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-40054

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what active travel plans for the Western Gateway area of Dundee have been submitted to it by Dundee City Council, and when any decisions will be made on allocating funding.

Dundee City Council have submitted an application to Tier 2 of the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund for design funding to develop active travel options for the Western Gateway development area. These include a segregated cycle route, speed limit reduction measures, pedestrian and cycle crossings, modal filters, a cycle-friendly road project, and shared use paths.

Successful Active Travel Infrastructure Fund applications for 2025-26 for design are yet to be awarded.

Question reference: S6W-40035

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered providing multi-year contracts to not-for-profit organisations providing care services.

Current procurement legislation and guidance enables multi-year contracts for social care services. Scottish Government is working with procurement professionals and providers to consider how national procurement guidance can be updated to deliver on the Feeley Review recommendations which includes consideration of longer term contracts for providers, including not for profit providers. Scottish Government does not hold contracts for delivery of social care services. Local Government are the contract holders for social care services and will make decisions on contract terms including length.

Question reference: S6W-40042

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it supports farmers to tackle seasonal mastitis rates among cattle.

Scottish Government funds the Scottish Rural Colleague, SRUC, which supports investigations and analytical testing on complex mastitis cases. SRUC also provides education, advise and consultancy services for private vets and farmers as part of our funding. Scottish Government also funds Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS) as part of the Scottish Rural Development Program (SRDP) which provides information and resources aimed at increase the profitability and sustainability of farms and crofts, including education and guidance for farmers and vets on mastitis in cattle.

Question reference: S6W-40065

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed how devolved social security spending per capita varies across different local authority areas, and, if so, whether it will provide details for each of the last five years.

Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on spending per capita. Expenditure for each individual benefit is included in its Official Statistics publications available on the Social Security Scotland website.

Social Security Scotland recently published Official Statistics on the number of individual clients paid, which includes total expenditure by local authority area for financial year 2024-25.

Social Security Scotland continues to review the statistics it produces, taking account of user needs when developing future publications, in line with Code of Practice for Statistics.

Question reference: S6W-40037

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many complaints have been made about care homes in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-40059

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what immediate steps it is taking to ensure that women attending protests or public events, including any outside the Scottish Parliament by extremist groups or any where tensions may rise, are protected from harassment, intimidation and abuse.

The right to demonstrate and protest are fundamental human rights which the Scottish Government is committed to upholding. Those simply going about their business should be able to do so without the fear of any form of abusive behaviour. Where such behaviour occurs it should be reported to the police to allow them to take action.

The Scottish Government fully supports Police Scotland to take appropriate and proportionate action to safeguard public safety including at protests. Police Scotland has powers to tackle any behaviour which is antisocial or criminal, as well as public order powers to impose directions or conditions on, or disperse, public assemblies where this is deemed necessary.

Question reference: S6W-39998

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with partners on the proposed AMIDS South transport links project in Paisley to promote the integration of a Very Light Rail (VLR) shuttle line between the Glasgow Airport terminal building and Paisley Gilmour Street railway station, in light of the proof of concept achieved by the Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) project.

As recommended in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), Transport Scotland continues to work with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), Glasgow City Council and other regional partners in the development of Clyde Metro. Transport Scotland is undertaking a project assurance role on the Clyde Metro, which is led by SPT, working alongside Glasgow City Council.

The ongoing stage of development, known as the Case for Investment, includes consideration of access to Glasgow Airport and will inform decisions around network and mode selection. This work is well underway and is currently anticipated to be complete in 2027.

SPT are undertaking on-going engagement with Renfrewshire Council throughout the on-going design development stage and it is anticipated that future engagement will include discussion on the AMIDS South transport links project.

Question reference: S6W-39999

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its policy to not use public money to support the manufacture of munitions or weapons, what its position is on whether an SSN submarine is a weapon in itself, as opposed to a naval vessel that may be used as a platform to carry conventional non-nuclear weapons or munitions.

Question reference: S6W-39985

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects discussions to begin between CalMac Ferries Ltd and the recognised trade unions regarding (a) commercial crewing levels and (b) route-specific sea trials for the MV (i) Isle of Islay, (ii) Glen Rosa, (iii) Loch Indaal, (iv) Lochmor and (v) Claymore.

Discussions have already taken place for the MV Isle of Islay in relation to commercial crewing levels in which trade unions, with the exception of RMT, have agreed the crew numbers.

A meeting will be scheduled by CalMac Ferries Ltd within the coming weeks with the RMT to continue discussions. This same approach will be taking forward for all new vessels entering service.

In regards to the route specific sea trials mentioned, CalMac have confirmed that once that vessel is under their operation, the vessel personnel will operate under the terms of their individual Seafarer Employment Agreements and Collective Agreements, which they do not envisage as needing to be re-negotiated.

Question reference: S6W-39983

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the (a) duration and (b) value of (i) scheduled and (ii) unscheduled dry dock work carried out on CMAL-owned vessels at Inchgreen dry dock facility since 1 January 2015.