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: S7W-00195

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that female witnesses involved in serious criminal cases are provided with appropriate protections and support throughout court proceedings, including safeguards relating to single-sex spaces and facilities.

There are various measures in place to ensure that female witnesses involved in serious criminal cases are provided with appropriate protections and support throughout court proceedings.

The Scottish Government recognises that some witnesses may find it difficult to give evidence and may be particularly vulnerable because of their circumstances or the nature of their evidence. The court can take extra steps - called special measures - to help vulnerable witnesses give the best evidence they can. Special measures can include giving evidence from behind a screen or remotely via a TV link to the court, to prevent the witness having to attend the court building. Further information on special measures is available at https://www.mygov.scot/witness/help-support.

The Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced a presumption that children and vulnerable witnesses in the most serious criminal cases should be able to have their evidence pre-recorded instead of testifying in court. Pre-recording evidence reduces the risk of re-traumatisation for witnesses and supports them to give their best possible evidence, earlier in the process and in a victim-centred way.

The Scottish Government is rolling out the legislation in stages, to give the criminal justice system time to prepare and to make sure the right facilities are in place for witnesses - and will extend the presumption to vulnerable adult witnesses in the most serious cases following the roll out to child witnesses. Vulnerable adult witnesses can still apply for their evidence to be taken in this way and accordingly, pre-recorded evidence is currently used a great deal for adult complainers of sexual offences, particularly in the High Court.

Other sources of support include the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s Victim Information and Advice (VIA) Service for all vulnerable victims and those involved in the most serious cases. The VIA service can provide information about how the justice process works, and on key court dates and decisions. It will also work with victims to understand if they would benefit from special measures when giving evidence. Furthermore, the Scottish Government provides funding to Victim Support Scotland (VSS) which provides the VSS Court Service. The VSS Court Service supports victims in a range of ways including through court familiarisation visits, virtual court tours, support in court and for writing a victim statement.

Matters regarding the management of the court estate are, of course, for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) and the Lord President. In partnership with justice partners, SCTS is committed to clear standards of service for victims and witnesses (available at https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/media/rvrdro0w/standards-of-service-for-victims-and-witnesses-2025-26.pdf). This includes ensuring that witnesses who require to attend court will be placed in witness rooms designated for prosecution or defence. In addition, toilet facilities within the SCTS buildings are clearly designated as male and female. Accessible toilet facilities are available and may be used by any individual, regardless of gender.

Question reference: S7W-00779

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Orkney Internal Ferry Replacement Task Force (a) last met and (b) will next meet.

Question reference: S7W-00828

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7F-00008 by John Swinney on 4 June 2026, when it anticipates that the full national roll-out of the £2 bus fare cap will be completed.

Question reference: S7W-00790

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update of its compulsory purchase reform consultation.

Question reference: S7W-00786

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties are eligible to apply for funding from its Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S7W-00778

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent in each of the last five financial years with Dance Ireland, and for what purpose.

Question reference: S7W-00769

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of data obtained by BBC Scotland News through a Freedom of Information request, which indicates a 55% increase in physical assaults in schools over two years, whether it plans to reverse reductions in behavioural specialists, educational psychologists and speech and language staff to create a safer learning environment.

Question reference: S7W-00787

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications Advice Direct Scotland has received for the Emergency Heating Oil Scheme since its launch on 1 April 2026, broken down by local authority area, and how many (a) have been approved or rejected and (b) remain unprocessed.

Question reference: S7W-00771

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Recording and Monitoring in Schools Short Life Working Group's progress in developing guidance for improved reporting systems.

Question reference: S7W-00770

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports by BBC Scotland News that five local authorities were unable to provide figures on physical attacks in school settings because they did not store data in academic year format, what assessment it has made of the extent of underreporting of physical, verbal, and sexual assaults against school staff.