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: S7O-00080

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address workforce planning challenges in staff recruitment and retention for health and social care services in Orkney.

Question reference: S7O-00082

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason over a third of CAMHS referrals have reportedly not been accepted in the last 12 months.

Question reference: S7O-00074

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S7W-00679

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the effectiveness of Bairns' Hoose models across Scotland and whether all iterations are achieving the same results.

Question reference: S7W-00368

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 Hannah Mary Goodlad on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to town and city centre businesses experiencing (a) declining footfall, (b) rising antisocial behaviour and (c) increased operating costs.

The Scottish Government offers a range of support to businesses facing declining footfall, antisocial behaviour and rising costs. In the Scottish Budget, property rates have been reduced in 2026-27 alongside a package of reliefs forecast to save ratepayers over £870 million. Eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in mainland Scotland can receive 15% rates relief, with licensed hospitality venues and music venues eligible for an additional 25%, bringing total relief to 40%. This is capped at £110,000 per business annually and guaranteed in Budget 2026-27 for three years to 2028-29. The Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) will be maintained at current rates and thresholds, also guaranteed in Budget 2026-27 for three years. Over 100,000 properties remain eligible for SBBS, which remains the most generous of its kind in the UK.

In supporting businesses with antisocial behaviour, £3 million funding has been allocated in 2026–27 to support Police Scotland in preventing retail crime, including support for the Retail Crime Taskforce.

We also support revitalisation of our town centres including funding for Scotland’s Towns Partnership to deliver the Scotland Loves Local programme, a national campaign which encourages people to spend local and support local businesses.

Question reference: S7W-00746

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the creation of a single point of search for pet microchip databases and, if so, whether it plans to work with the UK Government to achieve this.

The Scottish Government recognises the potential benefits of a single point of search across multiple pet microchip databases, which could provide quicker and more efficient access to information for enforcement agencies, veterinary professionals, and rehoming organisations.

We are supportive in principle of measures that enhance animal welfare and improve the effectiveness of existing systems, and officials continue to regularly engage constructively with Defra and the other devolved administration to progress this work.

Question reference: S7W-00747

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen and Cambuslang, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendation by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s Responsible Cat Ownership Working Group to adopt compulsory microchipping, whether it will provide an update on its position on the compulsory microchipping of pet cats.

The Scottish Government recognises that microchipping pets supports responsible ownership and helps reunite lost animals with their owners. It acknowledges the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s findings on the benefits for welfare and enforcement.

Officials are reviewing this recommendation alongside wider policy considerations, including impacts on owners, enforcement, and consistency with existing mandatory microchipping for dogs.

Question reference: S7W-00691

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported findings by Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP) that SEPA requires sewage treatment works to record less sewage treatment data than its English and Welsh counterparts.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) sets recording requirements for sewage treatment works in accordance with its published technical guidance wat-g-065_permit_guide_municipal_sewage_treatment-_works.docx.

The recording and reporting requirements are included in authorisations on the basis of environmental risk, such as size of wastewater treatment works and proximity to sensitive receptors e.g. designated Bathing Waters.

The Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations (Scotland) 1994 sets out the nature of the sampling and the frequency for qualifying works. The results of this sampling is published - https://www.gov.scot/publications/situation-compliance-report-disposal-urban-wastewater-sludge-scotland-2022/.

Question reference: S7W-00606

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken an assessment of any impact of reduced Motability mileage allowances on service users living in the Highlands and Islands and, if so, what the outcome of that assessment was.

The Scottish Government has been working closely with Motability to understand how any changes it is considering to its provision as a consequence of the removal of tax exemptions in the UK Budget might affect customers in Scotland, including those living in rural, remote rural and island communities.

The UK Government did not consult the Scottish Government on its changes to the associated tax exemptions in the November 2025 Budget, despite the clear and significant impacts for the devolved Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme in Scotland under which Motability is the provider. Scottish Ministers wrote to the UK Government in November upon becoming aware of the potential tax changes, emphasising that they would cause significant fear and uncertainty for disabled people who rely on the AVE Scheme to remain mobile.

The 1 July 2026 commencement announced by Motability for its changes in the rest of the UK is not set to apply in Scotland. However there may need to be future changes to Motability’s provision in Scotland under the AVE Scheme as a result of the UK tax changes, in which case customers will be notified as soon as possible.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the AVE Scheme and ensuring that eligible clients get the right support to meet their needs and to allow them to remain independent.

Question reference: S7W-00734

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to establishing an independent body to investigate complaints regarding the financial practices of adult social care providers, with a role similar to that played by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in England.

The Scottish Government are not currently making any considerations to establish an independent body to investigate complaints regarding the financial practices of adult social care providers.

Scotland has in place the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) which provides a well-established, fully independent route for complaints relating to adult social care services provided by the public sector.

When a person is self-funding their care this becomes a contractual matter between the individual and their care home. Families in Scotland can contact their local trading standards team who will investigate any breach of contract.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is a statutory body and accountable to the UK Parliament, has guidance for care homes on deposits and fees. We expect all providers operating in Scotland to abide by the guidance clearly set out by the CMA.