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-02399

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the Intelligent Liver Function Test, first developed and introduced in NHS Tayside, to GPs and liver specialists across Scotland, and on what date it became, or is expected to become, available in each health board area.

Question reference: S7W-02386

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) set out in its document, Scottish Government Bonds Programme: Summary Outline Business Case, did not include the potential benefits to Scottish businesses, investors or pension funds, including the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

Question reference: S7W-02378

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting charity groups such as Mesothelioma UK, the Scottish Mesothelioma Network and Action on Asbestos.

Question reference: S7W-02370

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) CalMac or (b) Transport Scotland plans to provide a replacement bus service during the period of scheduled works on the MV Ali Cat and MV Argyll Flyer between 2 September 2026 and 25 March 2027.

Question reference: S7W-02369

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the number of sailings provided and the number of passengers carried on CalMac's Gourock to Dunoon ferry service during the April to June quarter in (a) 2024, (b) 2025 and (c) 2026.

Question reference: S7W-02364

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with ScotRail in light of the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service temporarily running as a single vessel service between 2 September 2026 and 25 March 2027.

Question reference: S7W-02245

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01870 by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2026, what assessment it has made of any impact that the removal of the Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) pay supplement could have on the recruitment and retention of civil servants within the DDAT profession, in light of the reported challenges in attracting staff with the relevant expertise due to higher salaries offered in the private sector.

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) pay supplement was replaced following a review with a new Government Digital and Data (GDD) pay supplement aligned to the UK Civil Service profession framework. Pay supplements are temporary measures, subject to regular review, and are retained, amended or withdrawn based on evidence of recruitment and retention pressures. The review concluded that pay supplements should continue to be applied where there is evidence of recruitment and retention challenges linked to market conditions. As a result, roles where higher external salaries create difficulties in attracting and retaining suitably skilled staff continue to attract a pay supplement at an appropriate market rate.

Question reference: S7W-02160

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what lessons it has learned from the response to the July 2026 Cairngorms wildfire.

I have commissioned a review of the Scottish Government’s Wildfires Strategic Action Plan and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) standard operational assurance processes will capture debriefs from attending crews and officers.

In addition, the SFRS have also commissioned an independently led review at a wider partner and multi-agency level to identify issues arising from the Cairngorms wildfire in order to maximise organisational learning and instil public confidence.

These reviews will provide partners with the opportunities to explore issues and experiences arising during this wildfire, ensuring lessons learned are taken forward and that future arrangements are fully informed by operational experience and the expertise of those at the forefront of wildfire management.

Question reference: S7W-01958

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to granting prescribed status to Independent Humanist Ceremonies under the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004.

Under the Marriage (Scotland)Act 1977 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004, there are a number of different systems for religious or belief celebrants to be approved to solemnise marriage or register civil partnership. At the moment, Independent Humanist Ceremonies(IHC) nominate persons to the Registrar General to be registered as celebrants under section 9 of the 1977 Act.

A religious or belief body can also be prescribed by Scottish Statutory Instrument made by the Scottish Ministers so that all of its celebrants, or persons recognised by the body as entitled to do so, may solemnise marriages under the 1977 Act or register civil partnerships under the 2004 Act.

The Scottish Government is currently considering requests from three organisations to be so prescribed, including that of IHC. The decision on whether to prescribe a religious or belief body which has made a request is entirely at the discretion of the Scottish Ministers. In prescribing the Humanist Society Scotland in 2016 and more recently the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) in 2023, we have set out the factors that we take into account in doing so in the Policy Notes published alongside each Scottish Statutory Instrument: The Civil Partnership, Marriage Between Persons of Different Sexes and Same Sex Marriage (Prescribed Bodies) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2016 - Policy Note (pdf 54.2KB) and The Marriage Between Persons of Different Sexes (Prescribed Bodies) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 - Policy Note (PDF 50.5KB)

Being prescribed gives a religious or belief body the power to decide who can and cannot solemnise ceremonies on their behalf without any outside authorisation or approval from the Registrar General. Given the level of responsibility this status holds, we have to give careful consideration to such requests.

However, we recognise that the consideration of these requests has taken too long. The information and evidence already provided on behalf of IHC is currently being reviewed as a matter of priority. I have been assured that my officials will be in touch with IHC if further information is required and that, in any event, they will be updated on progress with their request before the end of this summer.

The member will wish to be aware that celebrants from IHC can still conduct legally recognised marriages and civil partnerships through being authorised by the Registrar General for Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02005

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what dialogue it has had with local authorities and health boards to encourage collaboration, especially in cases where there is policy or geographical overlap between them.

The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 established the framework for integrating health and social care services in Scotland. It required local authorities and NHS boards to create Integration Authorities responsible for the governance, planning and funding of integrated services.

Integration aims to improve care and support for people who use services, their carers and their families. It does this by putting a greater emphasis on collaboration, joining up services, and focussing on anticipatory and preventative care. We support Integration Authorities to do this through regular dialogue between officials, myself, the Cabinet Secretary and the networks of Integration Authority Chief Officers, Chairs and Vice-chairs.

For 2025-26, we provided £144,812.30 in Scottish Government funding to Health and Social Care Scotland (HSCS) for their work supporting key networks, including IJB Chief Officers. HSCS work closely with IJBs and Chief Officers to promote good practice, strengthen IJB leadership networks, support meaningful engagement with communities and the third sector, and enhance independent sector involvement in local governance.

More recently I met with the leadership of the IJB Chief Officer network to discuss current priorities and challenges facing integration authorities, and to support continued collaborative working across the health and social care system. I look forward to continued engagement with them.