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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S7W-03344

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent of any historical contamination and other environmental liabilities at Clydebridge and who would meet remedial costs in the event of a sale, closure or change of use.

Question reference: S7W-03301

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 what contingency plans are in place for Dalzell Plate Mill in the event that GFG Alliance is unable to fund feedstock, working capital or a sustained restart of operations, and whether those plans include consideration of public acquisition, a facilitated sale, or the site being placed under the control of an official receiver or a similar mechanism.

Question reference: S7W-03299

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 what financial support arrangements or financial liabilities it still has in place relating to Dalzell, Clydebridge or other GFG Alliance companies in Scotland, and what the maximum possible cost to the public purse would be in each case.

The Scottish Government has no financial support arrangements or financial liabilities relating to (a) Liberty Steel as owners of Dalzell and Clydebridge or (b) to other GFG Alliance companies in Scotland.

There an accounting provision relating to the Lochaber guarantee which is disclosed in the Consolidated Accounts of the Scottish Government. The Government's potential exposure to default payments has been valued at £130m as at 31 March 2025.

Question reference: S7W-02078

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01537 by Stephen Gethins on 23 July 2026, which did not address the point raised regarding the £10 million Scottish Heating Oil Support Scheme fund, where any unallocated funds are currently held and what its plans are for such funds when the scheme closes in September 2026, including where any remaining funds will be held thereafter.

The overall budget, including funding for the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, is managed across the Scottish Government and, as happens every year, any overall funding changes required to support expenditure are confirmed as part of budget revisions.

The Scottish Government has recently announced that the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme is to be extended into winter, ensuring the most vulnerable households are supported throughout winter as prices remain volatile.

The funding will be made available for the scheme during this period.

The Scottish Public Finance Manual is issued by the Scottish Ministers to provide guidance on the proper handling and reporting of public funds, including information on Grants, such as the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, and on “clawback” from any unspent funds once the scheme ends.

The Scottish Public Finance Manual is published on the Scottish Government’s website and can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-public-finance-manual/

Alongside the extension of the scheme, I would encourage households that use heating oil or LPG to contact Home Energy Scotland for free and impartial advice on reducing energy bills, improving energy efficiency and exploring clean heating options. Advisers can help households identify the support available to them and navigate funding schemes for home energy improvements.

Question reference: S7W-03717

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to preventing vape shops from operating in listed, historic or other architecturally significant buildings, in light of the potential fire risk associated with the storage and charging of lithium-ion batteries and the vulnerability of historic buildings to fire.

Question reference: S7W-03713

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the committment in the 2026 Scottish National Party manifesto to "deliver a new railway station at Winchburgh", for what reason this was not included in the Programme for Government 2026-31.

Question reference: S7W-03741

Asked by: Thomas Kerr, MSP for Glasgow, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, for each of the last 10 years, how many school leavers were recorded as White Scottish males from deprived backgrounds, and of those pupils how many progressed to (a) any positive destination, (b) full-time employment, (c) part-time employment, (d) further education, (e) higher education and (f) a destination that was not classified as positive.

Question reference: S7W-03731

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many students receiving support from the Student Awards Agency Scotland are recorded as (a) living at the parental home and (b) living away from the parental home during their studies, broken down by year since 2016-17 and, if available, by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile.

Question reference: S7W-03703

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps the Independent Commission on the Criminalisation of the Purchase of Sex will take to ensure that it consults with groups that represent those currently selling sex.

Question reference: S7W-03678

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a Misogyny Bill by the end of 2026.