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-43102

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 16 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in implementing the accepted recommendations of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report, which was published on 18 July 2024.

We welcomed the publication of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report on pre-pandemic preparedness and resilience on 18 July 2024. We published our initial response on 16 January 2025, where we set out the actions and steps we are taking to address the Inquiry’s recommendations.

Today we publish our second progress report, setting out the steps taken over the past twelve months to make effective, practical and measurable improvements in pandemic planning and preparedness.

During Autumn 2025, the Scottish Government participated in the UK-wide pandemic exercise, Exercise Pegasus, to test our national and local preparedness for future pandemics. This is the first exercise of its kind in almost a decade and the learnings identified will inform our future plans and actions.

In September 2025, the Scottish Government laid before the Scottish Parliament titled, “the Scottish Government Report on Whole System Civil Emergency Preparedness”. The is the first report in a series, which will follow every three years and on 12 January 2026, we submitted a close out report to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Chair, stipulating that we consider this recommendation closed.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that Scotland is as resilient as possible to future risks, and we continue to taking the necessary steps to achieve this. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners and stakeholders to deliver these recommendations.

A copy of the progress report is available online at: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806436248

Our next progress report will be provided within six months.

Question reference: S6W-43064

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on how much Transport Scotland has spent on landside mitigation measures at the A815 near the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in each year since 2021, and what further investment it has planned for that section of road.

Question reference: S6W-43060

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33135 by Jim Fairlie on 22 January 2025, when it will provide an update on when it will launch its planned bracken mapping layer for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43070

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the complaints it received were referred to stage 3 of its complaints handling procedure in each year since 2021.

Question reference: S6W-43079

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence and policy objectives underpin the proposal to remove small business rates relief from country sport shoots, and whether it will publish all impact assessments and the consultation analysis.

Question reference: S6W-43087

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding its plans to undertake a consultation on merging sections 1 and 2 of the Firearms Act 1968 under a single licensing system.

Question reference: S6W-43074

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the complaints it received, which were processed at stage 1 of its complaints handling procedure, were not resolved within five working days, in each year since 2021.

Question reference: S6W-43109

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the transfer of responsibility to the Minister for Public Finance for consents under the Electricity Act 1989 is intended to be a permanent arrangement.

Question reference: S6W-43086

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards received brokerage funding in 2024-25, broken down by the amount.

Question reference: S6W-43061

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42815 by Gillian Martin on 13 January 2026, whether it will instruct SEPA to carry out formal weekly water scarcity reports outside of the May to September period, as well as seasonal reports.