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: S6O-04743

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic importance of festivals to local communities.

Question reference: S6O-04751

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on funding for the CashBack for Communities programme.

Question reference: S6O-04740

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact of the MalDent Project on oral health policy in Malawi.

Question reference: S6O-04737

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding its support for humanitarian assistance, in light of reports of the increasing number of deaths in Gaza.

Question reference: S6W-37760

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Scotland's Railway should utilise surplus steel, in light of reports that there is several million pounds worth of surplus steel from the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme in long-term storage at Bridgeton Yard.

Question reference: S6W-37025

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish a detailed comparative analysis of any differences in post-S4 retention rates between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Question reference: S6W-37487

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any additional resource requirements for court services resulting from any increase in the volume of body-worn camera footage submitted as evidence by Police Scotland.

Police Scotland commenced its rollout of body worn cameras on 26 March 2025. Dealing with the footage submitted as evidence to the courts is an operational matter for SCTS. The Scottish Government continues to support the roll-out of the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability programme and if any additional resource requirements are identified this will form part of the normal budget setting process.

Question reference: S6W-37616

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting electric vehicle users, who live in properties without a private driveway, to charge their vehicles.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the transition to electric vehicles by ensuring that charging infrastructure is comprehensive, convenient, and accessible to all. We understand the importance of enabling those without access to off street parking to charge their vehicles conveniently and safely.

Three local authorities, Dundee, East Lothian and Stirling are currently trialling cross-pavement charging solutions and the Scottish Government is supporting the Scottish Collaboration of Transport Specialists (SCOTS), a network representing transport officers from Scotland’s local authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships, to develop guidance on cross-pavement charging which addresses legal and safety issues and supports all local authorities to enable cross-pavement charging.

This year’s Programme for Government also announced a new pilot grant scheme to help households without off-street parking to install cross-pavement EV charging solutions. Further details of this scheme will be announced soon.

Question reference: S6W-37781

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to expand the deployment of solar panels across the NHS Scotland estate.

The NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 includes a target to deliver a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings compared to a 1990 baseline by 2030 and net-zero emissions from its estate by 2040. To support this, the Scottish Government is working with NHS Scotland Health Boards to implement a range of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures, including onsite and offsite renewable energy systems such as solar panels.

The current funding approach for NHS Scotland decarbonisation involves leveraging both public capital and private investment as funding options for renewable energy schemes and to consider partnerships with suppliers through Power Purchase Agreements. Capital funding from the Scottish Government may also be made available for onsite arrays, although NHS Boards are expected to consider renewable energy and energy efficiency measures as part of their planning.

Question reference: S6W-37775

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a six-fold increase in ferry cancellations due to technical faults on the Clyde and Hebrides routes, what specific measures it is taking to improve service reliability and maintain consistent connectivity for island communities.

CalMac make every effort to avoid cancellations due to technical breakdowns, but it is impossible to completely remove the risk of this happening in technically complex vessels.

Between 2015 and 2024 CalMac have operated over 1.5 million sailings, with 5.2% cancelled. Of those cancelled sailings, 22% were for technical reasons and 62% were related to weather.

The arrival of 13 new vessels by 2029, which started with MV Glen Sannox in January this year, will help improve connectivity and resilience for island residents, businesses, and communities. These new vessels should be able to operate in more challenging weather and sea conditions and will also improve accessibility and route flexibility. Communities and services will also benefit from the provision of shore power upgrades and enhanced port facilities.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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