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-03391

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government (a) whether it will provide an update or make a statement to Parliament on whether the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme will be delivered as part of its Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline 2026-2030 or its post-2031 Development Pipeline and, if so, when it provide such an update, and (b) what criteria it uses to determine whether Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline 2026-2030 projects should be transferred to the Development Pipeline.

The A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme is currently included in the Development Pipeline as set out in Annex B of the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline 2026. Annex C of the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline 2026 sets out that projects in Annex B, which includes Laurencekirk, will be added to the Delivery Pipeline once the statutory authorisation process has been completed and the project Outline Business Case and funding are agreed.

Question reference: S7O-00375

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of NHS Grampian’s preparedness to respond to any further cases of measles.

Question reference: S7W-03424

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what records management requirements apply to emails sent or received by special advisers via official Scottish Government email accounts.

Special Advisers are temporary civil servants appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. All civil servants are provided with the same IT support and services, including email accounts.

The Scottish Government’s records management arrangements are set out in our published Records Management Plan and apply to all civil servants in the Scottish Government.

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 defines the information to which it applies, what exemptions may apply and in what circumstances. The Act applies to information irrespective of what media or platform that information is held in or on, whether within a civil service email account, or any other platform or media.

Question reference: S7W-03255

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of potential locations that would be suitable for the development of off-grid pumped-storage hydro facilities and offshore wind installations.

Scottish Government recognises the unique challenges faced by off-grid communities and we are committed to supporting them to develop sustainable, resilient and locally appropriate energy solutions that can improve energy security and help address energy costs.

The Scottish Government has made no assessment of potential locations for the deployment of off-grid pumped storage hydro and offshore wind installations. However, our Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE) will deliver the spatial planning framework for the ScotWind and Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds.

Question reference: S7W-03422

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether all special advisers are provided with an individual Scottish Government email account for the conduct of official business.

Yes. All special advisers are provided with an individual Scottish Government email account for the conduct of official business.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03424 on 29 September. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S7W-03423

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether emails sent or received by special advisers via official Scottish Government email accounts are considered to be information that is held by the Scottish Government for the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Question reference: S7W-02078

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01537 by Stephen Gethins on 23 July 2026, which did not address the point raised regarding the £10 million Scottish Heating Oil Support Scheme fund, where any unallocated funds are currently held and what its plans are for such funds when the scheme closes in September 2026, including where any remaining funds will be held thereafter.

The overall budget, including funding for the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, is managed across the Scottish Government and, as happens every year, any overall funding changes required to support expenditure are confirmed as part of budget revisions.

The Scottish Government has recently announced that the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme is to be extended into winter, ensuring the most vulnerable households are supported throughout winter as prices remain volatile.

The funding will be made available for the scheme during this period.

The Scottish Public Finance Manual is issued by the Scottish Ministers to provide guidance on the proper handling and reporting of public funds, including information on Grants, such as the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, and on “clawback” from any unspent funds once the scheme ends.

The Scottish Public Finance Manual is published on the Scottish Government’s website and can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-public-finance-manual/

Alongside the extension of the scheme, I would encourage households that use heating oil or LPG to contact Home Energy Scotland for free and impartial advice on reducing energy bills, improving energy efficiency and exploring clean heating options. Advisers can help households identify the support available to them and navigate funding schemes for home energy improvements.

Question reference: S7O-00312

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the latest homelessness statistics showing that 19,004 households are in temporary accommodation, the highest recorded figure, whether it considers that it has met its 2023 commitment to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation by 2026.

Question reference: S7W-03018

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding GP walk-in clinics across Scotland, whether it will provide information on (a) the maximum capacity for patient consultations and (b) the funding awarded for financial year 2026-27, broken down by location.

Question reference: S7W-02662

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many participants in the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund have subsequently entered employment, and, of these, how many entered employment in the renewable energy or wider low-carbon energy sector.

The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF) – which is supported by £3 million each from the Scottish Government and UK Government - was specifically designed to target support towards current and former oil and gas workers.

The TTF provides careers advice and funding for training to support oil and gas workers to access roles in alternative sectors.

Following the 2025/26 Pilot in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, this year the TTF has been expanded to oil and gas workers resident anywhere in Scotland. As of the end of August, a total of 521 applications had already been received.

Evaluation of the TTF is ongoing, with a further survey recently issued to TTF Pilot applicants to establish their outcomes after completion of training.