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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-44362

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that some landlords applying to the First Tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber) to seek an eviction order face at least a six-month wait for their case to be heard.

Question reference: S6W-44341

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what seed funding has been allocated to the Scottish Marine Recovery fund in its Budget 2026-27 to allow its establishment.

Question reference: S6W-44342

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Marine Recovery Fund is expected to be accessible for renewable energy developers.

Question reference: S6W-44340

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in the establishment of the Scottish Marine Recovery Fund.

Question reference: S6W-44343

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what timelines officials are working towards to ensure that the Scottish Marine Recovery Fund is set up and accessible as soon as possible, and specifically, what progress has been made in identifying a suitable quantum of measures that will be operationally deliverable.

Question reference: S6W-43982

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific long-term modelling it has selected, alongside Scottish Water, to undertake an assessment of drought risks over the next 25 years.

Scottish Water has recently updated its projections for the availability of water from its sources, using the UK Climate Projections (UKCP18) based on 2-degree and 4-degree scenarios, in line with advice from the Climate Change Committee. For areas where demand is predicted to outstrip the amount of water available from sources by 2050, the shortfall will total 280 megalitres per day during drought events equivalent to the worst on record. Scottish Water’s Long-Term Strategy recognises these pressures, and work will continue during the next Strategic Review period (2027 – 2033) to identify how to address the deficit.

Question reference: S6W-43981

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, in partnership with Scottish Water, to plan for and respond to long-term water resource pressures highlighted in the recent UN report on global water scarcity, and what assessment it has made of any impact of the reduction in Scottish Water’s budget on future resilience and infrastructure planning.

Scottish Water’s Long-Term Strategy recognises the pressures on its water resources and supplies over the next 25 years as a result of climate change and changing demographics across Scotland. Options to address these challenges will consider a range of measures including ways to reduce the demand for water in Scotland, improving connectivity across systems and potentially establishing new water sources. This work will continue during the next Strategic Review period (2027 – 2033) through a Draft Ministerial Objective to provide a report setting out options for addressing the deficit between supply and demand, as well as developing detailed options for areas which are considered not to be resilient to drought.

The Scottish Government works closely with Scottish Water and SEPA to monitor and mitigate long-term water resource pressures. This work is supported by weekly and seasonal water scarcity reporting and regular cross-agency coordination.

As reported in the answer to S6W-43601 on 12 February 2026, there is no reduction in spend that would negatively impact on future resilience and infrastructure planning. 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-43984

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Scottish Water’s 25-year sustainability plan is adequately funded, monitored and stress tested against worst-case climate scenarios.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on draft Ministerial Objectives for 2027-33. These are proposed to help address the challenges faced by the water industry, including adapting to climate change. They are aligned with our long-term Water Sector Vision and Scottish Water’s Long-Term Strategy. Scottish Water is responsible for preparing and delivering plans that meet these objectives and setting out how it will play its part in achieving the sector vision. These plans are scrutinised by the independent economic regulator, the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), to determine if they are sufficient to achieve the Ministerial Objectives while meeting the standards required by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). It is through this review process that WICS ensures Scottish Water is adequately funded to deliver on the objectives of Ministers at the lowest reasonable overall cost.

Question reference: S6W-43983

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure transparent public reporting on water scarcity indicators, drought risk levels and associated infrastructure vulnerabilities.

Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan sets out how water resources are managed prior to, and during, periods of prolonged dry weather. Water scarcity indicators and seasonal conditions are reported publicly through SEPA’s weekly and seasonal reports, providing early insight and transparency for stakeholders.

In terms of public water infrastructure vulnerabilities, Scottish Water has recently updated its supply-demand balance forecasts based on UK Climate Projections (UKCP18) as reflected in the recently published Final Business Plan for 2027 – 2033. This follows initial presentation of previous data through the Long-Term Strategy and Climate Change Adaptation Plan. Work is ongoing to update drought risk levels for water resource zones across the country.

Question reference: S6O-05674

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the regulatory framework currently in place to monitor the development and operation of data centres in Scotland, in relation to ensuring that their energy use, water consumption and any environmental impacts are being effectively controlled.