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-00745

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 11 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review cat breeding licensing under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021, including whether the licensing regime could be improved by measures such as lowering the threshold for licensing to two litters per year, increasing public awareness to encourage applications, and introducing an anonymous reporting system to allow the public to report unlicensed breeders.

The Scottish Government has no plans to review the licensing framework regulating cat breeding; nor do we have any current plans to reduce the threshold for licensing from 3 litters in any 12-month period to 2. Responsibility for enforcing the legislation regulating cat breeding sits with local authorities and it is the responsibility of local authorities to ensure that cat breeders are licensed. Any member of the public can report cat breeders suspected of operating without a licence to the appropriate local authority and this can already be done on an anonymised basis, so we do not believe that a separate reporting system is necessary.

Question reference: S7W-00748

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 11 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to tackle the breeding of cats with extreme characteristics, including whether it plans to update the 2021 cat breeding guidance to cover all such cats.

The Scottish Government recognises that there are health concerns linked with cats with extreme characteristics, such as the Scottish Fold. It acknowledges that breeds such as the Scottish Fold and Munchkin have been found to likely represent a breach in the licencing condition of no breeding should occur if it could have a detrimental effect on the cat’s health or wellbeing.

We will continue to work with industry stakeholders and engage with DEFRA in order to keep pace with advances in science and will be looking at issues of artificial insemination of cats, and the breeding of exotic/wild cat-hybrids in line with the recommendations from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission.

Question reference: S7O-00077

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to Police Scotland to improve the 101 service.

Question reference: S7W-00746

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the creation of a single point of search for pet microchip databases and, if so, whether it plans to work with the UK Government to achieve this.

The Scottish Government recognises the potential benefits of a single point of search across multiple pet microchip databases, which could provide quicker and more efficient access to information for enforcement agencies, veterinary professionals, and rehoming organisations.

We are supportive in principle of measures that enhance animal welfare and improve the effectiveness of existing systems, and officials continue to regularly engage constructively with Defra and the other devolved administration to progress this work.

Question reference: S7W-00747

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendation by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s Responsible Cat Ownership Working Group to adopt compulsory microchipping, whether it will provide an update on its position on the compulsory microchipping of pet cats.

The Scottish Government recognises that microchipping pets supports responsible ownership and helps reunite lost animals with their owners. It acknowledges the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s findings on the benefits for welfare and enforcement.

Officials are reviewing this recommendation alongside wider policy considerations, including impacts on owners, enforcement, and consistency with existing mandatory microchipping for dogs.

Question reference: S7O-00037

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting businesses on Scotland’s high streets.

Question reference: S7O-00014

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support Police Scotland and local authorities to tackle youth disorder over the summer months.

Question reference: S6O-05595

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the banking industry about maintaining access to face-to-face banking services on high streets.

Question reference: S6O-05503

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to local authorities to enable them to explore partnership or franchise approaches to public transport.

Question reference: S6F-04626

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2026

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government's launch of walk-in GP clinics will support its work to bring down waiting times and ensure everyone gets the care they need.