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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 46894 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-42535

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has modelled any possible consequences for local (a) hospitality and (b) retail sectors in the event of visitor numbers declining due to reduced accommodation capacity as a result of the draft 2026 revaluation of non-domestic rates for self-catering properties.

Draft rateable values for the 2026 revaluation were published on 30 November 2025 but may be subject to change. The final valuation roll will come into effect on 1 April 2026 and the Scottish Government will publish its report on changes in rateable values once final valuations are available.

In the meantime, ministers have received representations from the hospitality and retail sectors in the run-up to the Scottish Budget calling for non-domestic rates measures to support these sectors. Decisions on non-domestic rates policy for 2026-27 including reliefs are considered in the context of the Budget in line with other government priorities and will be set out in the budget on 13 January 2026.

Question reference: S6W-42536

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential effect of the draft 2026 revaluation of non-domestic rates on self-catering properties' accommodation availability during peak and shoulder seasons in (a) rural and (b) island areas.

In the meantime, ministers have received representations from the self-catering accommodation sector regarding in implications of changes in draft rateable values and I met with the Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers on 17 December 2025.

Decisions on non-domestic rates policy for 2026-27 including reliefs are considered in the context of the Budget in line with other government priorities and will be set out in the budget on 13 January 2026.

Question reference: S6W-42478

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to devolve consenting powers to local authorities for applications for the (a) construction, (b) extension and (c) operation of electricity generating stations with capacity in excess of 50 megawatts.

Question reference: S6W-42451

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in the (a) Clackmannanshire and (b) Stirling local authority area received non-domestic rates relief in 2024-25, broken down by how much was provided.

Question reference: S6W-42435

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 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish a report into the proposed non-domestic rates revaluations for 2026.

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.