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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: S6W-40365

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs associated with the production and publication of the paper, Your Right to Decide.

Question reference: S6W-40366

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37772 by Gillian Martin on 3 June 2025, how it will track (a) how local authorities spend extended producer responsibility funds dispensed to them and (b) any subsequent improvement to waste services arising from such spend.

Question reference: S6W-40352

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure equitable access to the new Fund to Leave across all local authority areas, and what support will be provided to any dependants.

Question reference: S6W-40355

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding will be provided to local authority planning departments to support the emergency-led approach to housing delivery.

Question reference: S6W-40363

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34957 by Neil Gray on 20 February 2025, regarding the commitment in the NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 to recruit 1,000 additional staff in primary care mental health, whether it remains the case that the programme is paused.

Question reference: S6W-40360

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its commitment on 26 June 2025 to engage with the recommendations in the Sarcoma UK report, Unique Among Cancers, what assessment it has made of the level of sarcoma care in NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-40351

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how the new £1 million national Fund to Leave will be distributed; how many women were supported through the pilot, and what the average amount received was.

Question reference: S6W-40152

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has paid consultants related to its work to support (a) the introduction and development of AI across the public sector and (b) staff training on the use of AI.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on payments to consultants for (a) the introduction and development of AI across the public sector or (b) staff training on the use of AI.

However, the Scottish Government has prioritised building internal capability and expertise to ensure sustainable and responsible adoption of AI technologies.

Work to support the development and implementation of AI has been led by civil servants, supported by specialist input from The Data Lab, in line with the Scottish Government’s AI Strategy which promotes inclusive, ethical, and trustworthy use of AI. Staff training and upskilling in AI have also been delivered internally including by the Scottish Digital Academy.

Question reference: S6W-40164

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39896 by Angus Robertson on 27 August 2025, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether the topic of Scottish independence was discussed in the meeting between the First Minister and the President of the European Commission on 26 July 2025.

Question reference: S6W-40048

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done to (a) identify any specific barriers preventing girls from feeling safe in public play spaces and (b) develop guidance for public bodies to address any such barriers.

Every child has the right to play under the United Nations Conventions of the Rights of the Child. The Scottish Government wants every child to be able to play across all stages and aspects of their life to support their social development, resilience, language and communication development, health, physical and mental wellbeing.

In May 2023, we introduced regulations regarding Play Sufficiency Assessments which require planning authorities to assess and provide statements as regards to the quality, quantity and accessibility of both formal and informal play spaces for children in their areas. Considerations should be given to equality of access and inclusion. A planning guidance was published in December 2023 to support the implementation of the PSA Regulations.

Additionally, on 24 March 2025 we published our Play Vision Statement and Action Plan 2025-2030, which recognises girls as one of the groups of children whose right to play are most at risk. In collaboration with our key partners in local authorities and the third sector we are leading on an action to share effective practice on maintenance and development of free, accessible and inclusive public spaces by the end of 2026. This will include principles for the design and maintenance of public spaces to create an environment where girls feel safe and welcome in public play spaces.