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-44174

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest statistics on the number of deaths of homeless people in Scotland, which show that 231 people died in 2024, representing an increase of 40% since the data was first collected in 2017.

Behind every statistic is a human being. We know that experience of multiple forms of extreme disadvantage, including homelessness, poor mental health and opioid dependence, is linked to higher rates of ill health and premature death. The Scottish Government remains committed to doing all we can to address disadvantage, tackle health inequalities and prevent homelessness from happening in the first place.

We continue to support local authorities through funding of £8 million per annum for rapid rehousing to deliver Housing First, which provides the best response for people experiencing homelessness who have multiple and complex needs. 26 local authorities in Scotland offer Housing First and, as of March 2025, it is estimated that more than 2,100 people have been provided with a settled home and wrap-around support.

Our housing emergency action plan recognises that people with multiple, complex needs are particularly vulnerable during a housing crisis, and we provided an additional £4 million in 2025-26 to expand the delivery of Housing First. We also extended rapid rehousing funding to 2026-27, bringing total funding provided to local authorities since 2018 to £84.5 million. In addition, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 will introduce gold-standard homelessness prevention measures to ensure people receive the help and support they need before reaching crisis point.

We are committed to continuing to strengthen our response to the harms caused by drugs and alcohol. In 2025-26 we made £160 million available for drug and alcohol programmes, including widening access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and life-saving Naloxone. We are maintaining record levels of investment of over £160 million in 2026-27, including £115 million for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships across Scotland. We are also continuing to improve treatment and harm-reduction services through the implementation of the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) Standards and the establishment of the UK’s first safer drug consumption facility in Glasgow, which is backed by Scottish Government funding.

We recognise that addressing the harms caused by substance use requires an integrated and coordinated approach. Our new Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan, published on 10 March, sets out actions to tackle substance related harms and deaths in Scotland and ensure that people receive the care and support that is right for them.

We are also working with colleagues across the UK to identify opportunities for collaboration to respond to emerging drug trends, including the increasing prevalence of new synthetic substances, which is a matter of significant concern across the UK.

Question reference: S6W-44175

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering a faster roll-out of the Housing First approach, in response to the latest statistics on the number of deaths of homeless people in Scotland, which show that 231 people died in 2024, representing an increase of 40% since the data was first collected in 2017.

The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to the delivery of Housing First and continues to support its growth across Scotland through sustained investment in rapid rehousing and the implementation of rapid rehousing transition plans. Between 2018 and the end of March 2027 a total of £84.5 million will have been provided to local authorities to support rapid rehousing activity, including the delivery of Housing First.

The Scottish Government’s housing emergency action plan demonstrated our ongoing commitment to improving housing options for people with multiple and complex needs by including investment of £3 million capital and £1 million resource for the expansion of Housing First in 2025-26.

The Scottish Government also provides funding annually to Homeless Network Scotland to deliver a suite of tools designed to support local authorities and their delivery partners to scale-up and expand Housing First in Scotland, including the National Framework for Housing First and the Housing First Check-Up process.

Reporting on the delivery of Housing First will become a statutory requirement under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025, ensuring transparency, consistency and evidence based improvement.

Question reference: S6W-44378

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) regarding the publication of guidance equivalent to the Charity Commission for England and Wales’ publication, How charities can respond to the current hostile environment.

Question reference: S6W-44379

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the ability of charities to fulfil their charitable duties in the face of any hostility towards their work.

Question reference: S6O-05659

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Audit Scotland’s recent statement that local authorities will face a budget gap of nearly £1 billion by 2027, what action it is taking to provide additional support to third sector organisations that prevent and respond to rent and council tax arrears.

Question reference: S6W-44176

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any payments made by the Republic of Ireland's Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be disregarded for the purpose of awarding means-tested entitlements, such as help with care charges and Scottish Welfare Fund payments, in line with current practice for similar payments, such as from the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-44179

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the equality strategy for women and girls, which it committed to in its Programme for Government 2025-26 and is developing in partnership with the National Advisory Council for Women and Girls, will be published.

Question reference: S6W-44177

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To as the Scottish Government for what reason the rate of successful applications for Adult Disability Payment is reportedly at an all-time low, and now lower than the equivalent payment in England and Wales.

Question reference: S6W-44180

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the publication of the equality strategy for women and girls, which was due before the end of the current parliamentary session as committed to in the Programme for Government 2025-26, has been delayed.

Question reference: S6W-44178

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, whether a fall in the rate of successful applications for Adult Disability Payment, reportedly at an all-time low, and now lower than the equivalent payment in England and Wales, is the result of a policy decision(s) by the Scottish Government or Social Security Scotland.