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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-38407

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, on average, what proportion of reported incidents of school violence currently result in disciplinary action.

Question reference: S6W-38402

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what role devolved policy choices have played in any limiting of economic growth.

The Scottish Government is working across the economy to maximise opportunities that prioritise economic growth, using our limited devolved powers.

Scotland’s economy remains one of the best performing parts of the UK with GDP per person in Scotland growing by 10.3%, compared to 6.1% in the UK and productivity has grown at an average rate of 1.1% per year compared to the UK average of 0.4% since 2007.

The Scottish Government published its National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) in 2022, setting out a ten year transformation plan with the objective of creating a fair, green and growing economy. This year’s Programme for Government places economic growth and working to create business opportunities, sustainable fair work, higher wages, more housing and better infrastructure, at the forefront.

However, our limited powers mean we also require decisive action from the UK Government to counter the damaging economic impacts of Brexit and the employers national insurance increases, and tackle the economic uncertainty currently being felt by business.

Question reference: S6W-38702

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much small and medium-sized businesses currently contribute to the economy, and how this compares with each of the previous five years.

Data are available on the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) share of businesses, jobs and turnover. These estimates, sourced from the Businesses in Scotland 2024 publication, are shown in the following table.

Table 1: SME share of businesses, jobs and turnover – Scotland – 2019 to 2024

Year	SME share of Businesses	SME share of Jobs	SME share of Turnover
2019	99.3%	44.2%	39.2%
2020	99.3%	44.4%	39.0%
2021	99.3%	43.6%	38.0%
2022	99.3%	44.1%	37.6%
2023	99.3%	43.8%	39.5%
2024	99.3%	43.9%	39.0%

Source: Businesses in Scotland: 2024 - gov.scot

Notes:

1.Data as at March each year.

2.Includes central and local government.

3.SMEs are Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, that is businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Enterprise size is defined based on the number of employees that the business employs across the UK.

4.Turnover for Financial and Insurance Activities businesses are not available on a comparable basis. Totals exclude turnover of such businesses.

Question reference: S6W-38179

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to mitigate any risks associated with the visitor levy, in light of reported concerns that it could push some operators over the VAT threshold and potentially cause them to close down.

Question reference: S6W-38699

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38210 by Alasdair Allan on 9 June 2025, what analysis it has undertaken regarding the factors cited; whether those factors will affect the achievement of its heat in buildings decarbonisation goals, and what action it plans to take to affect patterns of consumer demand and installer availability to ensure that heat pumps are installed at a sufficient rate.

In 2023 we published a Heat in Buildings Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (Heat in buildings monitoring and evaluation Framework - gov.scot). This described the different elements that need to come together to enable us to deliver the heat transition and indicators to track progress in each of these areas.

Our annual Heat in Buildings Progress Reports (last published on 10 October 2024: Heat in Buildings: progress report 2024 - gov.scot), reported against the indicators described in the Framework and described the action we are taking to support delivery.

We are continuing to work in partnership with the sector and with installers to ensure that the appropriate support and training provision are aligned locally with business needs and future demands.

Our proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will provide clarity and confidence to boost consumer demand for clean heat and build market confidence.

Question reference: S6W-38647

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to (a) local authorities and (b) the public regarding the use of exempt fireplaces and stoves in smoke control areas, and how it ensures that the list of DEFRA-approved appliances for Scotland is kept up-to-date and accessible.

Question reference: S6W-38603

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that less than 10% of patients survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Scotland, what action Ministers are taking to improve CPR training and defibrillator familiarisation in schools, to improve citizen response to an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

The Scottish Government is a partner in the Save a Life for Scotland Partnership, which is working to ensure that all school aged children in Scotland will be given the opportunity to be equipped with CPR skills and increase defibrillator familiarisation across Scotland.

This has included delivery of Restart a Heart Day Live last year. This was a live stream CPR training event targeted at school-age children, which included information on defibrillation. The Scottish Government has committed to working with Save a Life for Scotland to support Restart a Heart Day Live again in 2025.

Question reference: S6W-38606

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has provided in relation to locating defibrillators outside school buildings.

Question reference: S6W-38628

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether a national impact assessment has been conducted in relation to any fire risk of battery energy storage system applications and developments, and what discussions it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service regarding this issue.

Scottish Government holds regular discussions with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) about Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) sites. SFRS continually review and develop their operational response to any new and emerging technology to keep communities safe.

SFRS is responsible for enforcing general fire safety under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, while process-related fire risks at Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) sites fall under the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) via the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Monitoring these sites is the duty holder’s responsibility.

No national impact assessment has been conducted in relation to fire risk of BESS applications and developments. Where new development proposals come forward, our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) ensures the impacts of proposals on communities and nature, including cumulative impacts, are important considerations in the decision-making process. All applications are subject to site specific assessments.

Question reference: S6W-38604

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many defibrillators have been located in (a) nurseries, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools in each local authority area in each of the last five years.