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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-37837

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding action to address the impact on consumers in Scotland from reported rising renewable energy costs.

Question reference: S6W-38108

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the detailed Project Willow report by EY-Parthenon, what its position is on whether it is feasible to use approximately 240,000 hectares of agricultural land for the production of cover crops for Project 6 (HEFA), as set out at page 124, and, if it considers it to be feasible, whether it has any concerns regarding competition with food production.

Question reference: S6W-38105

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the detailed Project Willow report by EY-Parthenon, what Government decisions that are to be made before the end of 2025 in respect of Project (a) 5, (b) 6, (c) 7, (d) 8 and (e) 9 are being referred to at page 44.

Question reference: S6W-37844

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s reported view that the treatment of autistic people resembles that of a “bygone era”.

The Scottish Government is firmly committed to building a country that ensures equality of opportunity for all by embedding equality, inclusion and human rights into everything that we do. That includes ensuring that the rights of all neurodivergent people, including those with autism, are respected, protected and championed.

We are continuing to deliver work across government and with national and local partners, combining a national focus with strong local leadership.

Work is continuing on the proposed Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill, which presents a unique and world-leading opportunity to help create a society where being neurodivergent or having a learning disability is as accepted as being neurotypical.

Question reference: S6W-37836

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported statement by the chief executive of Centrica that the shift to net zero will not "materially" reduce electricity prices.

There are many factors that influence the price consumers pay for electricity. It is essential that we deliver net zero and build a secure energy system, but people in Scotland must see the benefit from that in their energy bills. The Scottish Government has been calling for the UK Government to take urgent action to address the high cost of electricity, as high energy prices remain the single greatest driver of fuel poverty in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37636

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of potential job losses in the north east that could result from a possible “presumption against new exploration for oil and gas", as set out in its Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Decisions on offshore oil and gas licensing, as well as on consenting and the associated fiscal regime, are matters currently reserved to the UK Government.

The Scottish Government is clear in its own support for a just transition for Scotland’s valued offshore oil and gas sector, which recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments and energy security.

Question reference: S6W-38112

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the detailed Project Willow report by EY-Parthenon, in what year the number of total jobs in operational phase (including direct, indirect and induced impacts) falls to zero in the (a) Base Case, (b) Growth Case and (c) Full Potential scenario, as set out at page 203.

Question reference: S6W-38080

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many new social homes will be delivered in 2025-26, and how this compares with 2021-22, in light of the reported reduced budget allocation for social housing in 2025-26 compared with 2021-22.

We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70% of these for social rent and 10% in rural and island areas, including new build, rehabilitation and acquisitions.

Backed by £768 million of investment this year, we are continuing to work with partners to increase the delivery of more affordable homes. We will report on all homes delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme via our quarterly official statistics. Official statistics for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme are available on the Scottish Government website at Housing statistics - gov.scot.

Local authorities, as strategic housing and planning authorities, are responsible for assessing affordable housing needs in their area and setting out their investment priorities in their Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs). These plans set out planned proposals for affordable housing supply over a five year period, and should be available on each local authority’s website.

From 23 March 2022 to 31 December 2024, a total of 26,039 affordable homes have been delivered towards the target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, consisting of 19,945 (77%) homes for social rent, 3,644 (14%) for affordable rent, and 2,450 (9%) for affordable home ownership.

Question reference: S6W-38100

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what wholesale power market price reforms it plans to introduce, in light of the recommendations in the Project Willow report.

The power to undertake reforms to the wholesale market is reserved to the UK Government.

The Scottish Government has been consistently been clear with successive UK Governments, NESO, Ofgem and industry that reforms must reduce costs for Scottish consumers, ensure our communities feel the benefit of the energy transition, protect investment in our renewables industry and support decarbonisation.

The Scottish Government is clear that the current wholesale electricity market is not fit for the delivery of our net zero ambitions, nor our aims to tackle fuel poverty.

Question reference: S6W-37977

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the independent review of Creative Scotland will include scrutiny of all funding decisions over the last five years.

I agreed the remit of the Review of Creative Scotland with the independent Chair, Angela Leitch, and it is available on the Scottish Government’s website at the following link: Independent Review of Creative Scotland: remit - gov.scot

The review will include consideration of Creative Scotland’s finances and distribution of funds.

The Review is independent of the Scottish Government and will deliver its recommendations in November.