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-03591

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Cabinet meetings have been classified as "Travelling Cabinets" and held at locations outwith Edinburgh since May 2024, broken down by venue, and what the total cost associated with each meeting was.

Question reference: S7W-03408

Asked by: Kristopher Leask, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding was allocated to (a) Warmer Homes Scotland, (b) Area Based Schemes, (c) Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund, (d) Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan, and (e) Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan schemes, in each financial year from 2022-23 to 2026-27, and what the year-end outturn was for each of these schemes for each financial year from 2022-23 to 2025-26.

For the financial years 2022-23 to 2024-25, I refer the member to question answered on S6W-43202 on 3 February 2026 for information relating to Warmer Homes Scotland, Area Based Schemes, Social Housing Net Zero Fund and Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found here; https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Allocation and outturn data for all schemes relating to the 2025-26 financial year are included in the latest Heat in Buildings progress report, which will be published on the Scottish Government website on 2 October 2026.

Data for Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan was included within S6W-43202 under the category “other”. Specific Private Rented Sector Landlord Loans information is set out in the following table:

Programme	Allocation 2022-23 £000’s	Outturn 2022-3 £000’s	Allocation 2023-24 £000’s	Outturn 2023-4 £000’s	Allocation 2024-25 £000’s	Outturn 2024-25 £000’s	Allocation 2025-26 £000’s	Outturn 2025-26 £000’s
Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan	500	336	500	89	500	14	500	81

Provisional 2026-27 allocations are set out in the following table.

Programme	*Provisional allocation 2026-27 £m’s
Warmer Homes Scotland	90m
Area Based Schemes	70m
Social Housing Net Zero Fund	30m
Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan	48.5m
Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan	0.5m

*provisional allocations provided are subject to change.

Question reference: S7W-03302

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Dalzell Plate Mill in Motherwell, whether it has received, considered or discussed any proposal from a third party, including Sir David Murray or any other potential operator, to acquire or operate the site, on what dates any such discussions took place, and what its current position is on facilitating such a transfer.

The then Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Neil Gray met with Sir David Murray on 28 September 2023 to discuss the Dalzell and Clydebridge sites. Sir David Murray was referred to the GFG Alliance directly to allow him to pursue any business proposals regarding Dalzell with the business owners.

Any potential discussions on a transfer of ownership are matters for the company to consider.

Question reference: S7W-03318

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alyn Smith on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to ensure that any company restricted from access to public funding is also restricted from involvement in the governance of public funds, including holding a leadership role on public bodies and assets such as Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) and Apprenticeship Approvals Group (AAG).

The Scottish Government expects all public bodies, advisory groups and their members to operate in accordance with established standards of conduct and governance.

The Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) and Apprenticeships Approvals Group (AAG) are independent, industry-led bodies responsible for providing advice, assurance and approval of apprenticeship standards and frameworks. Neither body is responsible for the governance, allocation or management of public funding.

Question reference: S7W-03440

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a costed delivery plan and timetable for extending funded early learning and childcare (ELC) to children under three.

As set out in the Programme for Government in early September, we will publish and consult on a blueprint for a transformed childcare offer in 2027, focussing on what matters most to families. Given the scale of our ambition to transform childcare, it is only right we take the time to develop that blueprint and we will publish it for consultation next year. Decisions on future delivery and costs will be considered through the appropriate parliamentary and budgetary processes.

Question reference: S7W-03431

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland to be currently (a) operational, (b) fully operational, (c) established and (d) independent, and for each classification, what definition it uses to make that assessment.

The Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) is currently hosted by the University of Strathclyde, working in partnership with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER).

AROS operates independently of the Scottish Government in relation to decisions concerning its workplan and activities. Arrangements relating to the hosting of AROS are governed by the contract between the Scottish Government and the hosting body.

The Scottish Government considers AROS to be an established organisation in the sense that it is fully operational and delivering an agreed programme of work. However, it is not currently constituted as a separate legal entity.

Question reference: S7W-03423

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether emails sent or received by special advisers via official Scottish Government email accounts are considered to be information that is held by the Scottish Government for the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Question reference: S7W-03308

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reports that NHS Lothian is unable to offer mammogram appointments in Edinburgh, and how it is working with NHS Lothian to ensure that local appointments for breast screening services can be offered to women in Edinburgh who require one.

The Scottish Government is aware that the NHS Lothian ‘Increased-Risk Breast Surveillance’ service for all eligible individuals has been relocated from Ardmillan House, Edinburgh to St John’s Hospital, Livingston.

Whilst this is an operational matter for NHS Lothian, the Scottish Government understand that this decision was driven by sustained growth in Edinburgh’s routine screening population (aged 50 to 70), which has increased by 10% since 2018 and exceeded the capacity Ardmillan House was originally designed to support. The Health Board undertook an assessment of patients booked in January 2026 which found that St John’s Hospital was more accessible for those travelling from Fife, West Lothian, South and West Edinburgh, and Midlothian, although longer public transport journeys were recognised for some residents of Central and North Edinburgh and East Lothian. As one of NHS Lothian’s three acute hospitals, St John’s provides a reasonable and equitable location for the service, with limited alternative options currently available.

The Scottish Government wants everyone accessing health services to be treated as close to home as clinically appropriate. Where travel is necessary, the Scottish Government expects NHS Boards to work collaboratively with transport providers to make suitable arrangements to ensure that the necessary treatment and services can be provided in a patient-centred way.

Question reference: S7W-03293

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reported calls from the Scottish Retail Consortium and Scottish Tourism Alliance for the UK Government to restore tax-free shopping for overseas visitors in its upcoming budget, as a means of supporting Scotland’s retail, tourism and hospitality sectors.

The Scottish Government understands calls from the retail and tourism sectors for the restoration of tax-free shopping for overseas visitors. Scotland’s retailers have highlighted that many international competitors continue to offer tax-free shopping schemes and have argued that the UK's current approach may place Scotland at a competitive disadvantage in attracting high-spending international tourists.

VAT is currently reserved, therefore any decision on tax-free shopping is a matter for the UK Government. However we would continue to call on the UK Government to engage with industry on this matter and keep the current arrangements under review.

Question reference: S7W-03364

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason electric vehicle owners who live in areas that are not classed within categories 5 to 8 of its Urban Rural Classification have not been eligible for support through the Domestic Chargepoint scheme.

The Domestic Charge Point Fund is currently prioritising support for households in areas classified within categories 5 to 8 of the Scottish Government's Urban Rural Classification, in recognition of the additional barriers to EV adoption often faced in rural and island communities and to help ensure limited public funding is directed where it can have the greatest impact. Eligibility criteria are reviewed and updated annually.