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-01547

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessments, reports, correspondence or briefing it has prepared since MV Glen Sannox entered service comparing the vessel's actual greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption with (a) those of the vessel or vessels that it replaced and (b) the emissions reductions forecast in the business case.

Question reference: S7W-01670

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what financial return it has realised for each of the NHS capital programmes financed by the non-profit distributing public private partnership model.

The Scottish Government has not realised a direct financial return from NHS NPD projects, as these projects were procured to deliver infrastructure and services rather than generate investment returns. Any project-specific surplus sharing, refinancing gains or other contractual receipts are managed in accordance with the relevant project agreements and do not result in a direct financial return to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S7W-01768

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many ophthalmology specialty training places have been (a) available and (b) filled, in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S7W-01611

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential merits of introducing compulsory voting to increase turnout to Scottish Parliament elections, as is used in Australia.

Question reference: S7W-01698

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when will it appoint a new National Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care.

Question reference: S7W-01397

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that the selection of financial institutions to advise on and support its forthcoming bond-issuance scheme is consistent with motion S6M-18686, which was passed by the Parliament on 3 September 2025, particularly the call for "the Scottish and UK governments to immediately impose a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the State of Israel and at companies complicit in its military operations and its occupation of Palestine".

The appointment of financial institutions to the framework supporting the Scottish Government’s multi-year bond programme marks an important milestone as the programme moves into its next phase.

All appointments were made through a procurement process conducted in line with procurement regulations, policy and law. On 25 June 2026, the Scottish Government announced the appointment of nine banks to a framework that will support delivery of its bond programme during this parliamentary term. HSBC, Bank of America, NatWest, and RBC were appointed as joint bookrunners for the inaugural bond issuance.

In response to the situation in Gaza, the Scottish Government has consistently advocated for peace, justice, and human rights, and will continue to do what it can to support a rapid resolution to the conflict and to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable. The First Minister met Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Dr Husam Zomlot, on 27 July and discussed the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. During the meeting, the First Minister announced a further £500,000 funding to support access to food, healthcare, clean water and shelter.

Question reference: S7W-02204

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the role of community radio stations in communicating public information to rural and island communities.

Question reference: S7W-02192

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment eligibility rules for people who reach State Pension age after the qualifying week in September but before the end of the winter period, and what assessment it has made of the impact of the current arrangements on such people.

Question reference: S7W-02200

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether its future advertising contracts will include specific provisions encouraging media buying agencies to consider community radio stations where they are assessed as offering effective access to target audiences.

Question reference: S7W-02193

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many people will not be eligible for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in winter 2026-27 because they will reach State Pension age after the qualifying week in September 2026.

Year	Posts	Acceptances
2025	13	13
2024	7	7
2023	16	16
2022	8	8
2021	14	14