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-01162

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the powers conferred by section 14 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025, how it plans to approach the collection of data on private rent levels.

The Scottish Government recognises that the collection of robust data on private rent levels using the powers in Section 14 of the Housing (Scotland) Act is essential to support decisions on rent control areas, while ensuring that any data collection is proportionate and minimises burdens on landlords and costs to the public sector.

To support the first iteration of local authority assessments, we are building on existing data sources. Rent Service Scotland currently collects an annual sample of around 40,000 to 45,000 advertised rents. This is being enhanced to provide estimates at local authority level, with data expected from November 2026 and year-on-year comparisons from November 2027.

To support future cycles of local authority assessments, we are continuing to consider how to develop systems which support use of powers in the Act to collect information directly from landlords. This includes exploring the use of the existing landlord registration digital platform to collect rent data, subject to further development and engagement with local authorities.

Question reference: S7W-01165

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 3 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, for the purposes of ministerial responsibility and delivery, what is included in the areas of Energy Policy and Strategy, Industrial Decarbonisation and offshore renewable energy systems.

My responsibilities include energy policy and strategy, industrial decarbonisation and offshore renewable energy.

Energy policy and strategy is focused on delivering a just transition to a net zero energy system and reducing our dependence on fossil fuel generation. This includes maximising the economic opportunities from Scotland’s renewables pipeline and working with the UK Government and the National Energy System Operator (NESO) on whole system energy planning.

Industrial decarbonisation involves supporting our energy-intensive industrial sectors to progress along emissions reduction pathways by deploying the means to increase energy efficiency, switching to low carbon fuels, or carbon capture and storage.

Offshore renewable energy systems covers wave and tidal stream energy, fixed and floating offshore wind, as well as infrastructure and supply chain opportunities.

Question reference: S7W-01151

Asked by: Joe Fagan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund, including the next steps and milestones.

The Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund is a £20 million investment aimed at strengthening the capacity of third sector organisations to deliver tailored, community-based support to families living in, or at risk of, poverty across Scotland, contributing directly to the Government’s goal of ending child poverty.

The application window closed on 7 May and attracted strong interest, with 88 applications from a diverse range of organisations. A panel of policy and analytical experts, alongside external partners, is currently assessing proposals, with funding awards expected to be confirmed over the summer.

Question reference: S7W-01112

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any child who has had a deferred entry into P1, and whose birthday falls before March 2021, remains eligible to apply for a Best Start Grant School Age Payment.

Eligibility is based on when a child is first old enough to start primary school and is not affected by deferred P1 entry. The current application window is for children born between 1 March 2021 and 28 February 2022, with the application dates for children born before March 2021 having now passed. We automatically award the School Age Payment to eligible families in receipt of Scottish Child Payment, without the need to apply, reducing the risk of missing out even if a child’s school start is deferred. In the 2024-25 financial year 91% of School Age Payments were made automatically and the take-up rate was 97%.

Question reference: S7W-01516

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the 52-week determination target for applications under section 36 and section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 is met in full, and what mechanisms are in place to monitor performance against this target.

Question reference: S7W-01517

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications under section (a) 36 and (b) 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 are currently awaiting determination by the Energy Consents Unit, and what proportion of applications in each category have exceeded the 52-week determination target.

Question reference: S7W-01518

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the current resourcing levels are within the Energy Consents Unit, and whether it considers those levels to be sufficient to manage the projected increase in application volumes.

Question reference: S7W-01512

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Scottish Enterprise's Human Rights Due Diligence procedure, including whether it considers it to be of public interest.

Question reference: S7W-01513

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Scottish Enterprise regarding the publication of its Human Rights Due Diligence procedure.

Question reference: S7W-01095

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 2 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the resolution of obstructions preventing statutory undertakings to residential homes, such as electricity connections, including in the event of a neighbour dispute.

Statutory undertakers perform functions under statutory powers or duties, for example in relation to utilities such as building and maintaining sufficient infrastructure to transport gas or electricity to residential homes. Where problems are encountered between a statutory undertaker and property owners, the Scottish Government expects all parties to engage in meaningful discussions to resolve any issues that are preventing a statutory undertaker from performing its functions.