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-35479

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 10 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what advice (a) it and/or (b) NatureScot has received regarding the enforceability of the grouse shoot licence condition pertaining to raptor crimes on land outside the area licensed for killing or taking grouse, and whether it will publish this.

Question reference: S6W-35481

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 10 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason relevant offences under the Animal Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Badgers Act 1992 and other similar legislation, are not included in the NatureScot licensing conditions relating to a whole landholding for an estate that has only licensed its grouse moor under section 16AA of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

Question reference: S6W-36022

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-36015

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-35693

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will investigate the recent fire at the battery energy storage system site at Rothienorman in Aberdeenshire.

Question reference: S6W-35600

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the causes behind the reported increase in homes falling below the tolerable standard since 2018.

The cause behind the reported increase in homes falling below the tolerable standard since 2018 is due to the introduction of the fire and smoke alarm, and carbon monoxide criteria in 2022.

The legal duty to take action on houses that do not meet the tolerable standard rests with the local authority. No homeowner will be criminalised if they need more time, and there are no penalties for non-compliance.

Question reference: S6W-35601

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the reported 700,000 homes deemed not fit for habitation are publicly owned, and what steps are being taken to ensure that local authorities and housing associations upgrade substandard properties.

Of the 700,000 reported homes that failed the tolerable standard in 2023, 244,000 were social homes. This means that 8% of social homes failed the tolerable standard.

Social landlords are required, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, to keep houses they let fit for human habitation and ensure that any repairs are carried out when they are needed.

We work closely with social landlords in our shared ambition to provide quality, affordable social homes and continue to have constructive engagement with them on a range of matters.

Question reference: S6W-35648

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the 1 July 2025 date for the ending of the Radio Teleswitch Service should be extended, in light of reported concerns about the readiness of suppliers and the potential impact on consumers, especially in rural and remote areas.

Question reference: S6W-35567

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Public Health Scotland regarding the implementation of the fracture liaison service audit, and what measures are being taken to ensure progress.

Scottish Government officials remain actively engaged with Public Health Scotland (PHS), who are responsible for the implementation of the Fracture Liaison Service audit. Progress against the business case requirements to develop and then implement the new audit is reviewed on a regular basis.

I also refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-35534 21 March 2025. 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-35467

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34603 by Shona Robison on 26 February 2025, whether all of its assessments of the long-term impacts of behavioural responses to its income tax policies pertain to measurements of past and present impacts, and not to future, projected impacts.

Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts for income tax include judgements for behavioural responses which are based on evidence from academic literature on how taxpayers have responded to previous changes to income tax policy in Scotland, the UK, and internationally. The SFC applies behavioural responses to policies over the course of their full forecast. More detailed information is available at the following link: How we forecast behavioural responses to income tax policy | Scottish Fiscal Commission.