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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-37922

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many current vacancies there are in local authority planning services.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of vacancies in local authority planning services. The resourcing and staffing of planning services is a matter for individual local authorities.

Recognising the financial and capacity pressures on the planning system, the National Planning Hub is offering support to authorities including capacity and access to expertise to help them determine applications for renewable energy and housing projects.

Question reference: S6W-37901

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to incentivise farmers to diversify into (a) renewable energy, (b) agroforestry and (c) nature restoration.

We are continuing to transform the way we support farming and food production in Scotland, to deliver our Vision for Agriculture, and become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

We want our agriculture sector to be productive and profitable while delivering for climate and biodiversity. That is why we will maintain reformed direct payments to support active farming and food production, for example through the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme, while introducing conditions to support our agricultural businesses to contribute to our climate and nature goals,

Diversification can offer a valuable route for our farmers and crofters tocontinue to produce high quality food while exploring new opportunities, supporting their business resilience into the future.

Many of our farmers and crofters already generating renewable energy as part of a diversified business and are realising the financial benefits while reducing their emissions. We offer advice and funding for small-scale renewables through Business Energy Scotland and provide comprehensive guidance and advice on renewable energy through the Farm Advisory Service.

We already support farmers to plant trees and improve biodiversity. Through the Forestry Grant Scheme, we provide extensive funding for farmers and crofters to plant trees, including specific agroforestry funding and the award-winning Integrating Trees Network supports farmers and crofters across Scotland to develop their knowledge and understanding of planting and managing trees on their land. The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) has already committed over £342 million to more than 3,400 businesses to support biodiversity and environmental enhancement.

Aligned with our Vision for Agriculture, we are also developing future support schemes to better integrate biodiversity and tree planting into farming, recognising their role in climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as the multiple benefits they can offer for the farm business, for example the provision of shelter and shade for livestock from tree planting.

Initiatives like the Whole Farm Plan and the £14 million Future Farming Investment Scheme will also support our farmers and crofters to identify opportunities to reduce their emissions and improve biodiversity while continuing to produce high quality food, including through diversification into renewable energy, agroforestry, and nature restoration.

Question reference: S6W-37903

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that low-carbon farming practices are accessible to small and tenant farmers.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing support and guidance to the agricultural sector to adopt low-carbon farming practices, while meeting the changing needs of farmers and crofters. This includes financial support for carbon audits, soil testing, and animal health and welfare measures through the Preparing for Sustainable Farming initiative.

Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service, The Monitor Farm Programme, Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, and Integrating Trees Network offer financial support, provide practical advice, guidance, and skill development opportunities while showcasing the positive impacts of taking action to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Our small and tenant farmers are also able to access this.

Skills, knowledge, training, and Continuing Professional Development for our agricultural sector will be a key component of the Tier 4 complementary support in the Vision of Agriculture support package beyond 2025, which will come into effect on 1 April 2027 and work continues to develop this.

Question reference: S6W-37948

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what policies and procedures are in place regarding the storage, use, and disposal of tissue samples from non-suspicious deaths, and what safeguards exist to ensure that the consent and rights of the next of kin are respected.

Part 2 of the Human Tissue Act (Scotland) 2006 makes provision for post-mortem examinations for non-suspicious deaths including the requirement that any hospital-arranged post-mortem may only be carried out if authorisation is obtained from the nearest relative of the deceased or the deceased themselves in advance of death.

Failure to comply with the 2006 Act is an offence. Any authorisation given under the 2006 Act may also include such conditions as the party authorising the matter specifies, such as agreement to retain tissue samples as part of the medical record. It is the duty of those carrying out any authorised activity to do so, in so far as reasonably practicable, in accordance with the specified conditions.

The consent of the nearest relative is not required for a Procurator Fiscal-instructed post-mortem, however the views of the family will be taken into account when making a decision on whether or not to instruct a post-mortem.

Question reference: S6W-37953

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the average processing time for Blue Badge applications in the Scottish Borders, and how this compares with other local authority areas.

Question reference: S6W-37923

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Scotland plans to roll-out the new gonorrhoea vaccine, which is being made available to eligible and high risk groups in England from August 2026.

NHS Scotland will introduce a new vaccination programme which offers protection against gonorrhoea from August 2025. This targeted opportunistic programme is specifically aimed at Gay, Bisexual and other Men who have Sex with Men (GBMSM) who are at increased risk of gonorrhoea. Clinicians may also offer vaccination to a small number of individuals at equivalent risk outside of the primary GBMSM cohort who they identify as being at on-going risk.

Question reference: S6W-37028

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister endorsed comments suggesting that the UK Government (a) would nationalise the Grangemouth oil refinery if it were located in England and (b) is "happy to see" the refinery "wither", and, if so, for what reason, and whether this reflects official Scottish Government policy.

Question reference: S6W-37925

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what national guidance it has issued to NHS boards on the provision of blood testing facilities for people self-medicating gender hormones, in light of reports of long waiting times for gender identity care through the NHS.

Question reference: S6W-37437

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported comments that, while it engages regularly with cross-party groups (CPGs), “they are informal groupings of MSPs and other people and groups with an interest in a specific subject which are not part of the formal parliamentary structure for scrutinising government”, what its position is on the efficacy of CPGs in bringing stakeholders’ concerns to its attention, and what responsibilities or obligations it considers it has to act on any such concerns.

Cross-Party Groups provide an opportunity for MSPs to engage with external stakeholders on a particular subject or issue and many MSPs then raise those in Parliament or with the Government.

The role of CPGs is a matter for the Scottish Parliament and as set out in the Scottish Parliament’s Code of Conduct for MSPs, CPGs are and I quote, “not formal parliamentary business and should not be confused with the Parliament’s committee system” and “CPGs do not have any power to introduce issues formally into the parliamentary or government systems”.

Question reference: S6W-37951

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential data privacy implications of retaining DNA and tissue samples without explicit consent, particularly in relation to compliance with existing privacy and data protection legislation.