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-02528

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration NatureScot gave to the potential loss of rare red-listed lichen species and veteran hazel associated with Easter Ness Woods SSSI and Ness Woods SAC in its submission to the Loch Kemp Pumped Storage Hydro public hearing, and what assessment was made of the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures.

I have asked NatureScot to respond. Their response is as follows:

"Lichens and hazel are considered typical species of the Ness Woods SAC woodland habitats and impacts to these species have been considered in the context of the relevant conservation objectives throughout the assessment process for this development.

"NatureScot has agreed with the conclusions of the Habitats Regulations Appraisal for the proposal in relation to the SAC and also that the required mitigation and compensatory measures would be sufficient.

"These measures included a requirement for dust monitoring and management to mitigate the effects of dust deposition on the lichen species.

"NatureScot therefore did not participate in the public hearing and so did not submit a Hearing Statement, although it has responded to questions from the Reporter."

Question reference: S7W-02535

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Safe Stations initiative operating in Rhode Island and other United States municipalities, which utilises fire stations as 24-hour drop-in centres for immediate addiction support, and whether elements of this model could be integrated into its National Mission on Drugs.

The Scottish Government remains committed to a public health approach to reducing drug-related harms and deaths. Our approach is set out in Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery: Scotland's Alcohol & Drugs Strategic Plan 2026-2035, which brings together prevention, harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support. The use of any Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) premises including fire stations is an operational matter for the SFRS.

Question reference: S7W-02559

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential for Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data to reveal whether an individual has visited sensitive locations, including healthcare facilities, places of worship, political meetings or domestic abuse support services.

Question reference: S7W-02552

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any cases of abuse of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera systems.

Question reference: S7W-02557

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of whether the current retention period for Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data held by Police Scotland is proportionate, in light of the number of vehicles recorded that are not of interest to the police.

Question reference: S7W-02563

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on providing communities with the right to appeal against planning applications following reviews by the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), and whether existing statutes should be amended to provide communities with the right to appeal.

The planning system allows for a statutory right of appeal to be made by the person or organisation who made the application. There is no third party right of appeal to challenge the merits of a planning decision or action. There is recourse to raise a challenge against a planning decision on a point of law through the courts.

Amendments proposing third party rights of appeal were considered, and rejected, by the Scottish Parliament during its consideration of the Planning (Scotland) Bill, passed by the Parliament in 2019. The Scottish Government has no plans to review rights of appeal at the current time.

Question reference: S7W-02560

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential for Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to be combined with facial recognition, artificial intelligence or other biometric technologies.

Question reference: S7W-02601

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions (a) nitazenes and (b) other synthetic opioids were discovered in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S7W-02625

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the adequacy of the current statutory gateways to independent advocacy for children and young people, given that access is limited to those who are care experienced, subject to a live Children's Hearing, or covered by the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and that it does not extend to children receiving support from social work services who fall outside those categories.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering appropriate advocacy support for children in accessing their rights. Any assessment of need must recognise that advocacy can be delivered in a number of ways and is often dependent on the context of each situation and specific wishes of the child.

Statutory gateways to independent advocacy have been established for specific groups of children, including those involved in the Children's Hearings System, subject to mental health legislation, and care experienced children and young people, reflecting the particular legal processes, decision-making responsibilities and power imbalances that can arise in these circumstances.

The Scottish Government has co-developed a set of core measurements for organisations that children and young people may access for advice and support when they have a concern or want to raise a rights issue. The data gathered will provide insights into their experience of the services they access for support, including independent advocacy. A report will be published in Spring 2027.

Question reference: S7W-02624

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the statutory gateways to independent advocacy for children and young people, to consider whether children with social work involvement who do not meet the current eligibility criteria, including care experience, involvement in a live Children's Hearing, or eligibility under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, should be brought within its scope.

Children's participation is a core component of social work practice and is underpinned by the UNCRC, GIRFEC and the SSSC Codes of Practice, which require social work practitioners to seek, listen to and take account of children's views and to have awareness of the statutory pathways to independent advocacy and apply these where appropriate. There is also a range of national and local organisations across Scotland that provide support services for children and young people beyond these statutory entitlements. We will continue to strengthen provision where required but no further reviews to the statutory gateways to independent advocacy are planned at this stage.