has been made toward reaching a decision on the planning application for the proposed golf development at Coul Links since the report was submitted to the Scottish Ministers on 29 August 2025, and by what date that decision will be issued.

Question reference: S7W-02640

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how its drug-checking strategy distinguishes between the threat of fentanyl and the rise of synthetic potent analogues, such as nitazenes, and what steps are being taken to ensure that distributed test strips match the reality of current street supply contaminants.

Question reference: S7W-02664

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed or revised the National Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula or parity calculations in light of financial challenges experienced by territorial NHS boards, including NHS Grampian.