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-40070

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration local authorities and planning authorities should give to the current School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, and what impact its stated commitment to update these regulations could have on any plans for new schools that may be built under updated regulations.

We continue to expect local authorities to comply with the current School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, wherever possible. Furthermore, we would expect new schools to comply with the prescribed requirements of the revised regulations, once they are introduced.

As previously committed to, the Scottish Government’s consultation on the updating of the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 will commence before the end of this year.

Question reference: S6W-40068

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will specify the use of Scottish-grown and manufactured cross-laminated timber (CLT) in the building standards technical handbooks and supporting documents.

Decisions regarding the selection and specification of materials must be made by qualified design and construction professionals, based on the specific performance requirements of each individual project. This approach ensures that materials are chosen appropriately and responsibly, in alignment with the intended outcomes of the building standards.

The Scottish Government actively encourages innovation within the construction sector, including the use of home-grown and sustainable materials. However, it would be inappropriate for the Technical Handbooks to promote or endorse any single material, product or technology.

Question reference: S6W-40160

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what changes are required to facilitate, encourage and enable peatland restoration projects through grazings committees.

We are working to overcome a number of complex issues that currently impede peatland restoration on common grazings. The Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill will address a number of legal barriers, giving crofters and grazing committees greater control over how their land is used. In addition, we are working to address complexities around the long-term monitoring and funding of peatland restoration projects to encourage wider uptake of peatland restoration on crofting land across Scotland. This includes working with Peatland Action to develop incentives and tackle any barriers we identify when taking forward peatland restoration projects on common grazings on the Scottish Ministers’ estates.

NatureScot will also be trialling a new approach to support crofting and community demonstration projects this year.

Question reference: S6W-40163

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, with regard to the objectives of the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024, what assessment it has made of enabling farming and crofting tenants to cull deer on unimproved land and moorland on common grazings.

We considered recommendation 12 of the Deer Working Group (DWG), noting the importance of a balanced approach to statutory rights to preventing damage by deer and how best to balance the needs of occupiers with the rights of landowners. We have taken forward recommendations made by the DWG to improve the rights of occupiers in specific circumstances. Officials are due to meet with the Scottish Tenant Farming Association (STFA) to discuss this further, and will then provide further advice on the options available. This could include broadening the land on which tenant farmers can cull deer.

Question reference: S6W-40154

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what conclusions it has drawn from the study commissioned on the uptake of sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices in Less Favoured Areas.

The Scottish Government commissioned a study to support understanding of the challenges facing less favoured areas and to support future decision making in this area. This forms part of the evidence base that will inform on-going work within Agricultural Reform.

We have committed that in future LFA support will sit within Tier 2 to ensure that we continue to support those in constrained areas to deliver more for climate and nature.

Question reference: S6W-40157

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is planning to facilitate the use and management of common grazings in alignment with supporting sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

The changes to legislation proposed in the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill, in relation to undertaking environmental projects on common grazings, will strengthen the role of grazings committees and encourage crofters and their communities to have a greater say in how their land is used. By introducing these changes we hope to ensure access for common grazings to future funding schemes that incentivise environmental uses.

Question reference: S6W-40161

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the scoring mechanism for peatland restoration, in light of the impact on projects in crofting areas that are caused by the effects of (a) high costs due to remoteness from central infrastructure and (b) the smaller scales of individual holdings.

Peatland restoration is delivered by Peatland ACTION - a partnership of five public sector Delivery Partners – NatureScot (NS), Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA) and Scottish Water (SW). Operational and delivery aspects of the programme, such as vetting of individual applications seeking funding for their projects, are a matter for each respective Peatland ACTION Delivery Partner.

This year, NatureScot will be trialling a new approach to support crofting and community demonstration projects. Through the Crofting Bill and engagement with Peatland ACTION, we will use the findings of our work on the Scottish Minister’s crofting estate to develop incentives and tackle barriers to wider uptake of peatland restoration on crofting land across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-40064

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to any school pupils who risk having their transgender status outed against their will in the event of them receiving guidance to use gender neutral toilets and changing rooms, following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

The Scottish Government recognises that this will be a worrying time for transgender young people and their families.

Education authorities and schools provide a range of wellbeing support to children and young people which is planned and provided using the Getting it right for every child approach, ranging from pastoral care and support to targeted support, such as counselling provided through schools.

The approaches to provision of support will be tailored to the individual needs of the young person concerned.

Question reference: S6W-40316

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports collaborative research on brain tumours.

In March 2025 the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office and the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) announced a partnership to advance brain tumour treatment, care and research through Scotland's first dedicated neuro-oncology fellowships.

Two TJBCM fellowships have to date been funded via this collaboration: a neuro-oncology fellowship hosted jointly in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and a brain tumour neurology fellowship hosted in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-40335

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to extending the definition of positive destinations for school leavers to include self-employed in addition to higher education, further education, employment, training, personal skills development and voluntary work.