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-00337

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that greenhouse gas emissions analysis underpinning its “green data centre” policy might not fully account for hyperscale AI data centres, what plans it has to review these figures.

To support preparation of National Planning Framework 4, the then Scottish Government commissioned independent research on the Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of NPF4 proposed National Developments. This was first published in 2021 and updated in October 2022.

As the scale and characteristics of data centre developments evolve, we will continue to monitor developments and consider whether further evidence gathering is required. In the meantime, any proposed development schemes remain subject to planning and environmental assessment requirements.

Question reference: S7W-00497

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the national rollout of RNID Near You services will be completed.

Question reference: S7W-00325

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a full list of the policy areas for which the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs has responsibility.

Question reference: S7W-00336

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of data centres applying for gas connections, how many such applications it is aware of in Scotland, and what its position is on gas-fired power generation for data centres.

The Scottish Government is not routinely sighted on applications for gas connections, but we are aware there are emerging data centre proposals that may have a gas component. The Scottish Government policy position is that new AI infrastructure developments should minimise reliance on fossil fuel solutions and we encourage developers to explore renewable and sustainable alternatives to gas fired generation wherever possible.

Question reference: S7W-00215

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many adult patients in Dumfriesshire are currently (a) registered and (b) not registered with an NHS dentist.

Question reference: S7W-00297

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in shops, whether it plans to produce detailed guidance for grocery retailers in advance of any cap coming into effect.

Question reference: S7W-00499

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when Community Glaucoma Services to lower-risk glaucoma patients from hospitals, enabling them to receive care from accredited providers in the community, will be fully embedded across Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-00312

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the SNP manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what discussions it has had with its Retail Industry Leadership Group regarding the proposal.

At the Retail Industry Leadership Group (RILG) meeting on Tuesday 19 May, a commitment was made to engage meaningfully at the appropriate stage of the process.

At the Regulatory Review Group (RRG) meeting on Tuesday 26 May, a commitment was made to engage meaningfully at the appropriate stage of the process.

The Scottish Government routinely engages with a broad range of stakeholders and is committed to sustaining meaningful and constructive engagement throughout the policy making process.

Question reference: S7W-00338

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the potential particulate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with diesel and gas backup generation that might be required for hyperscale AI data centres proposed in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-00498

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 4 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Scottish National Party 2026 manifesto commitment, when the national commissioning model for deafblind services will be implemented.