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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6T-01686

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to appeal the decision of the Court of Session that the UK Government acted lawfully when enacting a section 35 order in relation to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S6F-02642

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will commit to any reform of Scotland’s planning regulations in order to generate growth, as recommended by CBI Scotland in a statement on 7 December.

Question reference: S6F-02655

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to grow the green economy.

Question reference: S6F-02648

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the recent report by Highland Council, which reportedly warns of a “significant risk” of parts of its region being "drained" of people.

Question reference: S6F-02641

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of any social benefit of extending free bus travel to all under 22s.

Question reference: S6F-02636

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02637

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-23548

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that residents in rural communities can access banking services, following reports of a reduction in mobile banking services.

The Scottish Government is aware of recent announcements from the banking industry to further close bank branches and withdraw mobile branch services. This is an unfortunate continuation of a trend witnessed across the sector to reduce in-person services in Scotland.

The regulation of financial services is ultimately a reserved matter for the UK Government. Recently they have legislated in this space, through the Financial Services and Markets Act, to grant the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) greater powers to protect access to cash in the UK. The FCA launched a public consultation on these new powers on 7th December and my officials are working to arrange a meeting with their Chief Executive, Nikhil Rathi, in early 2024. I look forward to discussing this increased regulatory remit with Mr Rathi and exploring what more can be done to ensure the unique cash and banking requirements of Scotland’s rural and island communities are being addressed.

The Scottish Government absolutely recognises the important role in-person services still play to our communities – particularly in rural and island regions. Therefore, myself, ministerial colleagues and officials have met with senior representatives from the banking sector in recent months. In these meetings we have expressed concerns about how branch closures not only impact the most vulnerable customers but also the dynamics of town centres, particularly when the last bank in town closes. I have also reminded banks of the social responsibility they have to the communities they are choosing to leave. The Scottish Government are committed to working constructively with banks, not only to ensure that individuals and businesses can access the services they require, but also to encourage banks to engage with the communities they serve and understand the concerns of customers who live there.

Question reference: S6W-23539

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of its "health in all areas approach" to tackling health inequalities.

Tackling health inequalities and improving population health remain clear, ongoing aims of the Scottish Government, that directly support our cross cutting missions of Equality, Opportunity and Community. We continue to pursue and promote a “health in all policies” approach as we recognise the building blocks of good health require concentrated action across government to maximise income and address socio-economic factors.

We are making progress and have prioritised tackling key drivers for poor health, including poverty and deprivation through a range of measures. This includes investment of £3bn across a range of programmes to support low income households, delivering the Scottish Child Payment, delivering Best Start Bright Futures to tackle child poverty, free school meals and the council tax reduction scheme. We are also delivering Community Link Workers and Welfare Rights Advisors to offer advice on housing, social security and employability issues within GP practices across our rural and deprived communities.

We are also taking forward work to support and encourage positive health behaviours and assuring the impact of our interventions are appropriately considered. This includes conducting Health Inequality Impact Assessments across our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan, our Alcohol Framework and any future policy planning as we implement our Tobacco and Vaping Framework.

The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with its partners, including Public Health Scotland, at a national and local level to explore ways to drive improvements in health and embed health considerations within wider future policy making. Over the coming months, we will be working closely with our partners across the health and social care system, local authorities and wider stakeholders to develop long term planning for population health and integrated health and social care services.

Question reference: S6W-23429

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic impact of extending the 75% rates relief to hospitality and small retail businesses.

Decisions on non-domestic rates for 2024-2025 are considered in the context of the Scottish Budget in line with the Framework for Tax 2021 and with consideration given to affordability; the Scottish Draft Budget for 2024-2025 will be set out on 19 December. Forecasted costs of the Scottish Government’s non-domestic rates policies are published by the Scottish Fiscal Commission in Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts .

Our rates relief package in 2023-2024 is estimated to be worth £749m, including the Small Business Bonus scheme which remains the most generous relief for small businesses in the UK, and ensures that around half of properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in Scotland will pay no rates.