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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-41587

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion, in its Delivering Real Growth manifesto, that local referenda should be held whenever a local authority proposes an excessive increase in council tax.

Question reference: S6W-41585

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion, in its Delivering Real Growth manifesto, that retailers should benefit from a meaningfully more competitive business rate than in England.

Question reference: S6W-41586

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion, in its Delivering Real Growth manifesto, that any further divergence towards higher income tax rates in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK should be avoided.

Question reference: S6W-41588

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Retail Consortium’s suggestion, in its Delivering Real Growth manifesto, that there should be no new levies or taxes on the retail industry.

Question reference: S6W-41132

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Dumfries and Galloway Council and SWestrans regarding the impact of recent changes to bus services on communities.

Scottish Government officials met with Dumfries and Galloway Council and SWestrans earlier this year to obtain updates on changes to bus services in the area. However, the Scottish Government is not involved in decision making in relation to local bus services.

Under the Transport Act 1985, local authorities have a duty to identify where there is a social need for particular bus services and can subsidise these at their discretion. In this case, Dumfries and Galloway Council and SWestrans carried out a procurement exercise to award contracts to operate local authority subsidised bus services and school transport services.

Question reference: S6W-41133

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what additional financial support it can provide for supported bus services in the Dumfries and Galloway Council area.

Local authorities receive money through the general revenue grant, and it is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available, including on support for bus services, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled its statutory obligations. In 2025-26 the Scottish Government provided record funding of over £15.1 billion to local authorities, a real terms increase of 5.5%.

The Scottish Government continues to provide financial support for bus services, including subsidised bus services, with £49.5m allocated in 2025-26 for the Network Support Grant.

The Scottish Government delivered all the powers within the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, which enables each local transport authority to determine the options that are available to them to improve bus provision in their area.

Question reference: S6W-40659

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department for Business and Trade regarding the impact of opt-out group proceedings (class action) litigation on competition matters, and what lessons it has drawn for the Scotland-specific context of this, including any implications for (a) the operation of Scotland's courts, (b) Scotland’s competitiveness as a location for business and investment and (c) consumers.

As set out in the answer to S6W 40658 on 2 October 2025, the introduction of opt-out group proceedings in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC). Under the 2018 Act , opt-out procedures can only be introduced through rules of court made by the Court of Session on the recommendation of the SCJC.

The Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, as introduced, provided only for opt-in group proceedings. However, at Stage 2, non-Government amendments were accepted by the Justice Committee to allow for both opt-in and opt-out procedures, with the type of procedure to be determined by the court in each case. These amendments were supported by all opposition parties and were not overturned at Stage 3.

While the Scottish Government did not oppose the principle of opt-out proceedings, it had concerns about the complexity of implementing such a model without further analysis. The Government’s preference was to introduce opt-in proceedings first, with opt-out to be considered following post-legislative scrutiny. As a result, a full policy analysis of the opt-out model was not undertaken at the time of the Bill’s passage, on the understanding that detailed analysis and stakeholder engagement would be carried out prior to implementation. This remains the Government’s position

The Scottish Government is aware of the growing interest in the potential introduction of opt-out group proceedings in Scotland, particularly in relation to competition matters. While there have been no formal bilateral discussions with the UK Department for Business and Trade specifically on this issue, the Scottish Government continues to monitor developments in UK-wide competition litigation, including the operation of opt-out collective proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) in England and Wales.

I also further refer the member to the answers to question S6W-40658 on 2 October 2025. 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-40658

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, how it will ensure that there is an opportunity for the Parliament to scrutinise any proposed changes to the operation of group proceedings (class action).

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that any changes to the operation of group proceedings under the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018 are subject to appropriate scrutiny and transparency.

The development of rules for group proceedings, including any proposals to introduce opt-out procedures, is the responsibility of the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC). These rules are made by the Court of Session under powers conferred by the 2018 Act.

Once approved by the Court of Session, rules of court are laid before the Scottish Parliament in accordance with the negative procedure. This means that Parliament has the opportunity to scrutinise the rules and, if it considers it appropriate, annul them within a specified period. This process ensures that the Parliament retains oversight of significant procedural changes to the civil justice system.

In addition, the Scottish Government will continue to engage with stakeholders and the Parliament throughout the development of any new procedures. Ministers are also required under the 2018 Act to report on the operation of group proceedings, which provides a further mechanism for parliamentary scrutiny and debate.

I also further refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40659 on 2 October 2025. 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-40657

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018, what assessment it has made of the potential impact of introducing opt-out group proceedings (class action) in Scotland, including the implications for (a) the competitiveness of businesses, (b) the country's attractiveness for inward investment and (c) consumer protection, and whether it will publish the findings.

Question reference: S6O-05018

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the social justice secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how to manage any growing funding gap created by higher spending on devolved benefits.