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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-38871

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether Scotland's Railway will commission a project to extend mobile phone network coverage to the Cowlairs Tunnel.

Question reference: S6W-38859

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in the development of a national system of pre-scaler hubs to stimulate early-stage entrepreneurship.

The Scottish Government is stimulating early-stage entrepreneurship through a range of measures. In 2024, South of Scotland Enterprise led a £1.5m regional pilot of the pre-start approach set out in the recommendations of Ana Stewart and Mark Logan Pathways report. This work is widening access to entrepreneurship and supporting new businesses to start and grow. Discussions are underway on an extension of the South of Scotland Pre-Start pilot and expansion to other regions of Scotland.

In addition, as set out in the Programme for Government, and building on 2024’s Pathways and Entrepreneurial Education Funds, further rounds of competitive funding will support our entrepreneurial ecosystem to widen entrepreneurial participation and develop the conditions needed for entrepreneurs to thrive.

Question reference: S6W-38726

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of buses ordered to date under the second phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB 2) by (a) manufacturer and (b) place of manufacture.

Through the second phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) a consortium of companies was awarded £41.7 million capital from the Scottish Government to support the purchase of more than 250 vehicles and the installation of their supporting infrastructure.

ScotZEB 2 differs from previous rounds of support by extending the eligible vehicles to include zero-emission coaches. This programme is still in the delivery phase and the final totals of vehicles to be delivered are still subject to change. The consortium aims to deliver at least 252 vehicles by March 2026. The following table sets out the manufacturer. The Scottish Government does not collect data on the locations in which vehicles are manufactured.

Manufacturer	Number of Vehicles
Alexander Dennis	44
Yutong	171
Volvo	28
EVM	3
Wrightbus	4

Question reference: S6W-38797

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will call in planning application 24/01680/FUL for the "erection of purpose-built student accommodation with ground floor food hall (Class 1A), food and drink (Class 3), public house and hot food takeaway (Sui generis), and assembly and leisure uses (Class 11) with associated landscaping, amenity, access and other ancillary works", which was reportedly granted by Glasgow City Council's Planning Applications Committee on 17 June 2025, in light of the objection raised by a statutory consultee, namely Historic Environment Scotland, due to the proposed development having a "significant adverse impact on the setting of A-listed Glasgow School of Art".

This application was notified to Scottish Ministers on 18 June 2025, as Glasgow City Council is minded to approve it against the advice of Historic Environment Scotland. Ministers have an initial 28-day period from the date of notification to consider whether to clear the application back to the Council or to call it in for their own determination. It would not be appropriate to comment further, while this matter is under consideration.

Question reference: S6W-38858

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to develop and align private sector incubators within the national entrepreneurial infrastructure.

The Scottish Government is committed to strengthening Scotland’s national entrepreneurial infrastructure. As part of this, we have procured CodeBase to deliver the Techscaler programme, which supports the creation and growth of tech startups across the country. Through this initiative, CodeBase collaborates with a range of ecosystem stakeholders, including private sector incubators, to ensure alignment and integration within the wider entrepreneurial landscape.

In addition, our Ecosystem Fund provides targeted support to organisations that contribute to a thriving startup environment. This includes funding for projects that enhance connectivity, capability, and access to resources for entrepreneurs, thereby reinforcing the role of private sector incubators within the national ecosystem.

Question reference: S6W-38512

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale will be for the publication of the revised Good Food Nation plan.

Question reference: S6W-38496

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when measurements of the noise of the central urban motorway in Glasgow were last taken, and what noise reduction measures are being introduced on the motorway through Glasgow as part of planned works at key locations such as Charing Cross and the Woodside Viaducts.

Noise monitoring at Woodside Viaduct is conducted for a range of purposes, including meeting legislative obligations, responding to requests from Glasgow City Council, or upon receipt of a complaint.

Monitoring began on 19 July 2021, as part of site compound location assessment, and noise is continually monitored at set locations throughout the site, with results produced monthly to summarise overall levels.

Further to the reply to the answer to question S6W-31031 on 15 November 2024 noise mitigation measures do not form part of the current scope of works being undertaken at Charing Cross.

Transport Scotland is committed to ensuring noise management is included in all their activities and responsibilities, including the work being undertaken on the M8 at Charing Cross. Transport Scotland has also been working closely with Glasgow City Council on providing noise management advice to the Future of the M8 Motion, and related schemes.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-38489

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to any Scottish firms bidding for contracts in the UK-wide civil nuclear sector.

Question reference: S6W-38441

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether extra resources have been provided to Healthcare Improvement Scotland, in light of reports of an increased number of dentists choosing to register their practices as independent clinics.

The regulation of independent health care, including dentists registered as independent clinics, is funded through fees paid to Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) by its regulated independent health care services. These fees fund HIS’ regulation activities. All independent health care services must register with HIS, and pay registration annual continuation fees to legally operate in Scotland.

In addition to the fees, the Scottish Government has provided £260,000 per year to HIS for regulation of independent healthcare services since 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-38440

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many dental practices registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland as independent clinics in 2024-25, and, of those, how many had previously been providers of general dental services with their local NHS boards.