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-02344

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01921 by Angela Constance on 3 August 2026, how many individual buildings within the NHS estate in the Highlands and Islands region have been assessed as category C or D in relation to (a) Condition and (b) Functional Suitability, broken down by health board.

Question reference: S7W-02342

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of individuals being advised that they face a wait of 50 weeks for such treatment, whether it is satisfied with the current waiting times for audiology treatment in NHS Lothian, and what action it is taking to reduce waiting times and improve access to treatment.

Question reference: S7W-02355

Asked by: Jamie Langan, MSP for South Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the compatibility of the proposed Halfway Energy Park solar farm in the Carse of Gowrie with its policies on protecting prime agricultural land and strengthening Scotland's food security.

Question reference: S7W-02360

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of educational psychologists employed by local authorities are on temporary or fixed-term contracts.

Question reference: S7W-02361

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken workforce planning for educational psychology services.

Question reference: S7W-02016

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) its position is on regulating fireworks to improve animal welfare outcomes, and (b) research it has (i) commissioned, (ii) reviewed, or (iii) otherwise relied upon to come to this position.

S7W–02015, answered on 7 August 2026, sets the Scottish Government’s position on the regulation of fireworks.

The Scottish Government has engaged with the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission on mitigating against the impact of fireworks, including how the noise affects animals.

The Scottish Government will consider the UK government’s consultation on fireworks and pyrotechnics in the UK which covers reserved matters relating to fireworks and pyrotechnics regulation, including the noise of fireworks.

The statutory guidance for Local Authorities that supports Firework Control Zones, Firework control zones: guidance for local authorities - gov.scot incorporates a section relating to animal welfare matters, which should be considered. This includes evidence as to how animals are impacted by fireworks and references are provided within this guidance.

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

Question reference: S7W-02013

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) its position is on the keeping of exotic animals for domestication purposes, and (b) research it has (i) commissioned, (ii) reviewed, or (iii) otherwise relied upon to come to this position.

Question reference: S7W-02087

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a) paying the Carer Support Payment in full to carers receiving state pension and b) introducing a carer recognition payment for carers with underlying entitlement.

We considered both paying Carer Support Payment in full to carers receiving state pension and a recognition payment for those with underlying entitlement, including those receiving State Pension, as part a Multi Criteria Analysis that informed proposals in our 2022 consultation on Scottish Carer’s Assistance. It found that while such payments would have a positive impact on recognising the contribution of these carers, it would require significant investment not targeted at carers on the lowest incomes. Many carers with ‘underlying entitlement’ receive State Pension which is typically paid at a much higher rate than Carer Support Payment.

The 2022 consultation and our response considered a recognition payment for long term carers that could be available to those with underlying entitlement. No decision has been taken on this proposal to date. Any decisions on increasing support for carers will need to take affordability and sustainability into account.

Question reference: S7W-02229

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any (a) Police Scotland officers, (b) members of police staff and (c) personnel working within the wider criminal justice system have had their personal or professional information compromised as a result of the recent cyberattack on the Police National Legal Database, and, if so, what remedial action is being taken.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Operational security concerns, including data breaches are a matter for the Chief Constable and the Information Commissioner, who are operationally independent of the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre continues to monitor the incident and will engage with Police Scotland and any other Scottish Public Sector Body that may be affected if there are any developments.

Question reference: S7W-02017

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the prevalence of antibiotic use to promote unnatural growth in farm animals.