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-04226

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how its proposed Population Impact Assessment will take account of cumulative and interacting interventions in the same locality, in light of the 2025 recommendation by the Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population in favour of a place-based community impact assessment to examine the combined effects of multiple policies within a specific local community context.

Question reference: S7W-04225

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in developing the Population Impact Assessment that it committed to in Supporting and enabling sustainable communities: An Action Plan to Address Depopulation, published in February 2024, and when it expects the assessment to be available for use in public sector decision-making processes.

Question reference: S7W-04227

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to undertake Population Impact Assessments prior to the approval of significant interventions that can potentially affect the geographical distribution of population, and, if so, what types or scale of intervention would trigger such an assessment.

Question reference: S7W-04224

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how the findings of a Population Impact Assessment would be expected to inform decision-making where a proposed intervention is assessed as having positive population or economic impacts at national or regional level but significant adverse impacts on particular communities, and whether, in such circumstances, alternative locations, modifications to the proposal, or mitigating measures would be considered before a final decision is made.

Question reference: S7F-00059

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7W-03937

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-03392 by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026, and the debate on motion S7M-01178, (Middle East: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on 16 September 2026, in which the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy stated that, “The International Criminal Court—an organisation that I wholeheartedly support—has 13 situations under investigation in countries across the world, and we must ensure that there is consistency in our approach internationally and uphold the law, be it domestic or international”, whether it will identify each of the “13 situations” referred to by the minister and whether it will set out in specific detail what actions it has taken in relation to each of them.

Question reference: S7W-03392

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S7M-01178, (Middle East: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on 16 September 2026, in which the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy stated that, “The International Criminal Court—an organisation that I wholeheartedly support—has 13 situations under investigation in countries across the world, and we must ensure that there is consistency in our approach internationally and uphold the law, be it domestic or international”, whether it will set out what actions it has taken in relation to each of these “situations”.

The Minister's remarks referred to the need for the consistent application of international law and support for independent international judicial institutions, including the International Criminal Court.

The Scottish Government is deeply concerned by conflict, instability and serious human rights violations wherever they occur. We have consistently supported the rules-based international order, respect for human rights and accountability for breaches of international law.

As you will be aware, responsibility for sanctions, export controls, recognition of states, and wider foreign policy rests with the UK Government although there is an important role for devolved administrations to play in international affairs in the UK and they do elsewhere in the world.

Question reference: S7F-00054

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00049

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00044

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.