- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 4 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set key benchmarks for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to record the time taken for the required weight of response to reach recognised categories of incidents.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43410 on 4 February 2026. 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.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 4 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many of Scotland's 356 fire stations have decontamination facilities.
Answer
The provision of facilities at fire stations is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). In April 2025 SFRS introduced new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Fire Contaminants covering all fire stations to help protect firefighters and staff from the potential harm from fire contaminants. SFRS continues to invest in improved facilities including separation of clean and dirty areas within fire stations. There are variations of the standard of facilities available at fire stations across Scotland with only basic facilities being available in some of the seldom used rural stations. However, procedures are in place at all fire stations to allow for decontamination. This includes crew’s being directed to a nearby hub station or other local arrangement for access to showers where these are not available in their home fire station.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Landlord Registration regime, what its position is regarding whether this is functioning as planned, in light of The Highland Council reportedly stating that its officer-level escalation powers have not been exercised over multiple years.
Answer
The Landlord Registration regime is established under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, with statutory guidance issued by Scottish Ministers to support local authorities in carrying out their duties.
Local authorities are responsible for administering and enforcing the regime, and the legislation provides a range of enforcement powers that can be used to address non-compliance. It is for each authority to determine the appropriate use of these powers in individual cases.
Decisions on whether to use officer level escalation powers in individual cases lie with the relevant local authority.
We will continue to support local authorities in delivering the regime effectively, and will keep its operation under review to ensure it continues to meet its intended purpose.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Landlord Registration regime, whether a
so-called light touch approach is compatible with local authorities' statutory
enforcement obligations in cases where escalation powers are not being applied.
Answer
The Landlord Registration regime is established under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, with statutory guidance issued by Scottish Ministers to support local authorities in exercising their functions.
Local authorities are responsible for delivering the regime and for determining how best to meet their statutory enforcement obligations using the powers available to them. A proportionate or risk-based approach can be compatible with these duties, provided that escalation powers are used where necessary to secure compliance.
Decisions on the appropriate use of enforcement powers in individual cases rest with the relevant authority. Where appropriate, concerns about unregistered letting may be referred to Police Scotland, and tenants may seek recourse through the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber) where relevant.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Landlord Registration regime, what
assurance it has been given that local authorities are not structurally
bypassing statutory enforcement provisions, and what steps might be taken to
ensure that the regime operates effectively.
Answer
Local authorities have a statutory duty to administer and enforce the Landlord Registration regime in accordance with the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, supported by statutory guidance issued by Scottish Ministers.
The Scottish Government has not received any evidence to suggest that local authorities are structurally bypassing their statutory enforcement responsibilities.
We continue to support local authorities in delivering the regime effectively by providing guidance, sharing best practice, and monitoring issues raised by stakeholders. We will keep the operation of the regime under review and consider further measures, where appropriate, to ensure it continues to function as intended.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 February 2026
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure the long-term financial and operational stability of specialist domestic abuse services in the Highlands.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware that its guidance on adopting a "light touch" approach to regulation of landlords is reportedly being cited as justification by the Highland Council to explain why no rent penalty notices and fiscal reports have been issued over an 18-month period from July 2022.
Answer
The Scottish Government has published statutory guidance for local authorities regarding the effective regulation of landlord registration (https://www.gov.scot/publications/landlord-registration-statutory-guidance-local-authorities-2017-statutory-guidance-local/pages/1/).
This guidance is intended to help local authorities deliver effective regulation as part of a continuing drive to raise standards and ensure greater consistency in enforcement across Scotland.
The guidance makes clear to local authorities their legal requirements under relevant landlord legislation, but also that they have a range of powers they can use to encourage compliance and to target breaches.
These include rent penalty notices which suspend the rent liability of a tenant living in an unregistered property; reporting unregistered landlords to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service; the discretionary power to make a third-party application to the First-tier Tribunal on behalf of tenants to enforce the repairing standard; a late application fee if a landlord fails to renew their application on time; and action plans that are used by some local authorities to describe interventions they make to support landlords to improve their practice so that they can meet the requirements for registration.
Whilst most landlords let their houses in a responsible way, should any continue to operate outside the law then Landlord registration, supported by other legislation, provides a means for local authorities to register persons who are fit and proper and take steps to deal with those who operate outside the law.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of dental practices that are accepting new NHS patients, including how it will monitor the effectiveness of the November 2023 payment reforms in improving access for patients in rural and island communities.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2026
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the independent review of maternity services in Caithness, including the remit and timescale of the review, and what detail has been shared with relevant duty bearers.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2026
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 16 December 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how long the process for adoption from fostering should take, from beginning the process to the adoption being finalised.
Answer
The process of adoption is governed by the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 and The Adoption Agencies (Scotland) Regulations 2009, which set out the legal framework for adoption and the responsibilities of local authorities and adoption panels. The 2007 Act makes the child’s welfare paramount and requires decision-makers to consider any risk of prejudice caused by delay, but it does not set statutory time limits.
The 2011 Scottish Government Guidance on the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 and the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007emphasises that decisions should be made within timescales appropriate to the child’s developmental needs and that avoiding delay is essential, as prolonged uncertainty can harm a child’s welfare and stability.
The duration of the adoption process varies depending on the child’s circumstances, the complexity of the case, the time needed for assessments, matching, panel consideration, and legal procedures. This includes cases where a child is already placed with foster carers.
