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-42492

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 December 2025, what information it holds on whether any public bodies receive reports from Peel Ports and The King's Harbour Master regarding the monitoring of container traffic on the River Clyde.

Question reference: S6W-42524

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) correspondence and (b) communication it has had with the UK Government regarding how the proposals in the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill might impact employment legislation and in turn impact on Scotland's economy.

Question reference: S6O-05316

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the thousands of children who will be living in temporary and unsuitable accommodation over the Christmas period.

Question reference: S6W-42183

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a short bill to amend transport legislation, to simplify the Scottish bus franchising powers to bring them in line with England’s Bus Services Act 2017, by the end of the current parliamentary session.

I have no plans of modifying the franchising model in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. Changing primary legislation would take time to deliver and any proposals to bring the Scottish powers in line with England would require us to revisit the entire approach to franchising.

Development of any new primary legislation in this area is likely to be a lengthy process and could not be undertaken before the end of this parliamentary session. Any changes to the legislation now could significantly impact Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s (SPT) plans for developing its franchising proposals, as well as create uncertainty for all local authorities who may be exploring this option. Such a move would also push Scotland further behind England in delivering bus franchising.

Question reference: S6W-42287

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what alternative venues were assessed as potential hosts for Scotland House at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Question reference: S6W-42141

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40706 by Jim Fairlie on 3 October 2025, what weighting community benefits and social value in Scotland will have in the tender scoring for the construction of the two new freight flex vessels to serve the Aberdeen-Kirkwall/Lerwick route.

The key benefits and intended outcome of investment in new vessels is continuation of ferry services, improved reliability and additional capacity for island communities and businesses over their operating life. As Procuring Authority, CMAL consider the approach to vessel and other procurement in line with legislation and guidance. This requires appropriate consideration of community benefits depending on the product or service being procured, ensuring transparency and non-discrimination.

CMAL have confirmed that the overall scoring for the NIFS Freight flex vessels is weighted 70% on quality and 30% on cost. As part of the quality element, 3% of the score relates to community benefits, while wider social value considerations, such as fair work and environmental matters, were tested at SPD stage. As Procuring Authority, CMAL consider this to be appropriate and proportionate for this contract at ITT stage which has attracted interest only from international markets.

Question reference: S6W-42169

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with Stadler regarding the potential to develop a rolling stock and locomotive manufacturing base in Scotland for the UK market.

Question reference: S6W-42452

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, following the cyber attack on Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in 2023, what lessons learnt, if any, have been taken forward and implemented across the public sector.

Question reference: S6W-42431

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged with the Home Office about the UK Government exercising its break clause in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract with Mears in Scotland from March 2026 and exploring an alternative model for delivery of asylum accommodation and support with local authorities and charities.

Question reference: S6W-42143

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how each of the responders to the Public Contracts Scotland notice for expressions of interest in tendering for the construction of the two new freight flex vessels to serve the Aberdeen-Kirkwall/Lerwick route became aware of the notice.

The Single Procurement Document was published on the Public Contracts Scotland platform which is designed to facilitate the procurement process for public sector procurement contracts in Scotland for both domestic and international suppliers. The Portal provides access to contract opportunities, guidance for suppliers and information on the procurement process.

A Transport Scotland press release was issued on 04 June 2025 to note the start of the procurement process. NIFS Freight Flex Project updates and information on the procurement process and timelines are also available on the CMAL website.