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-42782

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to facilitate and secure funding for the railway station at Winchburgh.

Question reference: S6W-42783

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of an epidural kit shortage.

Question reference: S6W-42438

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering interim non-domestic rates support for the licensed hospitality sector ahead of the independent valuations methodology review recommendations implementations.

Question reference: S6W-42433

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the review on the non-domestic rates valuation methodology for the licensed hospitality sector plans to deliver a fairer system of valuations, and by what date the remit of the review will be published.

The Scottish Government made a commitment in the Programme for Government 2025-26 to commission an independent review of the valuation of licensed hospitality properties, to be led by an independent chairperson and supported by persons with relevant knowledge and expertise, to report by the end of 2026 and consider any recommendations in advance of the 2029 revaluation cycle. It is not for the Scottish Government to pre-empt the review’s findings or recommendations but it will consider these in due course when the review group reports to Ministers. The Scottish Government confirmed the appointment of an independent chair for the Review and the chair is giving consideration to review group membership.

Question reference: S6W-42437

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Scottish Assessors in relation to non-domestic rates revaluation in 2026.

Scottish Government officials meet regularly with the Scottish Assessors Association throughout the year to discuss a range of non-domestic rates matters including the progress of the 2026 revaluation. I met the Scottish Assessors Association on 17 December to discuss the 2026 revaluation process. Scottish Assessors are also members of the non-domestic rates Consultative Group chaired by myself which last met on 27 November, the day after the UK Budget was announced.

Question reference: S6W-42436

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of non-domestic rate values in the hospitality sector, including licensed hospitality arising from the 2026 revaluation process.

Question reference: S6W-42439

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider bespoke non-domestic rates relief and/or poundage for the licensed hospitality sector.

Question reference: S6W-42434

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the independent review of the non-domestic rates valuation methodology applied to the licensed hospitality sector.

Question reference: S6W-42423

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) support and provisions are in place to enable pupils with additional support needs and disabilities, and their parents, to advocate for additional assessment arrangements, including extra time during exams, (b) mechanisms exist to escalate decisions when young people's needs are not being met, and (c) procedures exist across all local authorities to ensure schools comply with the Equality of Access to Qualifications policy and promote equality of provision.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), whose functions will be replaced by Qualifications Scotland early next year, rightly offers a wide range of assessment arrangements to enable learners with additional support needs to demonstrate their knowledge and skills without compromising the integrity of the assessment.

It works with centres (schools, colleges or training providers) to ensure that all learners have the appropriate support they need for their assessments and exams.

Assessment arrangements are based on the candidate’s specific individual needs and reflect their way of producing work in class such as extra time, modified assessment formats, or the use of assistive technology.

The SQA does not require pupils to have a confirmed diagnosis of a disability for assessment arrangements to be put in place. However, there must be an identified need, and they rely on centres to submit requests and to consider the needs of individual learners. The SQA and centres have quality assurance processes in place to ensure that assessment arrangements are appropriate; guidance for centres setting out more detail is available on the SQA website.

Local authorities oversee the delivery of education and have a range statutory duties to provide for and to review the support they provide pupils with additional support needs.

Enquire is funded by the Scottish Government to help parents and carers to understand their child’s rights to additional support for learning and how to work in partnership with their school to make sure their child gets the support they need.

There are a range of dispute resolution mechanisms available under the Additional Support for Learning 2004 Act. These offer more formal ways to resolve concerns, if an agreement with the education authority cannot be met. Information about these mechanisms and what resolution they can offer, is available on the Enquire website.

Question reference: S6W-42426

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is to ensure that schools are fully prepared to deal with allergy incidents, including staff training on anaphylaxis and adequate supplies of spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), and whether it will consider making these measures mandatory rather than only guidance.

Schools must arrange specialist anaphylaxis training for staff where a pupil within the school has been diagnosed as being at risk of anaphylaxis. Where this happens, schools should ensure there are a reasonable number of designated members of staff available to provide sufficient coverage, including times when staff are on leave. Furthermore, schools also have the authority to buy and hold spare Adrenaline Auto-injector (AAI) devices without the need for a prescription to use in emergency situations.

The Scottish Government believes there is currently sufficient legislation in place to require schools in Scotland to take appropriate action to safeguard children and young people with allergies. The Schools (Safety and Supervision of Pupils) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 provide that "without prejudice to any duties of education authorities arising under statute or any rule of law, every education authority shall take reasonable care for the safety of pupils when under their charge". This includes protecting pupils at risk of allergy from potential harm, therefore we have no plans to introduce further legislation relating to this matter.