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-03366

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alyn Smith on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the compatibility of proposals by the University of Aberdeen to create four new executive dean posts with reported annual salaries of £112,000 to £140,000 while proposals to reduce staff numbers by 111 posts are under consideration, and how this aligns with the Scottish Government's statement that senior figures within the college and university sectors should demonstrate restraint in their own pay settlements and that senior pay packages should be in step with the salary, terms and conditions offered to other staff.

The University of Aberdeen is an autonomous institution with responsibility for its own operational decision making, including in relation to staff, recruitment and remuneration.

The Scottish Government expects the Scottish Funding Council to monitor and seek assurances that universities are compliant with the Scottish Code of Good HE Governance as a condition of grant funding, including the extent to which universities are considering value for money and the public interest, avoiding inappropriate use of funds, and seeking the views of students and staff in relation to decisions regarding senior executive remuneration. I do pay close attention to the matters the member raises in my discussions with individual institutions and the wider sector and am alert to this issue in my consideration of future funding of the sector.

Question reference: S7W-03352

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds regarding the number of people who have used the tennis courts at Moray Sports Centre, in each year since 2021.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on this.

The indoor tennis centre at Moray Sports Centre was developed with support from the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund and opened in July 2024. The Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund is a £15 million investment programme and partnership between sportscotland, Tennis Scotland and the Lawn Tennis Association. It is the largest capital investment in tennis in Scotland's history, designed to support innovative projects that address local demand and improve access to indoor tennis facilities in areas where provision is limited.

While the Scottish Government and its delivery partners supported the capital investment in the facility, we do not routinely collect annual court usage data from the centre. Information may be available directly from Moray Sports Centre or the Moray Sports Foundation, who manage the facility.

Question reference: S7W-03330

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish a national advisory council on men and boys to promote positive masculinity and improve men’s health outcomes.

The Scottish Government is not currently considering establishing a national advisory council on men and boys. Gender inequality affects everyone in Scotland and we are committed to addressing misogyny, challenging stereotypes and promoting positive masculinity. This is key to tackling violence against women and girls and realising a gender equal Scotland.

Earlier this year we ran a campaign to challenge misogynistic attitudes and behaviours among boys, helping them recognise the link between online content and real-world harm, and empowering them to take action to prevent it. We will continue to work with men and boys, including those in leadership positions, to promote positive masculinity and help tackle the causes of gender-based abuse.

We also recognise the importance of improving health outcomes for men and boys. Improving population health and reducing health inequalities, including those experienced by men, remains a key priority for the Scottish Government. We published the Population Health Framework, in partnership with COSLA, which takes a whole-system and cross-sector approach to improving life expectancy and reducing health inequalities. Wider action to tackle men’s health and mortality inequalities includes increased investment in suicide prevention and targeted marketing to encourage men to contact their GP via the ‘Be the Early Bird’ campaign.

Question reference: S7W-03473

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43779 by Mairi McAllan on 2 March 2026, what progress it has made on the options for community heat network support, including support for not-for-profit and co-operative ownership models.

On 3 September, Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) published a report into a community led delivery model for heat networks across Scotland, prepared for the Scottish Government. The report can be accessed at: heat-networks-community-led-delivery-model.

Community led delivery was one of a range of potential approaches that SFT assessed on our behalf, and we are assessing the report's conclusions.

Meanwhile, we continue to welcome applications from all prospective applicant's - including community groups - to Scotland’s Heat Network Fund.

Question reference: S7W-03468

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 100,000 properties identified in its Programme for Government are expected to have benefited from energy efficiency measures by the end of financial year 2026-27.

Question reference: S7W-03428

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the Nuclear Industry Association's Jobs Map 2026, which indicate that nuclear workers in Scotland have to travel out of Scotland to take up opportunities created by new nuclear projects in other parts of the UK.

Question reference: S7W-03393

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) employers regarding the potential impact on offshore workers of any maximum worker weight limits applied in the oil and gas industry.

Question reference: S7W-03331

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Movember’s recent report, The Real Face of Men’s Health, whether it will commit to a men’s health action plan.

The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to improving life expectancy and tackling health inequalities across the whole population.

Last year, the Scottish Government and COSLA published the Population Health Framework, which sets out our cross-government, cross-sector approach to improving life expectancy while reducing the gap in life expectancy between the 20% most deprived areas and the national average, by 2035.

The Framework sets out the actions the Scottish Government and its partners are taking forward within the first two years by: supporting healthy environments; good early years and education; good work and income; and equitable health and care.

In addition, Scottish Government’s Programme for Government places a strong emphasis on the need to shift towards prevention and early intervention. This includes action to address alcohol and drug-related harm and to encourage healthier lifestyles among men, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and poor mental wellbeing.

Embedding prevention across public services is a fundamental part of the Scottish Government’s approach to improving population health outcomes for individuals and securing the long-term sustainability of Scotland’s health and care system.

Question reference: S7W-03774

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-03432 by Angela Constance on 29 September 2026, what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on applying the additional pay point progression from 1 December 2025 under NHS Circular PCS(DD)2025/1 (Addendum 2 – Residents) to resident doctors and dentists whose normal incremental date falls in December, and whether it will publish this guidance.

Question reference: S7W-03745

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, what guidance it issues to education authorities on the extent of the options appraisal required before proposing a permanent change to the location of a school, particularly where the proposed change is effectively irreversible.