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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-39994

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many workers made redundant by the closure of the Petroineos refinery in Grangemouth have received skills support from Forth Valley College.

The Scottish Government is working with Forth Valley College, UK Government, Skills Development Scotland and Petroineos as part of the Refinery Skills Intervention, which is currently ongoing.

To date the skills intervention targeted at Petroineos workers has had a high uptake. As of 20 August, 306 workers have enrolled in the reskilling programme and over 200 workers have either completed training or are actively undergoing retraining. The remaining individuals who are registered for training will commence according to redundancy schedule and personal preference.

Question reference: S6W-40267

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-39840

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there are any constraints against the establishment of new data centres in Scotland; if there are, what it considers that those constraints are, and what action it is taking to mitigate any such constraints.

“Data centres, and the associated digital infrastructure required to service them, are the backbone of a vibrant digital economy. Increased data centre presence in Scotland will help the country to fully embrace new and emerging technologies and opportunities in the future and support the Scottish Government's policy ambitions.

There are a number of different considerations that can impact the establishment of new data centres including electricity network, planning and technical considerations and each site has its own challenges and opportunities. Working across Scottish Government and its agencies, in conjunction with the UK Government where appropriate, we are seeking to address these opportunities and challenges to support the realisation of data centre investment across Scotland, whilst maximising spillover benefits such as re-use of excess heat and economic additionality.”

Question reference: S6W-39764

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 2 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what legal advice it received before its ministers publicly stated its position that Israel is committing genocide.

Question reference: S6W-39765

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 2 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed any legal and diplomatic risks of using the term "genocide" regarding Gaza, in relation to live international conflicts.

Question reference: S6W-39995

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Grangemouth Investor Taskforce to deliver the investment opportunities set out in Project Willow.

Question reference: S6W-39936

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 1 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many consultants have been appointed to NHS Scotland in each year since 2020, and what assessment it has made on whether those figures are sufficient to meet demand and reduce waiting times.

The information requested on how many consultants have been appointed to NHS Scotland in each year since 2020 can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at:

NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence.

Since 2020, we have increased the Medical & Dental Consultant workforce by 10.9% (from 5,606.4 WTE as at March 2020 to 6,217.5 WTE as at March 2025).

The Scottish Government works with a stakeholder group to undertake annual reviews of the number of specialty training places (for resident doctors) needed across all specialties in order to meet anticipated future service demand and consultant need.

In response to the recommendations from these reviews, the Scottish Government has funded the creation of hundreds of additional specialty training places in Scotland across multiple different specialties since 2014.

Question reference: S6W-39931

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many unfilled officer posts remain in Police Scotland as of the latest reporting date.

As the recruitment and deployment of officers is a matter for the Chief Constable, the Scottish Government do not hold this information.

The Scottish Government is investing a record £1.64 billion in policing in 2025-26, an increase of almost £90 million of additional funding from the 2024-25 budget. Our investment in policing has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in 2024-25 than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025. Police Scotland has stated that it has a healthy recruitment pipeline

Question reference: S6W-39679

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce drug testing of public waste water to better map so-called "hot spots".

In April 2025, the Centre of Expertise for Waters published research into the feasibility of wastewater monitoring for psychoactive substances in Scotland. The research publication is available here: https://www.crew.ac.uk/publications/review-psychoactive-substances-wastewater-monitoring-approaches-and-recommendations

While the research found that there were potential benefits of wastewater monitoring, and recommended piloting this in Scotland, there is further consideration required to understand how this would inform our future policy and enhance existing public health surveillance systems. The Scottish Government is working with Public Health Scotland to consider these issues as part of our wider work to extend our surveillance abilities.

Question reference: S6W-39929

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly not set a clear timetable for implementing 24/7 access to thrombectomy treatment.

Work is on-going to align the governance and delivery of thrombectomy with similar national programmes. This alignment with wider health service planning aims to support oversight of thrombectomy planning and encourage greater collaboration between NHS Boards in delivering this vital service.

Whilst the Scottish Government cannot currently provide a timeline for expanding the service, Scottish Government officials and NHS planners have been asked to work at pace on developing a plan for the next steps for service expansion.