Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 2329 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-41113

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the (a) UK Government and (b) Infected Blood Compensation Authority regarding the continuation of counselling support for beneficiaries of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme and their families.

Question reference: S6W-41115

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor and evaluate the wellbeing outcomes of beneficiaries of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme and their families following the withdrawal of independent counselling grants.

Question reference: S6W-41111

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason independent counselling grants have been withdrawn for beneficiaries of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme, in light of similar grants continuing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Question reference: S6W-41112

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring parity of support for beneficiaries of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme and their families, compared with those in other UK nations.

Question reference: S6W-41106

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of section 2 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which enables the transfer of functions to the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, for what reason the transfer of counselling support functions has not been negotiated or implemented prior to the removal of Scottish independent counselling grants.

Question reference: S6W-40826

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of delivering a circular economy, whether it plans to set a national reuse target, in line with the approach taken by countries such as Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium, and if so, what guidance and financial support it will provide to local authorities to help achieve this.

As set out in the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030, available on the Scottish Government’s website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-circular-economy-waste-route-map-2030/, new circular economy targets will be set by 2027 and will build on the monitoring and indicator framework that will be part of the forthcoming circular economy strategy. Reuse targets will be considered as part of the development of these new targets.

Question reference: S6O-04992

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress on the development and expansion of heat networks across Scotland, including any plans it has to accelerate deployment to meet heat network decarbonisation targets.

Question reference: S6W-39738

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many deaths have been reported where the cause of death was sepsis, either on its own or alongside other factors, in each month of the past 10 years.

I have asked Alison Byrne, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland to respond. Her response is:

Table 1 shows the number of deaths where sepsis was mentioned in the cause of death, either as the underlying cause or a contributory cause, which occurred in Scotland in each month of the past 10 years.

Table 1: Deaths which mention sepsis by month of occurrence, Scotland, 2014 to 2023 [note 1]

Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
2014	221	207	207	183	193	181	193	213	176	212	187	223
2015	257	220	200	209	175	209	210	194	184	200	195	225
2016	229	235	222	174	155	200	191	168	170	174	192	215
2017	203	179	175	198	165	174	155	178	153	176	177	212
2018	242	181	214	173	189	153	151	154	163	179	193	183
2019	198	170	154	162	152	163	154	156	157	168	141	184
2020	178	167	171	150	154	134	155	153	155	172	160	174
2021	177	164	170	160	163	158	162	192	183	192	182	224
2022	199	170	175	186	164	165	176	191	193	215	208	248
2023	251	230	227	180	179	160	151	169	154	179	164	212

Note 1: These figures have been determined using ICD-10 codes A40 (streptococcal sepsis) and A41 (other sepsis). This will be an underestimate of the number of deaths involving sepsis. There are a range of conditions involving sepsis which will not lead to a code A40 or A41, for example 'urosepsis' will be coded to N39.0 (urinary tract infection, site not specified). It is not possible to include these codes in the definition of sepsis, as they will include deaths which are not sepsis-related.

Question reference: S6W-39344

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported findings of the independent evaluation of the Just Transition Fund, what its position is on how spending £43 million of public money to create 110 jobs can be justified, in light of reports of workers and communities in north east Scotland continuing to experience job insecurity and uncertainty.

The independent evaluation highlighted the enabling role of the Just Transition Fund (JTF) in supporting a just transition in the region and found that 230 jobs had been created and safeguarded in the first two years. Additionally, the JTF supported the provision of more than 750 training places and leveraged over £34 million in additional investment. The JTF supports a range of activity in the North East and Moray, alongside the creation and safeguarding of jobs. This includes enabling innovative technologies, improving environmental outcomes, investing in communities, and empowering communities with our participatory budgeting approach.

Importantly, the Fund forms part of a wider toolkit of support available for workers in the North East, including a new Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund recently launched in partnership with the UK Government to support offshore workers transition to the sustainable energy sector.

Question reference: S6W-39345

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the funding to support a just transition for Scotland is structured as (a) grants and (b) loans or investments, and what its position is on how these proportions impact the sustainability of job creation.

From 2022 to date, £50 million of the Just Transition Fund has been allocated as capital grants. In addition, £25 million was allocated in financial transactions to the Scottish National Investment Bank to be invested on a commercial basis in line with the Bank’s Investment Strategy and its mission, including support for a just transition. A further £1.5 million in financial transitions was allocated to Social Investment Scotland to deliver the Social Enterprise Just Transition Fund.

In its first two years, the Just Transition Fund has supported the creation and safeguarding of over 230 jobs, enabled more than 750 training opportunities, and helped secure over £34 million in additional investment. These early outcomes demonstrate the Fund’s positive impact, and we are confident that the number of jobs, level of investment leveraged, and other key results will continue to grow as projects progress.