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: S6W-37598

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has made of any impact that fire contaminants may have on the health of an unborn child.

Question reference: S6W-37794

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects sections 1 to 5 of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 to be implemented.

The Scottish Government requires an exemption from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2000 (IMA) from the UK Government (UKG) before we can effectively implement sections 1 to 5 of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

The UKG have agreed to providing this exemption and we are awaiting for them to make the necessary changes to the IMA before we can effectively implement sections 1 to 5 of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024. Scottish Government officials are engaged with counterparts in UKG regarding this change and we expect it to be made soon.

It is our intention to bring a ban on the use, supply and possession of glue traps once the UKG have made the required changes.

Question reference: S6W-37788

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of how many barber shops in Scotland are linked to money laundering, and what steps are being taken to tackle any such incidences of financial crime.

Question reference: S6W-37750

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the urgent question by Kate Forbes on 14 May 2025, whether it will provide an outline of the work of the small review team that will now meet weekly to discuss the completion of the MV Glen Rosa.

Question reference: S6W-37749

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the urgent question by Kate Forbes on 14 May 2025, when it established the small review team to have oversight on the completion of the MV Glen Rosa.

Question reference: S6W-37665

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36185 by Mairi Gougeon on 11 April 2025, how many boats have been allocated a quota for West of Scotland cod; and what specific selective fishing (a) gear and (b) methods that are associated with a lower environmental impact have been incentivised by the application method.

The Scottish Government’s quota application initiative for West of Scotland cod has awarded quota to 35 Scottish vessels. These applications seek to incentivise the use of selective fishing gear and fishing techniques or vessels with a reduced impact on the environment.

Regarding the use of selective fishing gear: across 35 vessels there is a wide range of gear configurations, some examples of gear to be used by successful applicants include:

Vessels greater than 12 metres in length operating with bottom trawls or nets with catches comprising more than 10% of haddock, cod and skates and rays combined using a cod end in excess of the 120mm minimum.
Vessels with catches comprising more than 30% of Norway lobster using a mesh size between 100-119mm and a square mesh panel in excess of the 160mm minimum.
Engaging in area-based selectivity, where if vessels encounter shoals of fish below the minimum conservation reference size, they alert other vessels and move on.
Use of long-lines.

Regarding the use of fishing techniques or vessels with a reduced impact on the environment, successful applicants provided information covering these areas:

Modern vessels or engine upgrades leading to improved fuel efficiency.
The use of Tori lines, acoustic deterrents, brightly coloured nets or particular gear deployment strategies to minimise interactions with non-target species such as seabirds and cetaceans.
Use of refrigerants with reduced Global Warming Potential.
Use of smaller or semi-pelagic trawl doors.
Use of shorter ground gear.
Landing catches into West of Scotland ports.
Litter and waste management and identifying circular economy destinations for waste products.

Question reference: S6W-37748

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which budget the additional funds, which Ferguson Marine has reportedly requested to complete the MV Glen Rosa by Q2 2026, will be drawn from.

Question reference: S6O-04766

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on ScotRail driver recruitment and training programmes, in light of reports of previous service reductions being attributed to staffing shortages.

Question reference: S6O-04764

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recently published report by the Just Transition Commission, A Just Transition for Aberdeen and the North East.

Question reference: S6O-04763

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is working to reduce the average time families spend in temporary accommodation.