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-00386

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the 22 Class 222 trains, that were announced by ScotRail as the replacement for the High Speed Trains in March 2026, will enter service.

The Class 222 trains are expected to enter passenger service by late 2027, with a phased introduction continuing through 2028. The full fleet is expected to be in operation by the December 2028 timetable.

Following successful procurement, the Class 222 trains will undergo an extensive £80 million overhaul and refurbishment prior to delivery to ScotRail, supported by £67 million of investment from the Scottish Government.

They will provide a more consistent, reliable, comfortable, accessible and family-friendly experience for passengers, helping to encourage more people to travel by rail rather than by car, while also support the long-term sustainability of InterCity services by reducing emissions and lowering operating costs through improved energy efficiency.

Question reference: S7W-00413

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Scottish National Party 2026 manifesto commitment to legislate to increase the use of football banning orders, when it plans to introduce the relevant legislation.

Question reference: S7W-00205

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is available to public bodies when managing reports of noise complaints from residents where multiple agencies, such as Police Scotland and housing associations, are involved.

Question reference: S7W-00197

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support households in installing electric vehicle charging points at home.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of supporting access to home electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

To date, over £6.7 million has supported the installation of more than 21,600 home charge points across Scotland.

A further £3.45 million is being provided this financial year to continue supporting the rollout of home charging infrastructure.

This funding is focused on lower-income households, those in rural and island communities, residents of flatted properties, and households without driveways, including where cross-pavement charging solutions are permitted.

Question reference: S7W-00143

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken to date with rural stakeholders on the proposed Rural Renewal Bill.

Question reference: S7W-00153

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many investigations were carried out in each of the last two years under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021; how many led to a report being made to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and how many subsequent (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there were, broken down by how many people convicted were given a (i) fine and (ii) custodial sentence.

Please see the following data from both the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Scottish Government’s Justice Analytical Service. Please note that The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 came into force on 5 November 2021. The 2021 Act amends the offence under the 1953 Act, so all proceedings are still under the 1953 Act (as amended).

Data on charges under Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Scotland) Act 1953 or the amendment, reported to COPFS, prosecuted, and convicted are given in Table 1.

Table 1: Charges under:- Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 S1(1)&(6)-Worry livestock on a farm – attack, reported to COPFS, prosecuted, and convicted.

Financial Year Reported

	2024-25	2025-26
Charges reported	66	69

Charges prosecuted	6	22

of which:-
Convicted	4	4

Source: COPFS management information.

The number of accused convicted with at least one charge under Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Scotland) Act 1953 or the amendment, and how many were given a fine or a custodial sentence was extracted from the management information data used to prepare the Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services Criminal Disposals Dashboard and is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Number of accused convicted with at least one Protection of livestock from dogs crime and how many of those were given a fine or a custodial sentence.

Financial Year of conviction	Number of accused	Number of accused sentenced with Fines	Number of accused with custodial sentences
2024-2025	8	6	1
April 2025 -Sep 2025	1	0	0

Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services Criminal Disposals Dashboard.

Question reference: S7W-00142

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide further details on its proposed Rural Renewal Bill, including the intended aims of the legislation, the anticipated timetable for consultation and introduction, and how rural communities and stakeholders will be involved in its development.

Question reference: S7W-00109

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of prostate cancer cases that have been diagnosed at a late stage in each of the last five years, and what assessment it has made of whether earlier screening could improve outcomes.

Information on prostate cancer staging is available via Public Health Scotland Routes to Diagnosis publication. It is worth noting that survival rates, the most crucial measure for any patient, remain high in comparison to other tumours. Public Health Scotland’s Cancer Survival in Scotland data set confirms that Scotland’s five-year survival rate for prostate cancer is 88.6%, similar to that of the other UK nations.

The Scottish Government takes advice from the UK National Screening Committee(UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group that informs screening policy across the UK, regarding national screening programmes. Should a recommendation be made to introduce targeted prostate screening, the organisations that oversee screening will advise us on how to take that recommendation forward.

Question reference: S7W-00380

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to (a) create and (b) expand existing, Low Emission Zones during the current parliamentary session, and whether it can provide details of where these are being considered.

The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 provides powers for local authorities, rather than the Scottish Government, to introduce and operate Low Emission Zones (LEZs). Decisions on creating or expanding LEZs therefore rest with local authorities, based on local circumstances.

The Scottish Government is not currently in discussion with any local authorities regarding plans to introduce new LEZs or expand existing ones during the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S7W-00150

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding reports that Scottish residents participating in humanitarian flotillas to Gaza have been detained by Israeli forces in international waters, what (a) representations it has made to the UK Government, and (b) discussions it has had with the UK Government to ensure that all appropriate consular and diplomatic steps are taken to protect their welfare and secure their safe return.

The Scottish Government has raised this issue with the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) at both Ministerial and official level.

I recently wrote to the Foreign Secretary, welcoming the release of detainees and pressing the UK Government to seek reassurance from the Israeli Government regarding the safety and wellbeing of all UK nationals during their detention. I also urged the UK Government to make clear to the Israeli Government that the treatment evidenced is unacceptable, as well as raising concerns on the potential detention of those on the flotilla in international waters. Officials have been in regular contact with FCDO on this issue.