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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-43090

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Scotland’s salmon industry understated its 2024 antibiotic use by 66% before revising the figure, what sanctions are available where inaccurate or incomplete veterinary-medicines returns required under licence conditions are made to regulators, and what information it has regarding how often any such sanctions have been (a) considered and (b) applied under similar circumstances since 2021.

Regulation of veterinary medicines is a reserved matter for the UK Government. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is responsible for market authorisation of antibiotics, including publication of antibiotic sales and sectorial usage statistics, and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.

The VMD publishes antibiotic sales and usage figures annually in the Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance Sales and Surveillance (VARSS) Report. Figures for antibiotics sales figures, including aquaculture, are provided by the veterinary pharmaceutical companies marketing these products to the VMD, and this is a statutory requirement. The VARSS report also includes data on usage in different animal sectors, including fish, and the VMD works in partnership with animal sectors to develop, facilitate and coordinate antibiotic usage data collection systems. Data are reported on a voluntary basis.

For the purpose of environmental protection, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) places licence conditions on marine fish farm operators to record and report antibiotic treatments to SEPA, including the product and volume used. The requirement for enforcement action associated with non-compliance in returns is assessed in line with SEPA’s enforcement approach.

No enforcement action has been required by SEPA in respect of any non- or incorrect antibiotic usage reports it has received from operators.

Question reference: S6W-43024

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Resolution Foundation's analysis of Adult Disability Payment and Personal Independence Payment official statistics that successful application rates for Adult Disability Payment are now lower compared with the equivalent Personal Independence Payment in England and Wales, what the reason is for any such difference in successful application rates.

While Adult Disability Payment and Personal Independence Payment are both benefits which provide money to help disabled people, they are underpinned by different principles and approaches. Direct comparisons should be treated with caution.

The more person-centred approach taken in Scotland includes increased support provided to those applying, including gathering supporting information on clients behalf from professionals, and offering face-to-face support through Social Security Scotland’s local delivery service.

Latest statistics show over 491,300 people were receiving Adult Disability Payment in October 2025. This is higher than the 310,000 people receiving Personal Independence Payment in Scotland in March 2022.

In Social Security Scotland’s 2024-25 disability payments client survey, 87% of Adult Disability Payment applicants who received help to complete their applications agreed ‘it was easy to get this support’ -demonstrating the commitment to delivering a service based on dignity, fairness and respect.

Question reference: S6W-43023

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the successful application rate for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) has reportedly fallen in each fiscal year that ADP has operated, from 57% in 2022-23, to 51% in 2023-24, to 42% in 2024-25, and to 34% in 2025-26 to date.

Social Security Scotland is committed to ensuring eligible people receive the financial help they are entitled to.

Independent analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies and the Resolution Foundation shows a surge in application numbers following Adult Disability Payment’s introduction, driven by awareness-raising activity and more accessible application processes, along with an initial higher rate in awarded applications. This was followed by a stabilisation in awarded applications as processes mature and decision-making becomes more consistent.

Social Security Scotland remains committed to making the right decision first time and continues to monitor performance to ensure accurate decision-making across all benefits.

Question reference: S6O-05437

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to sustain the projects aiming to tackle poverty and social exclusion in the North East Scotland region, that are currently supported by the Investing in Communities Fund, beyond March 2026.

Question reference: S6O-05348

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support young people to engage with the consultation on updating the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967.

Question reference: S6O-05277

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to address the reported legal aid crisis, to ensure that people in the North East Scotland region are able to access support.

Question reference: S6W-41979

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to expand the use of FibroScan across NHS Scotland, with the aim of improving the early detection of liver disease.

The Scottish Government is currently assessing the potential to expand the use of Fibroscans across NHS Scotland through its Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) which is finalising a Strategic Case paper (rapid assessment) on Intelligent Liver Testing to present to the Innovation Design Authority (IDA) in December.

Intelligent Liver Testing involves Intelligent Liver Function Test (iLFT) and Enhanced Liver Fibrosis testing (ELF) to support the earlier detection of liver disease.

Question reference: S6O-05258

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on adult English (ESOL) classes that are held on school premises of the reported far-right protests that have taken place outside the schools in opposition to these.

Question reference: S6O-05174

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support tenants and owner-occupiers affected by RAAC in the North East Scotland region.

Question reference: S6W-41549

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the most recent data from SEPA's Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory, which reportedly shows rising levels of toxic pollution, including mercury, from Scotland's incinerators.

The 2022 independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland states that in the short-term, incineration will have a role to play in managing our waste as we transition to a circular economy.

As we continue to increase our reuse and recycling rates, we will produce even less waste, however we will still need an appropriate way to manage our unavoidable and unrecyclable waste.

That’s why the Scottish Government’s Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) makes clear that development proposals for energy-from-waste facilities will not be supported, except under limited circumstances.

Emissions from energy from waste plants are strictly controlled under the Pollution Prevention and Control regulatory regime. Research shows that correctly operated modern energy from waste facilities should have minimal impact on overall local air quality.