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-36006

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on Scotland of its network of international offices.

Scotland’s international network continues to deliver tangible benefits to our people, businesses and institutions.

We welcomed the recommendation made in 2022 by the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee for the Scottish Government to publish an annual report, setting out the contribution made by the international network. The first annual report was published in December 2023. This was followed by the 2023-24 annual report in November 2024, which can be found at the following link: International network: annual report 2023-2024 - gov.scot.

The 2024-25 annual report will be published later in the year, and will include additional reporting on the delivery of the International Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-36030

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35531 by Richard Lochhead on 18 March 2025, what steps it has taken to measure progress towards meeting the targets set out in its 2021 document, A Strategy for Space in Scotland.

2021’s A Strategy for Space in Scotland is a document jointly owned between industry, government and academia, and sets out the goal of achieving a £4 billion market share of the global space market and creating over 20,000 jobs in the sector by 2030.

The Scottish Government regularly engages key partners across the space eco-system to discuss sector growth and the economic progress of the sector is monitored against the UK Space Agency’s Size and Health of the Space Industry report, which is published annually.

Question reference: S6W-35963

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted on whether the consolidation or merger of local authorities would lead to improved public service delivery and efficiency.

The Scottish Government is committed to public service reform to enhance the sustainability of public services and improve their effectiveness. The Scottish Government has invited bids from local government as part of the Invest to Save Fund, and an announcement of successful bids will be issued in due course.

Local authorities are responsible for considering their own options for reform and transformation. The Improvement Service supports councils to develop capability and capacity for improvement to enhance the delivery of high quality, efficient local services.

Question reference: S6W-36172

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether prioritising action on retail crime, including shoplifting, should form part of (a) its strategic police priorities and (b) the priorities of the Scottish Police Authority.

The Strategic Police Priorities (SPPs) are designed to provide high-level direction for the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland, as set out in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. Prevention and detection of crime and working with key sectors is currently covered in the SPPs and the SPA and Police Scotland will use the SPPs to inform both their Strategic and Annual Police Plans, which will include putting in place objectives for the police service and the activities which will deliver them.

Police Scotland’s commitment to tackling retail crime has been underlined by last month’s launch of an action plan which includes a number of measures aimed at preventing such incidents and pursuing those responsible. This has been made possible through additional Scottish Government funding of £3 million for this year.

Question reference: S6W-36146

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34946 by Mairi Gougeon on 20 February 2025, whether it can now provide a breakdown of its Budget commitment to invest £5.11 million to restore rainforest.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34946 on 20 February 2025, budget allocation for Atlantic Rainforest restoration at the project/programme level is still to be finalised. Further details will be released in due course. 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: S6W-36040

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details of Project Chia's consideration of the social value of Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-36063

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the adequacy of training provided to sheriffs who preside over fatal accident inquiries.

Question reference: S6W-36055

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the effectiveness of fatal accident inquiries in preventing similar fatalities.

Question reference: S6W-36056

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered any reforms or changes to the fatal accident inquiry system, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Government has acknowledged that there are concerns about the operation of the FAI system. In January of this year, following publication of the determination of the FAI into the deaths of Katie Allen and William Brown at Polmont Young Offenders Institute, the Scottish Government announced a focussed, independent review of the FAI system. This review is to look at the efficiency, effectiveness and trauma-informed nature of investigations into deaths in prison custody.

Question reference: S6W-35990

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how much it has spent on business (a) analysts and (b) consultants in each year since 2017-18.

Business Analysts operate across both our directly employed and contingent workforce. Within our directly employed workforce, they operate across two of our Professional groups (Professions); the Digital Profession and the Operational Delivery Profession. A definition of a Business Analyst role can be found here Business analyst - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

A breakdown of the expenditure on the directly employed staff in Business Analyst roles can be found here Breakdown of Scottish Government spend on Lawyers and Business Analyst roles: FOI release - gov.scot

There may also be some Business Analysts working in a temporary capacity in our contingent workforce, however our data on contingent workers is not captured at a job title level and this may not adhere fully to the definition provided above.

Scottish Government expenditure on consultants is publicly available and can be found here. Business Consultant is not a commonly applied definition in the Scottish Government.

2023 to 2024 - Government expenditure - gov.scot

Government expenditure: 2016 to 2023 - gov.scot