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-44079

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the 2026-27 Budget, how much of the capital budget is allocated for active travel, and whether it will set out in full the detail of the projects that will be funded.

The Scottish Government has proposed an allocation of £226 million for sustainable and active travel investment in the 2026-27 Budget. Of this total, £213 million is designated for capital expenditure.

Full details of the specific projects to be supported through this investment will be set out once they are confirmed in the new financial year. Over the past two years, the programme has focused heavily on delivery through Local Authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships, and we intend to continue utilising this model to maximise local impact and ensure effective implementation.

Question reference: S6W-44078

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 16 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) consultation it has had and (b) support it has provided to Glasgow City Council to develop, agree and implement a new pay and grading structure, based on the results of job evaluation, to replace the current Workforce Pay and Benefits Review scheme.

The Scottish Government respects the independence of Local Government and the position of each council, including Glasgow City Council, as an independent employer with responsibility for their own budgets, workforce planning and job evaluation processes. The Scottish Government has no formal role in these issues at a local level and encourages all councils to make decisions, through engagement with trade unions, that meet their responsibility to secure value for money and meet their legal obligations to their employees.

Question reference: S6W-44055

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether Crown Estate Scotland carried out an independent assessment, one not conducted or led by Offshore Solutions Group or others that might have a clear commercial interest in a particular potential project, of whether there is any need for marine storage, as opposed to storage that is land-, port- or harbour-based, of offshore wind bases and, if not, for what reason (a) no such assessment was carried out and (b) a payment of around £41,000 was provided for work led by Offshore Solutions Group, including how much of that sum was paid to the company, and when.

Question reference: S6W-44069

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 16 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many parents and families have had a funded cross-border nursery placement ended in each year since 2007 to date, broken down by local authority.

Question reference: S6W-44022

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on developing a method to capture and measure the activity of veterans’ start-up businesses.

The Scottish Government does not currently gather data specifically relating to the activity of veterans’ start-up businesses, however we know from Scotland’s Census in 2022 that around 10,000 veterans identified as self-employed.

With a new UK wide Veterans’ Strategy published in November 2025 and a Scottish Government commitment to refresh the 2022 Action Plan this year, the range of information gathered in relation to veterans in Scotland will be considered. We will, in formulating our Action Plan, be considering whether we need data to either assess whether there is any disadvantage faced by veterans in establishing businesses or in order to pinpoint success worth celebrating.

Question reference: S6W-43903

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its long-term location policy and what factors will be considered in its development.

The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related location policy.

The Scottish Government introduced an updated hybrid working policy on 27 October 2025 and as part of the implementation process has committed to establishing a formal location policy. I understand that development work for this will be informed by consultation with staff networks and trade unions. It is working to finalise the location policy later in 2026.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

Question reference: S6W-41150

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of 12 October 2025 marking the first anniversary of the death of the former First Minister, Alex Salmond, whether it will consider commissioning a memorial to be located within the Scottish Parliament.

The SPCB’s Memorials Policy sets out its approach to marking the deaths of prominent individuals and other significant events. In line with this policy, the SPCB does not commission permanent memorials within the Scottish Parliament building or grounds. Accordingly, the SPCB does not intend to commission a memorial within the Scottish Parliament to mark the first anniversary of the death of the former First Minister, Alex Salmond.

Question reference: S6W-44402

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to commitment given by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on 27 November 2025, whether it will provide an update on the progress of NHS Tayside’s investigation into the destruction of theatre logbooks, and what further information will be offered on the progress of this process.

I have been advised by NHS Tayside that external investigators AAB began their formal investigation in February 2026, and that they are independently analysing all the documents they have requested to date, with further documentation being identified and new information requested as witness interviews progress and additional evidence is heard.

The agreed scope of the investigation is to:

Review NHS Tayside’s systems, processes, actions and governance arrangements in response to the Do Not Destroy notice
Examine NHS Tayside’s internal investigation to assess whether the Health Board has a full and accurate understanding of how the destruction occurred
Identify any systemic or procedural weaknesses that contributed to the incident
Provide recommendations to strengthen controls and prevent recurrence.

NHS Tayside has indicated it expects to receive its final investigation report and recommendations during the first week in April. The report will then be considered by NHS Tayside’s board and next steps agreed. The First Minister has written to the Chief Executive of NHS Tayside to ask that she keep former patients updated with any developments in the weeks ahead.

Question reference: S6W-44339

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ben Macpherson on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the review of modern apprenticeship contribution rates.

The review of modern apprenticeship contribution rates will be undertaken in two stages. The first stage of the review will begin imminently, in March 2026, and the initial evidence gathering work will be complete by the end of June 2026. The second stage will commence in February 2027 and will involve a more in-depth consideration of contribution rates.

The scope and terms of reference for the MA contribution rates review can be found on the Scottish Government website at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/modern-apprenticeship-contribution-rates-review-scope-and-terms-of-reference

Question reference: S6W-44154

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that the next quarterly all-tenure housing statistics will be published before the next parliamentary elections.