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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: S6O-05318

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the housing secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding arrangements for accessing pension funds as a source of investment to build affordable and social housing.

Question reference: S6W-42419

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what post-adoption support services are currently provided by local authorities, and how these services are monitored for consistency across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-42417

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what statutory support is available to adoptive parents following the completion of an adoption order.

Question reference: S6W-42418

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many adopted children have been surrendered under section 25 of the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 in each of the last three years, and what percentage of total adoptions this represents during each of these years.

Question reference: S6W-42420

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been surrendered by birth parents and, comparatively by adoptive parents, under section 25 of the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S6W-42416

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that members of the public, particularly older people who are not confident using digital channels, can reliably contact the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) by telephone.

Question reference: S6W-41720

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what outcomes were reached regarding provision for children and young people with autism at the meetings between the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland on 1 April and 30 October 2025.

Education provision for children and young people with autism was not discussed at these meetings. However, the Scottish Government continues to work closely with local government partners, including the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) to improve the education provision and outcomes for children and young people with additional support needs, including those with autism.

This includes partnership working, to deliver the Additional Support for Learning Action (ASL) Plan in response to the recommendations of the 2020 Morgan Review and ADES participation in our ASL Data Summit on 12 November, which marked the beginning of a phased approach to improving data at both national and local levels.

ADES is represented on the ASL Action Plan Project Board which has oversight of delivery of the ASL Action Plan, to ensure transparency in the delivery of our work and to ensure our accountability and that of our partners. We have committed to delivering the recommendations of the review by March 2026 and we are working with our local government partners to meet this commitment.

Question reference: S6W-41719

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6F-04008 by John Swinney on 24 April 2025 and S6O-04959 by Natalie Don on 18 September 2025 regarding the mothballing of rural nurseries and the ongoing review of the guidance given to local authorities on this, in light of local authorities being required by legislation to review their nursery provision and the minister's commitment that the Scottish Government would aim "to provide an update to Parliament [on the review] as soon as possible during the autumn term", whether it will confirm by what date the review will be published.

The review of the national guidance on the mothballing of schools and Council-run nurseries has required extensive engagement work with groups including councils and parents’ representatives. This work is nearing completion, and the Scottish Government will update Parliament as soon as possible.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (section 50) requires local authorities to consult every two years with families in their area about how they should make ELC available and then publish a service delivery plan. This duty helps local authorities to ensure an appropriate mix of provision within their area that reflects local circumstances and allows for choice.

Question reference: S6F-04415

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 November 2025

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding the implementation of the proposed scheme for the renovation of military homes in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-40760

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recent discussions with key stakeholders regarding the phasing out of the use of farrowing crates, when it will fulfil the commitment in its 2021-22 Programme for Government to consult on this issue; what financial support will be offered to pig farmers to transition to free farrowing systems; whether it will work towards no routine crating for sows, and, if so, what the timeline is for this.

As per my reply to you in the chamber on 01 October, once a definitive direction as to what could replace traditional farrowing crates is determined, we will then consider the possible options which may be made available for producers transitioning away from traditional farrowing crates.

With regards to the Scottish Government’s 2021-22 Programme for Government commitment to consult on phasing out the use of farrowing crates. I would refer you to the answer to question S6W-36181 on. 22 April 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.

The Scottish Government remains committed to this work and the recent roundtable table discussion with industry, animal welfare organisations and academic representatives was the first steps in finding ways to ensure producer’s viability and improving sow welfare.

We will continue to listen and work with the industry and stakeholders to find ways for producers to transition towards implementing improved animal welfare methods and practices.